Bachelor of Design
VISUAL
COMMUNICATION
DESIGN
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Welcome to the ENCXRE Diversity Survey—an essential exploration into the vibrant tapestry of the New Zealand electronic music scene. As the beats and rhythms of our diverse nation converge within the realm of electronic music, we embark on a journey to illuminate the melodies of cultural heritage, celebrate unity in sound, and amplify the voices that shape our musical landscape. This survey serves as an invitation, a chorus that invites local musicians to share unique experiences, insights, and perspectives. It’s an opportunity to be a part of a collective conversation that harmonizes the notes of diversity, inclusivity, and innovation. Through these valuable contributions, we aspire to unravel the intricate symphony of electronic music’s richness within our diverse Aotearoa community. Our voices are an essential thread woven into the fabric of change, and we are eager to listen, learn, and collaborate on composing a more harmonious and inclusive future for electronic music in Aotearoa.

Liam Swiggs

Our thoughts can be our biggest barriers—but they can also be a bridge to greater things. Self-talk can hinder us, or help us excel. It can be our cheerleader and our best friend through tough times, or moments of sadness. Our thoughts have impact. The stories we tell ourselves, just for ourselves, influence our perception. How aware of it are you? Do you realise the power it holds? Inside Stories is about our perception and using positive self-talk to see the best in things, to choose to see the bright side. To enlighten people and help them discover the power they hold with the stories they tell themselves. The purpose of this campaign is to encourage people to stop being the passive backseat passengers to their thoughts, to stop letting negative self-talk harm their opportunities, relationships, and self-image. Challenge your narrative. Take the wheel and take control.

Caitlin Knudsen

Kia hiwa ra, kia oho, kia mataara, (Be alert, be awake, I am standing) Tēnā koutou katoa, Ko Te Waiponitaka ahau, nau mai haere mai! (Hello to you all, I am Te Waiponitaka, welcome!) In the heart of Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud, a story unfolds, woven with the threads of time, culture, and resilience. This book is a journey into the rich tapestry of the Ngāpuhi tribe. This book is not just a history lesson; it’s an invitation to connect with the soul of Ngāpuhi. It serves as a reminder that the past is not a distant echo but a living, breathing force that shapes the present and inspires the future. May this book serve as a bridge between cultures, a source of knowledge, and a testament to the importance of preserving and sharing the stories that define us. The name Ngāpuhi Taniwha Rau comes from a whakatauki in Ngāpuhi: Ngāpuhi ko kōwhao rau, Ngāpuhi taniwha rau. (Ngāpuhi of a hundred holes, Ngāpuhi of a hundred monsters) Kia Ora. (Thank you.)

Te Waiponitaka Fong-Yip

e Hā is a project that embodies passion, cultural reverence, and a deep commitment to fostering well-being. The project’s name, Te Hā, means “The Breath of Life” in Te Reo Māori, and represents the vital life force that connects us to the world around us. Unfortunately, 1 in 3 women find it challenging to navigate our world and maintain a healthy well-being. That’s why Te Hā was created - to address this real-world problem and provide a unique, narrative-focused solution. At its core, Te Hā is a testament to the profound impact that cultural connection can have on personal well-being. It blends the wisdom of Māori traditions with modern practices of self-care, mindfulness, and self-love. The project offers tangible tools such as a Tarot deck, a year journal, and a Tarot handbook that bridge cultures and promote well-being. The language and imagery used throughout the project counter the notion of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ states and instead, emphasize how each form of ‘doing’ offers a unique opportunity for an individual to reconnect with themselves on their well-being journey. Overall, Te Hā is a beautiful and important project that seeks to help wāhine find balance and well-being in their lives.

Taylor Fleet

With the rise of social media, young adults’ mental health has taken a massive toll. Growing up with unrealistic beauty standards and seeing our peers living lives that seem out of reach, Five More Minutes is about disconnecting and taking five mindful minutes to re-centre and accomplish your goals in your own time. Five More Minutes is a mindfulness-centred brand, focused on building small daily habits to help young adults navigate social, academic, and work pressures. My brand’s main outlet is an app that gives users a personalized five-minute daily task to work on their wellness goals and reflect. Even though Five More Minutes is about working on yourself it was important to integrate a sense of community so users didn’t feel isolated in their wellness journey, and could find like-minded people This is where physical components make an impact alongside the community function of the app that helps locate a range of events in your local community.

