Architects, not Architecture is a renowned global series of conversations that seeks to uncover the narratives, experiences and influences that shape architects, rather than focusing on the buildings that have given them their name. Packed with star power, previous events have featured architectural luminaries from Bjarke Ingels to Elizabeth Diller, from Aires Mateus to Alison Brooks.

On an autumnal March evening, the event landed in Tāmaki Makaurau, under the iconic dome of the Auckland Museum in somewhat arctic temperatures. A trio of Aotearoa’s distinguished talents took to the stage: Elisapeta Heta of Jasmax, Sally Ogle of Patchwork Architecture and Christopher Kelly of Architecture Workshop. Each presented a deeply personal exploration of their journey, wrestling with the challenge of discussing what drives them without leaning on their architectural achievements. This very constraint brought forth a compelling question: what is an architect without their architecture? 

Heta shared her own narratives of whakapapa, the interwoven threads of ideas, people and events that motivate her to drive transformative change and uplift her community towards a more equitable future. She recounted stories of growing up in Rānui, envisioning a dream home to elevate her family, and the profound cultural responsibility bestowed upon her with receiving her moko kauae. These narratives distilled the driving force behind the impactful, large-scale work she does with Jasmax.

Ogle painted a vivid picture of her upbringing in rural Taranaki, where practical knowledge of construction was ingrained from a young age, defying traditional gender roles. This context has shaped Patchwork’s approach: a quest to be competent, through a deep and, at times, hands-on understanding of the craft of construction to ensure economical outcomes whilst earning the respect of the contractors and clients with whom the studio works.

Kelly led the audience on an academic and atypical journey, framed by a series of fundamental questions: What is an architect? What has he (I) inherited? He ended with a series of reflections on the discourse of critical practice in order to prompt contemplation on the very foundations of our profession. His own notable recollections included realising that he identified as an architect only while drawing details for Renzo Piano, and noting the misalignment between client and architect perspectives on the value of architectural services.

It is this question of “why an architect?” that resonated deeply, particularly with Heta’s acknowledgement throughout the night that she cannot technically use the title under the Registered Architects Act 2005. This echoed Patrick Kennedy’s 2024 NZIA lecture, where he referenced Elizabeth Farrelly’s article, ‘Architecture’s core dilemma: Beauty versus justice’. In this, she contemplates the disconnect between what the profession thinks of itself and the inherent desire to protect the title of ‘architect’ to imply professionalism, versus the public’s understanding of what we do and whether or not there is an actual demand for this service. She asks “If our protection of the public good is not evident to the public, perhaps we should ask ourselves why not. Is it they who don’t understand us? Or we who don’t understand them?”

In a time when Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects, the profession, and the polished media seemingly have an unrelenting focus on award cycles and the promotion of remote, high-end architecture, unattainable for the average New Zealander, we must ask ourselves: are we serving only to reinforce our profession’s irrelevance? What the event, Architects, not Architecture, succeeded in capturing is a discussion on the value of design, whether it be Heta’s reference to Te Puna Hapori Whanganui Courthouse, a project that seeks to employ architecture as a tool to dismantle institutional racism, or Ogle’s response to being questioned on a project being sold one million dollars above CV – evidence that people value good design even if the capitalist system doesn’t. The event served as a powerful reminder that architecture is not only about buildings but about the people, ideas and values that shape them. It served as a call to action for our industry to reconnect to the needs of the public it serves in the hope of creating an equitable and inspiring future for all of us.

To watch the talks, visit the Architects, not Architecture website here.