8 November 2022

Annual A+W NZ / Architectus Speed Mentoring Events

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we could finally support and host the Architecture + Women NZ Speed Mentoring events in our Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Ōtautahi Christchurch studios on 13^th October and 27^th October, respectively.

We hosted over 70 attendees from across the industry in our Shortland Street studio. Guests had the opportunity to network on arrival before the main event got underway with a Mihi by Architectus Senior Associate Kitty Fan and a welcome by Anner Chong, the Architecture + Women NZ Co-chair.

In Christchurch, we welcomed 36 invited mentors and mentees to our Oxford Terrace studio. Architectus Principal Jane Rooney greeted guests with a Mihi, and Maria Chen of Athfields Architects opened the event as Architecture + Women NZ Co-chair.

The speed-dating format aims to connect mentees at various stages of their career with mentors from the architectural industry. The structured format pairs mentors and mentees for quick-fire, five-minute rounds, offering a fun and effective platform for gaining invaluable insights and networking.

We were delighted to have a diverse range of mentors, which included: architects, interior designers, landscape architects, urban designers, heritage architects, planners, project managers, architectural photographers, and academics. Thank you to all our mentors who generously gave their time and experience. We also thank all the mentees for supporting A+W NZ and making it a wonderful and exciting evening.

Acknowledgements to the organising committee:
Auckland – Kitty Fan, Chir Fernando, Amber Venter, Lauren Speer
Christchurch – Jane Rooney, Madi Grattan, Maria Chen, Jaune-Marie van der Merwe
And our gratitude to our people who ensured both events ran successfully on the night: Joy Partridge, Jessica Stewart, Zoe Philpott, Daniela Vaníčková, and Matthew Ryley.

^{Architectus Tāmaki Makaurau studio}

^{Architectus Ōtautahi studio}