Tate Allan

Let’s Talk Endo is more than a brand; it represents a movement aimed at transforming the dialogue surrounding endometriosis and menstrual discomfort. Our mission is to eliminate the stigma associated with these conditions and empower women to discuss their experiences. We envision a world where no woman suffers silently, where endometriosis is as commonly understood as any health issue and where compassion and support are readily accessible. At Let’s Talk Endo, our commitment lies in raising awareness and providing an inclusive platform for women to share their stories, seek guidance and access information. Our goal is to bridge the gap in women’s healthcare by ensuring that every woman receives the attention and understanding she rightfully deserves. Come join us on our mission to enhance the quality of life and overall well-being for millions of women worldwide. Together we can dismantle barriers, and foster empathy. And create a future where women’s health takes precedence, leaving no one feeling isolated in their journey with endometriosis. Let’s Talk Endo—because each conversation brings us one step closer to making a difference.

Stacey Munro

The design industry prides itself on progressiveness, however, it faces a significant lack of female leaders and decision-makers. This diversity gap creates less successful design outcomes for our diverse target audience. To address this issue, we need greater diversity in studio leadership. This gender imbalance is not only seen in the design world, but across various industries. The main source of this issue in the design industry is the absence of strong female role models for the younger generation. Her Way is a publication dedicated to tackling this problem. Creating a path for young female designers, doing it Her Way. It aims to inspire them by featuring interviews with successful female designers sharing their career journeys, experiences, and creativity. By showcasing these role models, the aim is to empower and guide the next generation of female designers. Her Way takes a bold feminist design approach, introducing young designers to powerful female role models, while also making them relatable. The goal is to help aspiring designers see themselves in these accomplished figures. Her Way also aims to engage the creative minds of the target audience, through interesting and creative spread designs.

Ruby Myers

Hi, I’m Milli Kami, I’m currently in my final year pursuing a Bachelor of Graphic Design at Ara City Campus in Christchurch. From a young age, I have been passionate about advertising and graphic design, cultivating a deep interest in this field. My project addresses the critical issue of men’s mental health, specifically targeting young adults and creating an environment where they feel comfortable sharing their emotions. This project aims to reduce stigma, increase awareness, and provide practical resources to support the mental well-being of young adult men. This project combines the excitement and energy of a rave-style card game with a focus on men’s mental health. By merging entertainment and education, “Rave Me” aims to engage young adults and break down barriers that prevent them from discussing their mental well-being. Through a creative and interactive card game, participants will explore essential aspects of mental health while enjoying a vibrant rave atmosphere.

Milli Kami

EQUA is a project investigating the feminist stereotype. I found myself feeling confused and uncertain around identifying as a feminist due to the negative connotations that the feminist stereotype upholds. My chosen research question was, ‘To expand the understanding of feminism, how can I use fashion and photography as vehicles to overcome the negative stereotyping of feminists?’ What led to this concept was my growing interest in styling, fashion photography and typography, and how I can use these strong areas of my design skill set to bring a discussion around negative feminist stereotyping without the forceful, intense, and aggressive attributes that some feminists have been associated with in the past. I hope that through this project, I will be able to portray the feminist position from a genuine, perspective of equality and equity for all. I will be reminding my audience what the core values of feminism are, and that the stereotypical “raging feminist” does not define what feminism is. I am trying to communicate how no matter what gender we identify with, human beings share universal wants and needs.

Millie Crossland

For the past three years of my degree, I have developed an interest in typography and how letterforms can be informed by narrative content. Ouroboros is a funky high-contrast display typeface, ideal for headlines, titles and bold statements - a narrative font with a mission of reconciling heritage and new horizons. Inspired by my immigration to New Zealand from Brazil at the start of 2020, this typeface is a visual inquiry into how my identity has been shaped by both cultures, and the experience of coming of age in a different country. It seemed poetic for me to leave the final project of my degree to cover my huge quest for self-discovery and exploration of my ‘otherness’. Ouroboros was named after the ancient symbol of a snake eating its own tail, a representation of self-destruction and rebirth, as I have come to realise during this project that life is nothing but a cycle - the destruction of an older ‘self’ through pain and conflict, and the birth of a new ‘self’ through growth and resilience.

