Aotearoa’s Design City: A Day Excursion to Whanganui
Discover why Whanganui is Aotearoa’s only UNESCO City of Design on an exclusive day-long trip. 30 design professionals will be flown to Whanganui for an immersive journey into the city’s unique creative identity. Hosted by locals, you’ll experience a selection of design, arts, and culture sites firsthand, including industry tours and talks that explore how the city is shaping its future while honouring its rich heritage. We’ll delve into the diversity of design and learn how co-design principles are creating an inclusive and innovative community. This is a rare opportunity to connect with a city where design thinking drives development.
Itinerary, Saturday 7th March 2026
- 8.15am Arrive Auckland Domestic Terminal, Check in with Air Chathams
- 9.15am Depart Auckland
- 10.15am Arrive Whanganui
- 11.00am – 3.00pm Visit Sights
- 4.15pm Depart Whanganui
- 5.15pm Arrive Auckland Domestic Terminal
Expressions of interest open December. Invitations extended in February.
Sights Visited
Start from the top of the City of Design, overlooking the powerful awa (river) to understand the role it plays in the co-design principles that shape people and place in Whanganui.
Descend to the awa through an engineering marvel that's been serving the community since 1919. This 213-metre tunnel and 66- metre elevator represents more than heritage—it's a living example of human-centred design, accessibility, and sustainable urban planning that still inspires how we build cities today.
Explore Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, freshly reopened after a transformative redevelopment. Led by one of the curators (a City of Design ambassador) and architects Warren and Mahoney, you'll discover firsthand how co-design principles shaped one of Aotearoa's finest cultural institutions into an inclusive, community-centered space.
The manufacturing sector in Whanganui is one of the largest economic contributors to our GDP. Take one of two industry visits to see how our manufacturers weave tradition with contemporary design thinking. See two very different, yet unexpected products, with place at the centre of their thinking. Option 1: At Good Design Matters, thoughtful design drives everything they do — from bespoke cultural projects to large-scale retail fixtures. They are growing a design-led manufacturing culture, nurturing talent and embedding creativity so every product offers depth, nuance and a strong sense of place.
The manufacturing sector in Whanganui is one of the largest economic contributors to our GDP. Take one of two industry visits to see how our manufacturers weave tradition with contemporary design thinking. See two very different, yet unexpected products, with place at the centre of their thinking. Option 2: Playground Centre and Urban Effects design public spaces that bring people together — fostering connection, wellbeing, and community pride. They partner with councils and designers to create inclusive, imaginative environments — from play spaces to streetscapes — where people of all ages can thrive, shaping places that enrich everyday life.
Experience one of the world's top modernist buildings at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre. While exploring its architectural significance, browse work from the city's leading product designers—with the chance to take a piece of Whanganui design home with you.
Design
Circuits
Come and go as you please all week.
Design Circuits
Women Reimagining the Future: Design, Vision & Leadership
In collaboration with Lexus New Zealand
Expressions of interest open soon.
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