Programme
Programme 2026 Ka Rū Ka Hā
It’s time to connect, engage and kōrero
Programme preview
Ka Rū Ka Hā / Awaken the Energy is designed as a journey, not two days of back-to-back presentations.
Across two days, we will ground ourselves in who we are and how we practise in Aotearoa, challenge some of the assumptions shaping our profession, get out into Ōtautahi to see ideas in place, then come back together to think about where landscape architects can have greater influence.
Expect a mix of short provocations, conversations, practical case studies, field trips, facilitated discussion, workshops and space to connect with each other.
The speaker line-up is currently being confirmed, with names and individual session details being added progressively. The programme structure below gives you a clear picture of what to expect, while allowing us to keep shaping the strongest possible conversations.
Across the two days
The programme will include an international keynote, conversations with leading practitioners and thinkers, short provocations, interactive sessions, field trips, workshops and plenty of space for discussion.
Three interconnected streams
The kaupapa of Ka Rū Ka Hā flows through three interconnected streams, providing a framework for the conversations, provocations and experiences across the two days.
Rū Te Tangata — People and Leadership
How we lead, support communities, and draw on Indigenous leadership models to navigate change.
Rū Te Whenua — Design and Practice
Land-based practice, innovation, and design approaches that respond to a changing environment while honouring place.
Ka Hā Te Ranga — Systems, Policy and Advocacy
The systems shaping our landscapes, and how policy, governance, and advocacy can evolve to support resilient futures.
Thursday 5 November
From 8.00am | Registration, exhibition and coffee
9.00am | Wānanga begins
Ground us: Who are we? Why are we here?
We begin by grounding the kaupapa of Ka Rū Ka Hā and opening up some of the questions that will run through the two days.
What does an Aotearoa practice look like?
A facilitated exploration of identity, participation, authority and what it means to practise landscape architecture in the context of Aotearoa.
Expand our thinking
A series of short provocations challenging some of the assumptions, systems and ways of working shaping the profession.
12.45pm | Lunch
From ideas to place
From approximately 2.00pm
The afternoon moves out into Ōtautahi for small-group field trips, exploring projects, places and the thinking behind them.
Resene NZILA Awards Gala
Thursday evening | One NZ Stadium
We come back together to celebrate outstanding landscape architecture from across Aotearoa.
Friday 6 November
From 8.30am | Exhibition and coffee
9.00am | Day Two begins
Bring us back together
Reflections, observations and ideas from the first day and our time out in Ōtautahi.
Influence: How do landscape architects shape what happens beyond our profession?
Conversations about climate, policy, infrastructure, biodiversity and where landscape architects can have greater influence.
12.20pm | Lunch
Choose your conversation
Friday afternoon shifts into smaller workshops and facilitated discussions, giving delegates the opportunity to explore some of the practical challenges facing our places and communities.
Sessions will run across two rounds, so you can take part in more than one conversation.
Where do we go from here?
From 3.30pm
A final conversation bringing together the ideas, challenges and possibilities that have emerged across the wānanga.
4.30pm | Wānanga closes
Programme still growing
We are continuing to confirm speakers, facilitators, field trips and workshop details, and will add these to the programme as they are locked in.
The structure and timings above provide an indication of how the two days will flow. Individual sessions, speakers and timings may shift as we finalise the programme and speaker availability.
Submitted an EOI? If you are still waiting to hear from us, please keep an eye on your inbox. We are working through the programme now and will be in touch as sessions are confirmed. If you receive an invitation, we would really appreciate a quick response so we can keep things moving.
Keep checking back as more of Ka Rū Ka Hā is revealed.