Maysa Lopes

Escapades is an Ōtautahi based activity map designed to enhance parent-child relationships by fostering memorable experiences and connections through shared adventures. Navigating the world as a young teen is daunting for both parents and children. As children approach adolescence and seek greater independence, it becomes crucial for parents to lay a strong foundation of trust, communication, and mutual understanding during these formative years. In a digitised world, nurturing real-life connections is paramount. Escapades offers diverse activities tailored to different age groups, interests, and abilities. Whether it’s building Lego skyscrapers at Imagination Station or teaming up to solve an immersive escape room; Escapades has something for everyone. Through unique and endearing illustrations and bold colours, this map aims to capture the creative playfulness of our youth while providing engaging activities that both parents and children can enjoy. The simplified design of the map makes it user-friendly and accentuates the exciting adventures that lie ahead. Escapades is not solely about exploring Ōtautahi; it’s about delving into and enhancing the depths of our relationships through the lens of fun.

Maddison Munro

Burnout is a common phenomenon that most people experience at some point during their lives. Those living with diabetes deal with the additional challenge of diabetic burnout: the state of mental, emotional and physical exhaustion caused by the demands of living with diabetes. We know that life, especially in our teenage years is already hard to navigate as it is, throw type 1 diabetes into the mix and it becomes a whole other mountain to climb. Combine diabetes burnout alongside navigating life as a teenager and it becomes a struggle that not every person knows how to get through or pull themselves out of. A survey done by Diabetes New Zealand showed that 81% of diabetics in New Zealand have experienced diabetes burnout at least once in their lives. Leaving 19% of those living their life without a form of burnout alongside their condition. Eighty-one Percent is an online magazine that gives diabetics an accessible tool that can not only help those with diabetes feel less alone, but also assist them in coping with a current or on coming diabetic burnout. The resources to connect, learn and grow within their journey aim to get them to reach the side of the 19% who feel free within their diabetes.

Lucy Moffitt

Endometriosis, a condition that affects 1 in 10 women, can be quite challenging. Having a personal connection to this issue, I’ve experienced first-hand the struggles it can bring. I believe it’s time to transform the negative connotations of endometriosis into one of hope and support. Given the limited research and information available on endometriosis, it’s clear that more conversation and care is needed in the lives of women. This is why I embarked on a mission to create something that could ease the journey of those dealing with endometriosis, while also spreading awareness and reducing the stigma surrounding the condition. Presenting “enpower” – a mobile app designed to be your trusted companion on this journey. Think of it as a friendly hand to hold during tough times. It’s there to help you feel less isolated, providing both information and support when you need it most. With enpower, you’ll find a community that understands your experience, making the path ahead seem a little less daunting. Let’s come together and empower each other through this journey. You’re not alone, and there is hope for a brighter, more aware, and more comfortable future.

Kayla Barbour

My project is about the affect social media has on the way adolescents view their bodies. I chose this topic because I wanted to raise awareness of how damaging social media can be on teenagers, as well as highlighting the media portrayal of idealistic body types that contribute to this issue. Although social media is used to connect people, it also tends to take advantage of human habits such as comparing ourselves to others, which influences body dissatisfaction. A survey conducted in NZ by YWCA in June 2020 of 209 young women aged between 18-24, found that 3 in 4 feel negatively about the way they look on a daily basis, and 68% of those women will avoid fully participating in their lives when they don’t feel good about their bodies. 53% felt judged on their appearance by others on social media platforms. I wanted to create a campaign that will be a solution to this problem by encouraging limited time on social media, and more time prioritising mental and physical wellbeing. Flawnt is a campaign and brand targeted at adolescents to empower them, through the tagline “Flawnt your flaws”. Flawnt being a mixture of flaunt and flaw. It has tangible products that teenagers can interact with, rather than being on their devices.

Kathura Gardner

Since the start of last year, I knew that at some point I wanted to design my own board game, so for my final project I’ve done just that. A board game comes with many different components using different materials, which I felt would be an excellent challenge for me to overcome. My goal for the game is to get people learning how to grow their own food so that they can alleviate the pressures of the weekly food bill. Abundance is a collaborative tile-placing board game that is looking to educate low-income households on the benefits of home gardening and how to do it. Players will need to efficiently manage their space as they plant vegetables into their garden beds. But watch out for the nasty pests that are looking to munch the vegetables before they can be harvested! Players use tools such as seaweed fertilizer to ward off creepy crawlies from their crops.

