Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work and for the month of March we are placing a special spotlight on Women in Design.

I’m Louise and today I’m talking to Emme Jacob from Maynard Design Consultancy.

With a background in graphic design and a passion for wayfinding, Emme is interested in connecting people to place through meaningful environmental graphic solutions. Her wayfinding experience spans social housing, aviation, public realm and cultural centres, grounded by a belief that every person deserves inclusive access and connection to place.

Emme brings with her experience in brand and identity, and enjoys approaching wayfinding by creating thoughtful narratives that conceptualise place – creating logical yet surprising work, suited to local people. Through strategic wayfinding projects, Emme enjoys the challenge of balancing functional and intelligent systems with considered design outcomes, ensuring solutions are genuinely empathetic to those they serve.

For more inspiring stories of Aotearoa New Zealand designers and their work, visit designassembly.org.nz

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. I’m Louise and today I’m talking to Gideon Keith from Studio Seven. Gideon Keith is the founder and creative partner at Seven - an independent strategic brand agency based in Tamaki Maukarau. Gideon is a creative director and designer with over 30 years experience leading teams to create award winning work that connects brands with their audiences. He has worked with clients across Australasia, Asia, Europe and North America. As an international award winning designer, typographer and mark-maker, He is accomplished across a wide range of mediums from brand development; advertising; digital and experience; and art direction and design of countless publications. For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. I’m Louise and today I’m talking to Celeste Skachill from StudioC. Celeste is the founder of StudioC, a Wellington-based creative studio, and is an expert in delivering design for communities. Co-design, which is all about actively involving key stakeholders in the design process, is Celeste’s passion. She believes great design improves people’s lives in some way - and that’s always her end goal. Working remotely and from StudioC’s 10sqm bush studio headquarters, Celeste and her team collaborate and work closely with organisations such as Zealandia, Te Papa and Red Cross to co-design clear, relevant & engaging brand experiences. Ones that truly connect with their audiences. Celeste’s design story started early in her childhood growing up in the far north, Kaitaia she was always at the beach creating artworks in nature in the sand. Apart from a short blip where she thought she might become a sky dive instructor, she always knew she wanted to pursue a creative career. She went on to study Design at Massey University, thinking she would train to become a perfume label designer. After working on campaigns and a range of creative deliveries at Open Lab, her career path led her to become an Experience Designer at Te Papa where she worked on the design of events and exhibitions including Bug Lab, and Toi Art. When Celeste’s good friend suddenly passed away, followed by her grandmother, she was forced to re-evaluate things. She knew she wanted to escape the traditional way of working - but how? An experienced and ever-curious designer, Celeste decided to apply some of the co-design tools she used for client projects, such as persona maps to speed ideation, to her own life and to starting a business. The process sparked a series of radical events, including quitting her 9-5 and launching StudioC Design with her partner Glen. They built a tiny studio in the bush in Upper Hutt with their own two hands, developed a team of six alongside a Collective of freelance creatives, and started focusing on truly intentional work. StudioC provides end-to-end creative delivery grounded in co-design for purpose-led teams, especially in Conservation, Education, Healthcare, Social and community services, and the GLAM sector (galleries, libraries, archives and museums). Being surrounded by stunning landscapes, native trees, birds and wildlife was a recipe for success for business. A few years on and Celeste’s radically different work environment fires her up daily, to help others think outside the box, maximise opportunities for change, and design experiences people love. For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/

‘Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work.’ Heath Lowe is Executive Design Director and a founding partner of Special in New Zealand, now with offices in Wellington, Sydney, Melbourne, Los Angeles and London. For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/ Hailing from America’s Midwest, his career began in the US and Europe working alongside some of the world’s most ambitious companies — Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Miller Brewing Co., Foot Locker — to bring their unique vision and products to market and connect their brand cultures to, well, real culture. His way of working encourages the listening and thinking it takes to define a brand’s purpose and the customer needs that inform a product’s promise. The goal: to design experiences that matter. Whether it’s brand identity or packaging design, pop-ups or digital activations, this approach leads to work and results that make a difference to audiences, businesses, broader communities and culture. In his thirteen years behind the wheel of Special’s design business, Heath’s teams have been behind the award-winning work that has helped to position New Zealand brands like ecostore, Karma Cola, Royal New Zealand Ballet and Rockit apples among the best in the world. And work that has endeared hearts and homes to local brands as diverse as The Oyster Inn, Tip Top, Molenberg and the Green Party. Done right, it’s a great way to spend an honest day’s work.

