re:speak

I caught up with Nicholas Leckie, current President of SANNZ, the Student Architecture Network of New Zealand.  In its relative infancy (launched two years ago), SANNZ has become a hard-working and hard-playing network for all students of architecture in New Zealand, with ambitious members and a debonair leader.  For more information on SANNZ check their website, or see the contacts at the end of the Interview.

Byron – Nick, would you like to briefly explain the role of the SANNZ, and what functions it performs for the architectural, and public, community of NZ?

Nick – Sure thing, SANNZ is the national network of students of the three New Zealand Schools of Architecture, supporting architecture student perspectives, initiatives, and futures.

Its function is to connect architecture students with their counterparts at other schools, connect architecture students better with the profession, and likewise the profession better with students.
 
I believe there is a lot to be gained from increasing one's awareness of how what they are doing at their school compares with shenanigans at other schools, and this dialogue should also be encouraged between students and the profession. Critical, comparitive self-reflection is essential in the game of keeping architectural education on it's toes, and I suppose it is the rationale behind all of these connectivity goals that SANNZ sets itself.   


Quintessential student encouragement, SANNZ BBQ.

Byron – And how has SANNZ helped the New Zealand community of architecture students communicate and collaborate energies and efforts?

Nick – So far, we've held two 'Superstudio' competitions. University of Auckland played host last year and this years competition was held in Wellington. Superstudio is a very fast design ideas competition, run simultaneously across several Australasian locations.

It's really great to get all that creative energy together from students and the profession. Also, for two thirds of the people to check out a school other than their own, and for the visiting school's to go on an adventure across the North Island is great.  A team of fourth years from Victoria University were one of four teams from the 20 chosen finalists across Australasia to have made a 'special contribution' this year, so congrats to them!
 
We've also organised three 'sTute' tutoring days (one in Auckland and two in Wellington) this year, where practising architects/designers from other fields come along and offer tutoring to students on whatever project they're needing help with, in a speed-dating take-it-or-leave-it kind of way. They're great events!


The infamous 'Team Zissou' of VUW compete in Superstudio.

Byron – How do you think SANNZ has been recieved by a) students, b) academia, and c) the profession?

Nick –
a) Students. Pretty well, as the vast gap we are attempting to fill is reasonably unexplored territory for us current students, so these ideals are pretty well shared and accepted by everyone. One challenge is living up to the expectations people naturally have when they hand over $50 for a membership at the start of the year and want their moneys worth out of what we do.

b) Academia. I think most in academia would agree that anything that adds further strings to the bow of ones architectural education is a positive thing!

c) The profession. Feedback from the profession so far has been hugely encouraging, with tutors we've called in to be involved in events finding them highly rewarding. There is so much scope for us to develop these avenues further than just tutoring events, and we look forward to doing this.

Byron – Do students of architecture have a role or responsibility outside the university?

Nick –  Yes I think we definitely do. Aside from connecting with the profession, which is underway, the most alarming responsibility at the moment, in my mind, lies with informing prospective students of architecture about the subject.

The NZIA (our parent body, I might add) is certainly stepping up with its 'Shaping Our Places' document and political-level work - perhaps students can pay particular attention to raising awareness of architecture on the general-public level?

Crikey this sounds like a revolution, everyones an architect by 2050. Sign On.

Byron – No, not at all, I think public education of design and architecture are incredibly important, and other regions of the world do it much better, to greater civic results.  Another big issue for SANNZ is student apathy, which is the bane of politically and socially active student organisations, do you have any thoughts about this?

Nick –  Student Apathy... we've got targets to reduce apathetic emmissions from students by 2050 as well.

I'd describe the immediate situation as follows:

- 170ish architecture students in NZ feel inclined to part with $50 per year for membership of a professional body.

- Our three schools are certainly very active in terms of establishing programmes and adjusting to changes (3+2 degree structure, for example) at the moment, and students aren't just sitting back and watching these things happen.

- Architecture students are a passionate bunch. Reinforcement of point: I've just completed a rather poorly run and awkward paper at my university, and since its termination 70 members of the class have joined up to a Facebook group to discuss and compile the papers failings and areas for improvement. Passionate. Or perhaps people just can't find work and are bored.  

Another thought on this - I suppose the fight against apathy ensures that SANNZ runs events and works on things that are more relevant to all.


The Biannual SANNZ v SONA Soccer Match, played at RE:HAB Congress in Canberra.
Sadly, the host nation won, fortunately the trophy remains hidden in New Zealand still.

Byron –  From this, if student organisations do have a responsibility to construct critique and implement positive change, there seems to be a constantly changing set of effective tactics, such as legitimising yourself professionally (becoming a Non-profit, or Incorporated Society for example) or aligning yourself more closely with professional institutions... Which to some is seen as complicit institutionalisation (an institutional mimicry), but is there more to be gained by employing and adapting to these conditions of activity?

Nick – The answer to that question probably lies in a balance between two extreme ends of what a student organisation could be. I'll touch on where I think we should attempt to align ourselves.
 
In the grand scheme of the existence of professional institutions, I think that alignment between and representation across different levels of a profession can improve both those institutions' ability to analyse a problem more comprehensively, and also their collective effectiveness when taking action. In this respect, alignment is empowering.

The danger, as you point out, is this institutional mimicry. Hopefully, SANNZ is structured in such away that avoids much of this danger:

    - an organisation aligned with, but distinct from other institutions/groups
    - a deliberate bottom-up approach to operations
    - an annual weekend get together of the committee that fuels an open culture of big ideas and aspirations (deliberately avoiding the term 'strategic planning')
    - a committee structured for equal representation from each school.

These four characteristics should ensure that SANNZ adapts and remains relevant into the future. Fundamentally, if SANNZ is all about the people who make up the Network itself, then we shouldn't strike problems.
It seems trivial, but to reinforce this I'll point out that our website is deliberately www.sannz.net.nz, and not '.co' or '.org'.

Byron – What are your personal ambitions for SANNZ for the next year?
 
Nick – Personally, I'd like to get something moving in working with High School careers people to form some kind of package for schools about what studying architecture is like, why a student might consider doing it, and also some differences between our three schools.
I dare say schools need it - I got told in my careers interview at school that Christchurch had the best Architecture school in the country!
 
Aside from that project, I hope that the committee can have a really productive and hugely enjoyable weekend meeting in February, and we can build on all that has happened this year and do some great things in 2010!
 
Anyone's thoughts on what SANNZ has done/should be doing in the future are more than welcome - in fact they're essential! Please email info@sannz.net.nz with any suggestions, or follow us on Facebook.

Photographs courtesy of Nick Leckie, cheers.