Mila Makasini

Contributor Profile

Mila Makasini is an architectural graduate of the Dunedin School of Architecture and a descendant of the Moana, specifically hailing from Tonga. Based in Otago, he has worked at McCoy Wixon Architects for the past seven years. His passion for architecture is grounded in exploring how indigenous cultures shape and strengthen the fonua/whenua/landscape of ‘Aotealoa/Aotearoa/New Zealand. His undergraduate major project, Navigating Culture, examined Polynesian culture and how the complex navigation technologies of our ancestors can inform contemporary place-making in Aotearoa. His most recent work, Lalava’i Fonua, investigates the continuity and transformation of Tongan culture through artistic practice, exploring concepts of fonua, Tā-Vā, and vernacular architecture. Mila is deeply engaged in the architectural process and thrives within the professional realm of studio practice from concept to craft.