‘Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work.’ In this episode we talked with Kyra and Fiona about the journey of Threaded, from the early days of constructing a framework for the studio and magazine through to the mahi behind this year's Special Edition #21 'Te Pō and Te Ao Mārama'. For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/

‘Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work.’ Stephen McCarthy is the founder and co creative Director of McCarthy Design based in Ōtautahi Christchurch. He’s been designing for over 25 years, worked in small and large studios, made 5 albums in band Pine touring Internationally and has a passion for design for social impact having helped shape wellbeing response work after the Quakes in Christchurch and Covid wellbeing response on a national scale. Personal Projects have seen him raise over $200k for charity with design based solutions, campaigns and tactile objects in response to pandemics, terrorist attacks and natural disasters For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. I’m Louise and today with designer Lindsay Yee, we talked to Kaan Hiini from Curative. Kaan Hiini is the Design Director at Curative, a creative agency inspiring social change. An award-winning designer who loves to work deeply with communities to honour their realities and perspectives. Kaan is skilled at translating project needs into richly layered creative work, and his connection with Māori language, values, and practice has been instrumental in shaping Curative's ways of working. Beyond the studio, Kaan can be found nurturing Auckland’s rainbow community in his role as co-chair of the Auckland Pride Festival. For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. This podcast is a little different from usual. Designer and long-time DA collaborator, Lindsay Yee interviews Louise Kellerman, Founder and Director of Design Assembly about where she comes from, how she found her way into a career in design and the beginnings of Design Assembly and where to from here. For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. I’m Louise and today I’m talking to Matt Power from Method. Matt Power is Design Director working across design, art direction and user experience at Method, a creative technology studio based in Auckland, New Zealand. Originally from the UK, Matt’s first role was at PlayStation Studios within their Creative Arts team, a collaborative and close-knit group of creatives of all disciplines.Having now called New Zealand home for five years, Matt has worked with Culture&Theory and with somewhat of an obsession with the overlap of creativity and technology, found the perfect fit in 2019 when joining Method. For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. I’m Louise and today I’m talking to Samantha Haehae from The Native Creative. Sam is an artist, neo-generalist, change-maker, and digital explorer. With around a decade of diverse experience in digital technology and design Sam’s expertise has been in demand across range of industries including branding, advertising, digital and future tech (with a focus on the wellbeing sector, education, start-ups, public service, tourism and arts and culture.) Shes been invited to be a judge at best awards, was chosen to participate in the kingsize scholarship and has recently completed the Oyster Workshop Māori and Pacific Creative Business Programme with North Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence. Sam is passionate about Te Ao Māori, cultural preservation, mental health awareness, the arts and education - but most of all her passion lies in creating solutions for the Māori community and her whānau. Sam offers photography, AR/digital design, illustration and developing contemporary Māori design identity. She also mentors young creatives, works part time at a few galleries and is studying tikanga maori. Sam's creative focus is currently devoted to the exploration of identity and whakapapa. This work crosses creative technologies, story-telling , cultural preservation, and social innovation and equity. For more inspiring stories of designers and their work, visit https://designassembly.org.nz/

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. I’m Louise and today I’m talking to Will Bardebes, an educator at Unitec and a designer. Will Bardebes is currently the discipline lead of animation and graphic design within the faculty of creative industries at Unitec Institute of Technology in Auckland. He also maintains a professional and personal design practice spanning the fields of digital, motion and video design through to publication design and risograph printing.

Kia ora and welcome to the Kātoitoi 2021 podcast series. This is a special limited edition podcast series of five interviews commissioned by Creative New Zealand as a part of the 2020 Kātoitoi pilot. This interview and illustration sits within a series of commissioned essays, interviews, podcasts and artworks to be published over 12 weeks supported by CNZ. In this special series we’ll hear from five of the review panel, each of whom looked at work within three categories to help select the final complied archive for this year. Kia ora I’m Louise, Design Assembly Founder and Director and today I’m talking to Emma Kaniuk and Tana Mitchell from Akin Emma and Tana co-founded Akin in 2015, a strategic design studio focused on creating engaging, seductive and effective brand solutions that grab people’s attention and hearts. Previous to starting Akin, they both spent time at Designworks. Emma has also worked at Special Group in Auckland and Sydney and Tana has worked at studios in Auckland, Wellington and overseas in New York and Berlin. They have been awarded for their work at the Best Awards with purple pins and overseas in the AGDA awards, D&AD and Designweek awards amongst others.

Kia ora and welcome to the Kātoitoi 2021 podcast series. This is a special limited edition podcast series of five interviews commissioned by Creative New Zealand as a part of the 2020 Kātoitoi pilot. This interview and illustration sits within a series of commissioned essays, interviews, podcasts and artworks to be published over 12 weeks supported by CNZ. In this special series we’ll hear from five of the review panel, each of whom looked at work within three categories to help select the final complied archive for this year. Kia ora I’m Louise, Design Assembly Founder and Director and today I’m talking to Trudi Hewitt. Trudi is currently freelancing and living in Te Tai Tokerau. She has enjoyed being a design tutor at Wintec School of Media Arts for the past 2 years and specialises in packaging, branding and all things type.

