Empowering the next generation of timber designers [NZ]

Empowering the next generation of timber designers [NZ]

Friday 5 Jun 2026

In 2025, the WIDE Trust proudly supported an innovative step forward in architectural education, helping equip future designers with the skills needed to respond to one of the most urgent challenges of our time: the climate crisis.

Through a grant of $13,000, the Trust supported the University of Auckland School of Architecture & Planning to deliver a hands-on timber design and fabrication programme to 124 second-year architecture students. Led by Professor Andrew Barrie, the initiative forms part of a reimagined curriculum focused on designing with timber, particularly mass timber, which is rapidly emerging as a sustainable solution in modern construction.

A New Approach to Learning

The 2025 course introduced a refreshed structure, with 25% of teaching delivered through all-of-cohort sessions. These sessions connected students directly with leading voices in New Zealand architecture, offering insights into some of the country’s most significant recent timber projects.

Guest speakers included:

Dr Jeremy Smith (Irving Smith Architects) – Bioeconomy Science Institute
Prof. Andrew Barrie – Cathedral Grammar Junior School
Ewan Brown (Tennant Brown Architects) – Ngā Mokopuna
Richard Naish (RTA Studio) – Fisher & Paykel Global Headquarters
Maria Chan (Jasmax) – Tukutuku, AUT
Divya Purushotham (Warren & Mahoney) – 90 Devonport Road, Tauranga

Students also took part in technical workshops covering the Building Code, structural solutions, and timber engineering, including a specialist session with Professor Pierre Quenneville.

From Concept to Craft: Learning by Doing

At the heart of the WIDE Trust’s contribution was a practical fabrication project: designing and producing a timber stool using the School’s state-of-the-art CNC milling machine, also funded by the Trust.

This hands-on exercise guided students through the full design-to-production process:

Prototyping concepts with scaled laser-cut models
Testing critical joints for precision and tolerance
Producing shop drawings and digital fabrication files
CNC milling final designs
Hand-finishing and oiling completed pieces

Throughout the process, students engaged in peer reviews, refining their designs while developing a deeper understanding of material performance, craftsmanship, and production efficiency.

Real Skills for a Changing Industry

The impact of the project was immediate and tangible. Students not only developed technical fabrication skills but also gained a strong appreciation for the precision required in digital manufacturing.

Feedback from participants highlighted the value of the experience:

“The stool task was a very cool opportunity… it was really cool to get to take home a stool out of it.”
“It taught me how important it is to get it right the first time, otherwise it’s very time-consuming and costly to fix.”
“I’d never done fabrication before, so I learnt a lot from that.”

Beyond the classroom, the project also received recognition in the Faculty of Engineering and Design’s newsletter, reflecting its broader significance within the university.

A Partnership That Makes a Difference

The WIDE Trust’s investment in this initiative goes beyond funding, it is helping shape a new generation of architects who are better equipped to design sustainably, think innovatively, and contribute meaningfully to the future of the built environment.

The Trust’s continued support plays a vital role in enabling bold, forward-thinking education, and its impact will be seen not just in classrooms, but in the buildings and communities of tomorrow.

Source & image credit: WIDE Trust

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