Josh Nicholls

Canterbury FC visualizes the concept of New Zealand having a second professional football team and a team that represents the South Island. The motto “We are the South”, instils a strong sense of regional pride and unity amongst the people of the South Island, promoting an exciting new sporting community that they can get behind. In a country where rugby takes the spotlight, Canterbury FC brings the winning values of Canterbury sports to a new sporting franchise, maintaining the forever iconic ‘Red and Black’ colours of Canterbury. This team is represented by the Haast eagle or the Pouākai, the largest eagle ever known to exist. Known for its formidable size, strength, and power, this large predator soared the skies of the South Island and embodies the values of the people of Canterbury, and the surrounding regions. The purpose of my project is to encapsulate elements of Canterbury and the South Island in order to promote my brand through design conventions. My work highlights my proficiency at using both Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to create a consistent, cohesive series of mockups and visual imagery.

Jack Oetgen

A dyslexic mind is a curious mind. Dyslexia isn’t a learning challenge; it’s just a different way of thinking. As a fellow dyslexic, I intimately empathize with the hurdles young dyslexics encounter, especially during primary school. My own struggles ignited a passionate commitment to making a difference, celebrating these brilliant young thinkers. Introducing “Curious” – an activity book and app thoughtfully crafted to support dyslexic learners on their journey to mastering new skills. Within these pages lies a treasury of captivating activities, custom-tailored for dyslexics, making learning not just accessible, but enjoyable for all. Through research and design choices I have adopted a dyslexia-friendly sans serif font, gentler on the eyes and providing a seamless reading experience. To make words even more approachable, I have incorporated a clever technique, offering additional guidance, simplifying the recognition and understanding of words for young readers. With “Curious,” I wanted to celebrate dyslexic minds and make the adventure of learning truly inclusive.

Isabella Allen

Look at Toa as a beacon for young artists seeking a space to express themselves freely. Named after the Māori word for “brave” and “competent”, Toa represents a bold initiative designed to empower the next generation of artists in their creative process. The project’s core value lies in its dedication to creating collaborative communities, recognizing that young creatives often face challenges in finding career pathways and opportunities for artistic growth. Conceptually, Toa is a makerspace—a place where young creatives can come to experiment with various art forms. The makerspace serves as a high-quality, collaborative environment equipped with resources and tools to encourage creative exploration. Toa also extends its reach to schools, inviting high school art classes to participate in competitions. These contests involve customising Toa’s unique typeface, offering students a chance to showcase their creativity and compete for recognition and prizes. This project pushed me to learn 3D design software. I’m always quick to learn new software and have fun doing so. I’m looking for a role where I can support a keen team and push my design skills further.

Inigo Holmes

In the last decade, the development of social media and various mobile information platforms has brought another level of information warfare into the world of the 21st century. The propagandists can easily guide public opinion to serve their particular purpose by editing and designing visual messages. The best and most current example is the Russo-Ukrainian War, which allows us to understand how propaganda influences public opinion through various media during the war. For people seeking the truth, it is crucial to seek out multiple sources of information and verify facts before making any decisions. Always be sceptical of emotional appeals and question whether the information presented is accurate and authentic. Project Populmyth aims to create an instruction book that can be easily understood by those who want to improve their publicity. Populmyth is a simple summary of the visual communication knowledge I have learned during my three years at Ara Institute.

Ian Wang

Puku homeware brand represents a fusion of culture, creativity, and the power of language. Recognising that language can be a bridge or a barrier, my mission was to create a brand which builds the bridge that connects people, homes, and cultures. With a deep appreciation for Te Reo Māori, I’ve woven its beauty into the very essence of Puku. At the heart of Puku lies two profound purposes. Cultural Celebration: By celebrating New Zealand’s rich cultural heritage by incorporating Te Reo Māori into our designs. Each piece pays homage to the land’s indigenous traditions and fosters an environment of cultural appreciation and respect. Language Learning Made Approachable: To understand that learning a new language can be intimidating. Our homeware aims to bridge the gap between the fear of language barriers and the joy of learning. Te Reo Māori becomes accessible through everyday items, making language acquisition a natural and enjoyable part of daily life. In essence, Puku is a testament to the beauty of cultural celebration and a tool for breaking down the barriers that can make language learning daunting. It’s a celebration of unity through diversity, where language is not just a means of communication but a source of connection and inspiration.

