A new authority for urban designers announced

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The Urban Designers Institute Aotearoa has been established as of July 2024 with a website and more information to come.

The Urban Designers Institute Aotearoa has been established as of July 2024 with a website and more information to come.

This week’s announcement of the establishment of the Urban Designers Institute Aotearoa (UDIA) — as canvassed at the UrbanismNZ conference held in Auckland in 2023 — is breaking new ground for the country’s urban design professionals.

Having attained the status of an Incorporated Society, the UDIA says it is focused on enhancing the recognition and support given to urban design as a profession in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The UDIA says its purpose is to establish and promote consistency and transparency in urban design practice, which is says will benefit clients, decision-makers, other professionals, the public and ultimately, other urban designers. As the name suggests, the interest of the Institute is in urban designers as practitioners, not urban design as a topic area.

By introducing accreditation to qualified and experienced urban designers the UDIA aims to reinforce the integrity of and confidence in the urban design profession along with aspirations to assist in professional education and mentoring.

The UDIA’s five core initiatives are:  

  • establish benchmark proficiency expectations for members;  
  • accredit qualified persons as a ‘Registered Urban Designer’;  
  • require members to adhere to a Code of Ethics and Code of Practice and associated professional standards;  
  • establish requirements for continuing professional development; and
  • promote consistency and transparency in urban design practice.

The Institute says it seeks to complement rather than compete with existing built environment professional and interest group bodies including Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA), Te Kōkoringa Taumata New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI), New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects Tuia Pito Ora (NZILA), Urban Development Institute of New Zealand (UDINZ) and Urban Design Forum Aotearoa (UDF).

In addition, the UDIA says it does not seek to take ownership of general or wider built environment debate, deferring to the Urban Design Forum (UDF), for cross-industry dialogue, debate and advocacy for quality built environments.

All holders of a post-graduate urban design qualification and a minimum of six years’ practical experience, including familiarity with the Aotearoa New Zealand statutory context, will be encouraged to consider joining the Institute.

A formal event to launch the UDIA, including a website, will be held before the final quarter of 2024.

For further inquiries or to contact the Institute email [email protected].


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