Kia ora and welcome to the Kātoitoi 2021 podcast series. This is a special limited edition podcast series of five interviews commissioned by Creative New Zealand as a part of the 2020 Kātoitoi pilot. This interview and illustration sits within a series of commissioned essays, interviews, podcasts and artworks to be published over 12 weeks supported by CNZ. In this special series we’ll hear from five of the review panel, each of whom looked at work within three categories to help select the final complied archive for this year. Kia ora I’m Louise, Design Assembly Founder and Director and today I’m talking to Tim O'Neill. A multi-disciplinary creative with graphic design beginnings, over the past decade Tim has found himself doing a little bit of everything. From kicking through the start-up app scene to crafting type for his foundry to creating TV commercials. Currently his nine-to-five consists of brand strategy and identity with a diverse range of clients at Plato in Christchurch. Tim praises his design background for the conceptual foundation behind any creative practice.

Kia ora and welcome to the Kātoitoi 2021 podcast series. This is a special limited edition podcast series of five interviews commissioned by Creative New Zealand as a part of the 2020 Kātoitoi pilot. This interview and illustration sits within a series of commissioned essays, interviews, podcasts and artworks to be published over 12 weeks supported by CNZ. In this special series we’ll hear from five of the review panel, each of whom looked at work within three categories to help select the final complied archive for this year. Kia ora I’m Louise, Design Assembly Founder and Director and today I’m talking to Maria Devereux. Maria is Executive Creative Director at Colenso BBDO in New Zealand, recently named Cannes Lions agency of the decade for the Pacific Region. Having started her career at Colenso BBDO as a designer, she’s since worked in creative roles both locally and internationally on a range of clients including Google, BMW/MINI, Air New Zealand, Viagra Canada and MARS Global Petcare. In 2019 she was named in Adweek’s Creative 100 and in 2020 she co-created a leadership program designed to bring empathy to the way we work and lead. She is a passionate member of the Mentally Healthy Change Group in Australasia and was recently awarded a Certificate of Excellence at Campaign Asia’s Women Leading Change Awards. She’s collected over 100 international and local awards for her work at multiple shows including two One Show Grand Prix and three One Show Gold for her work on Pedigree SelfieSTIX.

Kia ora and welcome to the Kātoitoi 2021 podcast series. This is a special limited edition podcast series of five interviews commissioned by Creative New Zealand as a part of the 2020 Kātoitoi pilot. This interview and illustration will sit within a series of commissioned essays, interviews, podcasts and artworks to be published over a 12 week period supported by CNZ. In this special series you'll hear from five of the review panel, each of whom looked at work within three categories to help select the final complied archive for this year. Tēnā koutou I’m Louise, Design Assembly Founder and Director and today I’m talking to Adeline Marteil. Adeline is currently a senior designer at Hula Design in Auckland - specialists in branding, content and design. Orginally from France, Adeline has called Aotearoa home since December 2017.

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa New Zealand designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. I’m Louise and today I’m talking to Laura Cibilich from Run. Laura founded RUN (formerly Designstein) in 2008 and since then has orchestrated the launch of many successful brands and products, including New Zealand’s first indoor trampoline fun park, Jump. With her strong design background Laura has an extensive knowledge of strategic design, graphic design and brand application, with particular expertise in brand identity and brand strategy. She has experience working on projects for clients including The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Niue Tourism, 2degrees, Lego, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Canon, Puma, Kelly Tarlton’s, Jagermeister, Mattel, Pacific Trade Invest and Te Puia. Kia ora Laura, thanks so much for joining me.

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to Aotearoa NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. I’m Louise and today I’m talking to Donna McCort from Dow Goodfolk. Donna McCort is the creative director at Dow Goodfolk, a 25 year young brand design agency based in Auckland. Dow Goodfolk has its roots in packaging design and today runs the full spectrum of design services from strategy to identity and communications through to packaging, digital and spatial design. Donna has been working with Annie Dow, founder and managing director as a tight team with girl power on the fly for over 25 years. Kia ora Donna, thanks so much for joining me.

Design Assembly collaborated with Studio South to deliver This is not an interview — Conversations on Studio Life; a panel discussion event for design students (and educators) on entering the industry. Featuring Design Leaders: Caroline Powley, Design Educator (Convenor) Sam Southwell, Creative Director, Studio South Phoebe Ellis, Design Lead, Previously Unavailable Ryan Mark, Creative Director, Marx Design Tana Mitchell, Director, Studio Akin The panel shared real industry stories, insight into their process and honest dialogue around what the business looks like for students engaging with studios. Following the evening, students were asked to reflect on what they learnt, with some students provided with one-to-one sessions to see first hand the working day to day life of the fast-paced studios.

Kia ora and welcome to Design Assembly Conversations. In this series we talk to NZ designers, hear their stories and celebrate their work. I’m Louise, Design Assembly Founder and Director and today I’m talking to Sam Allan. Sam Allan is the founder and managing director of Onfire Design. Onfire Design is a specialist branding and packaging design agency based in Auckland, New Zealand, established in 2005 this year Onfire are celebrating 15 years in business. They were New Zealand’s most internationally awarded design agency in 2019 and Onfire was also voted a Top Ten global design agency by World Brand Society in 2018 and 2019.