Hanna Grant-Smith

JiNx! is a board game design project that draws inspiration from Monopoly and aims to educate players about scams through the principles of gamification. I remember the day my Mum sent her first text. “Mum, you are so tech savvy! You learned how to text!” but later when I asked her to type messages instead of doing calls, she complained about the small screen and unfamiliar UI. I didn’t understand until I came to study in New Zealand and realized how challenging it is to learn and use a new language, especially for my mother’s generation, digital communication is a whole new language to them. Digital technology has transformed our lives, with banks no longer accepting paper checks, restaurants relying on digital orders, and even accessing public transport information becoming difficult for some. Furthermore, it’s disheartening to see people who worked hard for their whole life being scammed, just because they are not familiar with digital technology. I want to create a fun and engaging tool that helps people learn how to avoid scams, a tool that is engaging, entertaining and encouraging. In some ways, this is for my mother...Well, at least I am doing more calls instead of just texting her now!

Esther Young

Experiencing a creative block is horrible. You stare at a blank page or screen and your mind is completely empty. Everyone is familiar with this experience, and they often feel that there is no end in sight to their frustration. No one can overcome a blockage to their creative impulse without a little push, inspiration or change in mindset. This is what my project ‘Blocked’ is for. Created to empower students to be courageous enough to overcome their creative block, Blocked helps its users to look at things from a different perspective and challenge the ‘normal’ way they view objects, problems and processes. Aimed at tertiary students enrolled in creative courses, Blocked forces students to break out of concept prisons and challenges users to come up with ‘out of the box’ ideas through the Blocked card challenges. Going beyond creative ideation, the Blocked workbook helps users to channel their new creative ideas into their coursework, through exercises and prompts benefitting not only their personal creative growth but their university work as well.

Erika Bruce

Tupu is an app designed to help Māori grow their connection to their culture. The inspiration for this app stemmed from my bicultural experience and growing up out of touch with my Māori roots, therefore lacking knowledge of the culture, which over time created a lack of identity with it. Through my research, I found this circumstance is quite common amongst bicultural Māori, so my goal was to find a way for those like myself to strengthen their identity. My research revealed three key pathways to achieve this: knowing your whakapapa, learning te reo and being a part of a community. Tupu is a space where you can learn all about the culture while connecting with like-minded people on the same journey of cultural discovery. While it is important to remember that being Māori means you are Māori regardless of how much knowledge you have, Tupu is for anyone who wants to learn more; it is a pathway to growing your connection to your roots.

Erana Little

Since the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the 1950s, it has become one of the most advanced forms of technology today, as well as becoming more accessible to the average person. Thousands of AI programs are being released each day that are applicable to almost all industries in some way. Prompt You is about creating a community of designers who commit to our pledge or want to become more educated about AI. AI is currently autonomous, raising conflicts about ethics, morals and authenticity. The intention of my concept is to bring awareness, and help designers and content creators to use AI programs ethically and morally, by learning about the bias and stereotypical outputs of these programs. My aim is to help designers reach balanced, authentic, successful designs with the use of AI, as well as promoting applicants’ work submitted to our yearly ‘Prompt You Awards’. A key principle of the Prompt You pledge is ethicality, including diversity, individual rights, honesty, equality, well-being, etc. Design has the power to negatively affect or represent such aspects. It is vital that we learn how to successfully use AI design generation, in a positive, ethical way.

Emma Adams

Tōtaranui is a clothing brand working towards educating and promoting a regenerative mindset for tourism in the Abel Tasman National Park. At Tōtaranui we believe that together we have the ability to turn this stunning park into a beautiful place thriving off regenerative tourism, demonstrating the power of working together for the benefit of all living things. The Abel Tasman National Park has a unique environment of granite cliffs, golden beaches, crystal clear waters and a forest-fringed coastal track. This environment has seen many negative impacts over the years from early settler burnoffs, human impact and climate change. Tourism is a significant sector of our economy, because of this it has the ability to contribute hugely towards the regeneration of the Abel Tasman National Park. Tōtaranui isn’t just a clothing brand; we’re the face of change. We’re on a mission to change the way we experience and protect the Abel Tasman National Park. Together, we can create a future where travel doesn’t just take from nature but gives back in abundance.

