News: Albert L. Refiti named as Professor
We are thrilled to announce that Lealiʻifano Albert Refiti has been promoted to Professor in AUT’s School of Art and Design.
The workshop session, Artefacts of Relations: Building in Te Moananui, was hosted by the Vā Moana research cluster and the School of Future Environments at AUT on 2 February 2024.
Contributors presented papers focussing on the contemporary global distribution of customary build forms and their use in Moananui. The papers covered the evolution of Pacific buildings over the last 250 years, through the appropriation of new forms and technology, and the transfer and tranformation of traditional building forms. They also addressed how concepts contained in Pacific architecture might influence the rethinking of urban planning and design practice for community, public, and institutional buildings and spaces.
The keynote speaker was tōhunga whakairo, Pena (Bernard) Makoare (Te Uri o Hau, Ngāti Whātua, Te Waiariki, Te Kaitūtae, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi). Papers were presented by: Lilikalā Kameʻeleihiwa (UH), Jade Kake (AUT), James Miller (WWU), Tokainiua Devatine (Centre des Métiers d’Art de la Polynésie française), Dionne Fonoti (NUS), Christoph Schnoor (Unitec), Mike Austin (Unitec), Athol Greentree (USP); Raukura Turei (Monk MacKenzie), Rau Hoskins (Design Tribe), Tina Engels-Schwarzpaul (AUT), Elisapeta Heta (Jasmax), Anthony Hoete (UoA); Jade Kake (AUT); Hūfanga ‘Okusitino Māhina & Semisi Potauaine (Vava’u Academy); Billie Lythberg (UoA), Charmaine ‘Ilaiu-Talei (UoA), and Albert L. Refiti (AUT).
