Design is rarely just about how things look; it is fundamentally about the stories they tell and the legacies they build. This panel explores how leading practitioners use narrative, context, and meaning to create experiences that resonate deeply with audiences across Aotearoa and beyond. From physical products and digital interfaces to immersive spatial design, we examine how storytelling transforms a project from purely functional to truly unforgettable. Discover how to weave a cohesive narrative into your work to bridge the gap between architectural intent and human connection, ensuring every design choice serves a larger, more meaningful purpose.

From streaming services to AI processing, our digital lives are powering a growing environmental impact, generating significant carbon emissions. Join Kyoko Locussol for a forward-thinking session that dives into the often-overlooked ecological cost of the internet. This presentation will highlight how everyday digital activities contribute to this footprint and, crucially, empower you with practical strategies to reduce web related emissions. Learn key design principles and development practices that can dramatically reduce your digital impact, helping us build a more energy-efficient and environmentally responsible online world.

Join City Rail Link’s architects; Grimshaw and WSP Architecture for a discussion on the architectural and engineering evolution of the city-shaping stations and their role in reshaping Auckland’s urban system. This session offers a rare look at how complex transport infrastructure is being transformed into world-class civic spaces that are distinctly Tāmaki Makaurau. We will explore the integration of Mātauranga Māori design principles, the technical challenges of subterranean construction, and the strategy for creating a cohesive urban identity across the network. Discover how this landmark project is redefining the intersection of engineering precision and cultural narrative to shape the future of our city’s public realm.

Experience the intersection of legacy and technology at The Art Precinct Studio, New Zealand’s first Augmented Reality-powered art platform. This session demonstrates how thirty years of expert curation blends with cutting-edge AR to transform the art selection process. Discover how “art personas” are used to build meaningful, holistic collections that define and enhance interior projects. Moving beyond mere aesthetics, you will explore a process that has delivered significant global commissions by keeping the human element – not AI – at the centre of the creative narrative. Learn how to bridge the gap between architectural intent and the joyful conclusion of a curated home.

Panel discussion at 4pm: ‘Blank Canvas’ – do designers start a project the same way an artist does a blank canvas?

A curated, family-friendly event designed for anyone embarking on a new build or renovation in 2026. This immersive day offers direct access to product experts from over 40 leading brands alongside interactive fragrance-making classes with ABI Interiors and creative moodboarding workshops. Attendees can gain practical insights during the “Meet the Renovator” panel or book free professional consultations with interior and kitchen designers. With complimentary Duck Island gelato, Butter Baby donuts, and barista coffee provided throughout the day, it is the ultimate destination to find inspiration and expert guidance for your home journey.

Join Rachel Sloane (Naveya & Sloane) and Stephanie Post (OCAA) for a conversation moderated by Jen Jones (Founder, NZ Design Week) exploring creativity as vital cultural infrastructure. Together, Rachel and Stephanie discuss their partnership for the Venice Biennale, looking beyond the surface to a collaborative model built on care, trust, and experimentation. The panel examines local organisations’ responsibility to meaningfully support artists and designers on the global stage, reflecting a shared commitment to fostering the creative industry year-round. Discover how these leaders navigate the intersection of process and legacy, advocating for a long-term practice that prioritises deep cultural impact over short-term output.

Join us for The Design Social, a vibrant networking evening facilitated in partnership with Design Assembly. Running from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Shed 10, this event offers the perfect environment to connect with peers over food and beverages from our on-site vendors and pop-up bar. To break the ice, we’ll provide customised name tags designed to spark immediate, meaningful dialogue, alongside cafe tables featuring curated conversation prompts. Whether you prefer informal mingling or participating in our structured speed-networking activities, this session is designed to foster genuine connection and collaboration across the diverse spectrum of the Aotearoa design community. Speaker sessions will be run upstairs in parallel as part of our Design Day Pro programme.

Join global design icon Tom Dixon for a deep dive into the evolution of the industrial aesthetic and the future of creative independence. In this headline keynote, Dixon moves beyond the surface to discuss his career-long experiments in challenging existing models of manufacture and distribution. From self-production to rethinking global supply chains, explore how a restless curiosity for materiality and process can disrupt industry standards. This is a rare insight into the mind of a designer who continuously reinvents how objects are made, sold, and experienced, offering a blueprint for innovation in an ever-changing commercial landscape.

Join NZ Design Week Founder, Jen Jones, for this free comprehensive masterclass exploring how New Zealand creativity translates to the global stage. This high-impact series brings together strategic insight and real-world experience to examine what it takes to grow design-led businesses beyond Aotearoa. From export readiness to international expansion, the programme offers a considered look at the commercial realities of scaling creative brands, and how local design values can be carried confidently into global markets.

Itinerary

9.30am Doors Open

10.00am The Export Framework: Strategy, Access, and Support

Experience the future of domestic life at the brand-new Winnings Newmarket showroom. This immersive session explores the intersection of high-performance technology and human-centric design, reimagining the kitchen as a site of sensory innovation. We discuss how the “heart of the home” is evolving through smart integration, sustainable materials, and the pursuit of culinary excellence. Join leading designers to examine how cutting-edge tools empower our lifestyle rituals and enhance the way we host, nourish, and connect. Discover how world-class engineering is being harnessed to create more intuitive, beautiful, and restorative living environments.