DesignwithNature

WildLab is a group of designers and researchers committed to growing a world where people and nature thrive together.

We collaborate with community groups, iwi, farmers, business, and government agencies. Together, we create regenerative landscapes, strategies, experiences, and communication tools that connect them and their partners with te taiao and nature.

Connect with what we do . . .

Our Projects

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Wild Heart Project Punakaiki Storytelling
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A series of interpretation panels brings local nature stories to life, guiding volunteers through the plant nursery, sharing the project’s mission, and helping them become storytellers themselves—turning each visit into an engaging, educational exploration of this coastal restoration effort.
Te Whenua Hou: a distributed forest
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A sweeping, distributed native forest of 1.2 million plants springs to life across 20 farms, weaving biodiversity through farmland. Designed with fractal, braided‑river patterns, it creates a 350‑hectare ecological “bird bridge,” connecting the Southern Alps with Banks Peninsula.
Franklin-North Waikato Tracks and Trails Strategy
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The Franklin–North Waikato Tracks and Trails Strategy sets out a vision for how trails can connect communities with the Waikato River and its surrounding landscapes. By building on existing opportunities and aligning with local aspirations, the strategy provides a pathway to grow active, healthy, and connected communities.
Greenhill Lodge Masterplan
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The Greenhill Lodge masterplan creates a welcoming retreat where gardens, pathways and views flow together with the surrounding landscape. It brings together planting, architecture and outdoor spaces to offer guests a richer connection with nature while enhancing the lodge’s character and sense of place.

Field Notes

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New Zealand’s ‘Arc of Influence’: The ‘Clean, Blue, Green’ Country
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New Zealand is often imagined as a handful of islands in the Pacific—but its territory is now mostly ocean. This study explores how mapping can reshape our sense of national identity, proposing a shift from “clean green” to a more expansive “clean, blue, green” vision grounded in conservation and connection.
New Land
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This exploratory map invites us to see Aotearoa’s public conservation lands—covering a third of the country—not as fixed or finished, but as places full of fresh potential. Re-imagined as a newly discovered archipelago, it prompts us to ask how we might live differently within these lands. Could they foster new forms of innovation, economy, and culture grounded in restoration, care, and a deep engagement with nature?
WildLab Field Guide to Designing Great Storytelling Panels
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For over a decade we’ve been designing storytelling panels that connect people with nature. This guide shares the principles behind our work—how good design and strong stories can inspire, build connection, and help communities bring the values of Te Taiao to life.
The Story of the National Parks of Aotearoa New Zealand
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In September 2017 we brought the story of the national parks of Aotearoa New Zealand to Beijing, China. It was hosted at the Museum of Chinese Gardens and Landscape Architecture, and shows the ways the National Park idea has evolved over the last 130 years in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Southern Faces
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Southern Faces, the third-ever climbing guidebook for Otepoti Dunedin-arriving after a 25-year wait since the last guidebook. This beautifully designed book by Riley Smith celebrates the last five decades of local climbing and the immense growth of the scene since the previous guide, Dunedin Rock (2000). The 250-page guide provides essential safety insights, historical context, and highlights the unique climbing culture of Dunedin. From beginner-friendly climbs to the region's most intimidating routes, Southern Faces is a must-have for everyone keen to explore what the south has to offer. It's packed with photos, including great shots from the days of lycra through to some of the latest efforts at Lover's Leap. $8.50 shipping across Aotearoa.
$ 50.00 NZD
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WildLab @ 2020-2025