Ella Ward

In the wasted hours of healthcare waiting rooms on uncomfortable chairs when anxieties and overthinking arises, there is an opportunity for this dull experience to be re-imagined. What if waiting is not a waste of time but a gift of time that allows us room to breathe, room to notice, room to connect with ourselves and the environment. ‘The Waiting Room Reimagined’ brand guidelines provide a shifted experience that harnesses the practice of mindfulness. This is based on studies into sensory modulation, and how the engagement of our five senses work to relieve anxiety. All of the branding elements are designed to bring the viewer into their senses and to connect with their environment as well as their body. From the colour gradients to the shifting type weights, all work together to create motion and depth, reflecting the feeling of something moving through a space like blood moving through the body or the lungs filling with air or sand moving through an hourglass or how an anxious state of mind can be moved into a peaceful one. ‘The Waiting Room Reimagined’ is an experiential design that provides comfort in an uncomfortable place.

Eliza Dwyer

Alphabet Explorers is a dynamic card-matching game designed to introduce young children to the basics of Te Reo Māori. My exhibition showcases how this product intertwines learning and play, making language acquisition an enjoyable adventure. Alphabet Explorers aims to nurture a multi-lingual, multi-cultural society from the earliest stages of education, ensuring the enduring presence of Māori culture in our schools. This product has been created to be an immersive journey, celebrating the power of language, diversity, and cultural preservation in shaping the future. Designed with young learners in mind, Alphabet Explorers employs a thoughtful approach. Large, clear fonts, simple and recognisable imagery, and integrated English prompts provide children with the tools they need to connect to concepts they already understand.

Dylan Hunt

Promoting Vietnamese culture is one of my biggest desires as an international design student. “There is much more than just a Vietnamese war.” Many people were talking to me about the Vietnamese War when they knew my nationality, but other than that, they didn’t know that Vietnamese culture is one of the oldest cultures in the world and has undergone changes for almost four thousand years. Some people say Vietnamese culture has influenced Chinese culture, but a study shows the culture of Vietnam has its own characteristics and has parallel development to Chinese culture. Vietnam is a multiethnic country with over fifty distinct ethnic groups (54 total). Each of them has its own language, lifestyle, and cultural heritage. Many of the local ethnic groups reside in mountainous areas. The Viet Spirit project explores the uniqueness of pattern design, which was influenced by the Thai ethnic group from the north of Vietnam. Each pattern represents an everyday object that has a strong connection to Thai people’s daily lives. The project also introduces calligraphy as an aspect of Vietnamese traditional art. Viet Spirit isa proud and loud voice that encourages everyone to explore the vibrant Vietnamese art through its delicate patterns

Cassandra Ngo

How connected do you feel to the land around you? How much do you know about the food you eat and where it came from? In a country that has lost a lot of knowledge of its history and cultural beginnings, learning more about what’s still growing wild can be truly fulfilling. Learning to forage can be a great escape from an often overwhelmingly busy, capitalist, technology-ruled society. Taking a closer look into nature and learning how to use it and benefit from it can be a rewarding step towards a more connected community. On top of this, it can be used to help us take some control over the current food price crisis. The Kiwi Forage campaign is focused on strengthening hauora through foraging. The connection foraging can help you create with your whenua, kai, and hapori can seriously boost your well-being and outlook. By spreading this idea as well as providing a learning platform for you to start your foraging journey, Kiwi Forage is here to get you connected.

Caitlin Shrimpton

My project is concerned with nostalgia in the modern age, both its influence on creative practice and on culture in general. The common theme of new radical ideas gaining traction, and then being reacted to by the art world, was a cycle throughout history, with some of these movements being revivals of the past. In modern nostalgia we don’t see these forms of social movement anymore; with globalization and capitalism, ideas are no longer allowed to die and thus cannot evolve. I wanted to tackle this cultural topic by trying to instill good nostalgic ethics into the average young creative. With this in mind I have produced a guide to using nostalgia in an artistically progressive way, that not only helps with this issue but also creates good projects. Along with this guide, I have applied the system to my own creative practice creating a figurine and brand that takes nostalgic links to serfdom and Funko pop figures. It is a satirical take on modern nostalgia consumerism and is intended to display how nostalgia is used by capitalism to sell us progressively more and more useless products that we buy due to brand recognition.

