Māori Worldview and Architectural Design.

By William Van Zyl (Published 30 August 2023) *Credit cover image: Toa Architects (NZ). Taumata o Kupe What type of unique building, house, landmark, chapel, church, marae, or shade space would you design to reflect and represent your worldview? I am referring to symbolism-related shapes, forms, patterns, and colours.  What would be the main shapes… Continue reading Māori Worldview and Architectural Design.

Māori Architecture and Modernism in Architecture: A Design Challenge. 

By William Van Zyl (Published 26 August 2023) I start this short eBook/article with modern Māori-inspired New Zealand (NZ) buildings. It showcases the innovative embedment of traditional Māori shapes, forms, patterns and colours in contemporary design in NZ. I then move on to explore modernism and Māori architecture. See the link to the Contemporary Māori-folklore… Continue reading Māori Architecture and Modernism in Architecture: A Design Challenge. 

Architectural Design: Māori, Christian, and Modernist Influences – A New Zealand Perspective. 

By William Van Zyl (Published 24 August 2023). Has your world been turned upside-down at some point? Look at the innovative and creative ideas in this article. What do you see? What ideas do you have? What would it be if I asked you to develop a unique idea or concept for a spatial design?… Continue reading Architectural Design: Māori, Christian, and Modernist Influences – A New Zealand Perspective. 

Māori Architecture and the Use of Colour.

By William Van Zyl (Edited – 22 December 2023) In this compact eBook, I look at colour and Māori architectural design. The resource is also useful to designers and artists – providing a rich background of Māori colours. Everyone interested in Global Architecture – and art and design – will find this book helpful. The… Continue reading Māori Architecture and the Use of Colour.

Māori Design Principles versus Western Design Principles – comparing and contrasting.

By William Van Zyl (published 20 August 2023). For Designers, artists, architects, and Design and Visual Communication (DVC) students. This article provides an overview of an indigenous culture’s design approach: New Zealand Māori. I contrast and compare this cultural and spiritual approach with a typical Western World Design approach. It sheds light on the Māori… Continue reading Māori Design Principles versus Western Design Principles – comparing and contrasting.

Placenta and the Māori Worldview.

By William Van Zyl (Published 21 Aug 2023). I provide a short overview and exploration of Māori and other cultures’ placenta practices worldwide. This short article/book provides a rich canvas for artists, designers, architects and Design and Visual Communication students (DVC). The article/eBook is also handy for the new curriculum 2024 New Zealand – NCEA… Continue reading Placenta and the Māori Worldview.

Crocodile Skin reads Braille in the Dark.

By William van Zyl Published on 11 August 2023 The BBC’s documentary on The Secrets of Skin – specifically the skin of animals – is simply stunning. See the link at the end. What stood out for me was the crocodile’s jaws, which are lined with sensory pits and other multisensory organs. These amazingly well-designed… Continue reading Crocodile Skin reads Braille in the Dark.

Bjarke Ingels’ Moonbase design is compared and contrasted with Modernism in Architecture (Reference to Le Corbusier and his famous house design – Villa Savoye).

By William Van Zyl Published on 9 August 2023. Bjarke Ingels’ Moonbase design is compared and contrasted with Modernism in Architecture (Reference to Le Corbusier and his famous house design – Villa Savoye). I analyse the contrasting aspects between Bjarke Ingels’ moonbase design and the principles of Modernism in Architecture. This article delves into the… Continue reading Bjarke Ingels’ Moonbase design is compared and contrasted with Modernism in Architecture (Reference to Le Corbusier and his famous house design – Villa Savoye).