Ben Krijgsman

The art of screen printing clothing is slowly becoming obsolete as more digital and computerized designing methods and practices take over. However, it should still be regarded as one of the original media for graphic design, dating back over two thousand years, and becoming the screen printing we all know today. This project has given me the opportunity to showcase the art of screen printing through my clothing company QUEST. I have always had a passion for art but became truly involved with print during my high school years. QUEST strives to create limited runs of hand-printed wearable art that are meticulously crafted, with each piece being printed one by one, and every stage of the process overseen by me personally. My brand is not just a course related project; it’s also a passion project. For me, it’s about gathering a following of ethically minded individuals who appreciate clothes made with love and attention to detail. It’s also about demonstrating my commitment to being a sustainable and ethical brand for our people and our planet.

Austin Hewett

Welcome to Cucina della Nonna. At Cucina della Nonna, we invite you to embark on a culinary journey that celebrates the heart and soul of traditional Bari Italian cuisine. Our restaurant is more than a place to eat, it’s a tribute to the enduring legacy of Nonna, the matriarch of our Italian family, whose love for food, and joy of teaching her loved ones her recipes, brought together generations of the family. Nonna knew best, and her wisdom and passion for cooking have been woven into every aspect of the restaurant. The set menu pays homage to her time-honoured recipes, embracing the flavours and traditions of her hometown Bari. Each dish served is a testament to the rich flavours and techniques that make our meals truly exceptional. At Cucina della Nonna, we believe that food has the power to bring people together, just as it did in Nonna’s home. Whether you’re savouring her famous panzerotti of enjoying a delightful limoncello cake, you’ll experience the warmth and comfort of a family meal made with love. Join us in celebrating the essence of Italian culture, where the love for food and family is the heart of everything we do. Come, taste the tradition, and experience the magic of Cucina della Nonna. Buon appetito!

Alexsis Cassin

As humans, we tend to view ourselves as somehow above or apart from nature. But we are made of the same stuff, and are a part of the same system. Our departure from nature-connectedness in the Western world has caused harm to our planet, and disconnected us from an integral part of our identity, ultimately harming both us and nature. In a time when Earth is more at risk than ever before, and mental health is at an all-time low, it is crucial we find ways to reconnect with nature and to remember that we are a part of it. My book was created using both digital design and nature-based art techniques and materials, to explore my own relationship with nature, and to encourage a strong connection with nature in readers. If we start small by realising we ARE nature, we will see how important it is to heal our relationship with it. My design practice tends towards experimental, beautiful and sustainable work that expresses emotion and meaning for both myself and the audience. I specialise in graphic design, illustration, animation and film photography.

Alberta Hall

The idea behind my banners is to promote graffiti as a positive and creative art form, rather than it just being seen as vandalism. I’ve created a typeface using letters from all the different graffiti art pieces I have found around Christchurch. There is a big graffiti scene here which gave me the idea to create a typeface to show off the talents of the local graffiti artists. I feel that we need to be giving these artists a platform to show off their art so that more great artists can come out of the shadows and into the light. Designing this typeface has shown me that there is a lot of creativity behind every piece of graffiti and the way letter shapes are created. In the posters, I am showing off how the typeface can be used, while keeping the feel of a graffiti environment.

Adam Wilson

Control is a craft beer-inspired mocktail brand for 13 – 17-year-olds. It is based on mythical creatures with positive messages that talk about how to control themselves and make the right choices. Teenagers must learn how to control themselves to learn how to control the creatures, as the creatures are just imagines of themselves. Teens are encouraged to control how they act, stand up for themselves, be smart with who they hang around with, and speak up when they don’t want to do something. I think alcohol can be a problem when there’s peer pressure and bad decision making. Most teenagers start drinking and going to parties nearing the end of high school which is the age group I’m targeting as we don’t see many drink brands that target that age. My main goal for my project is to show teenagers that it’s okay not to want to drink and that you shouldn’t need to drink to have fun, and to make it socially acceptable to choose not to drink but still feel like you’re part of the group.

Abigail Cosslett

RETURN TO TOP
Visual Communication Design
FASHION TECHNOLOGY & DESIGN
APPLIED VISUAL ARTS
LENS-BASED MEDIA
MOTION DESIGN