Zena Gerrard

Designer

Zena is an Architectural Designer at Collingridge and Smith Architects. She studied at the University of Auckland, gaining a Bachelor of Architecture in 2014, and finished her Master of Architecture (Professional) (Hons) in 2018.

Zena joined the practice in 2018 as an intern in her final year while completing her thesis. Her thesis was about exploring the relationship between tourism and Māori culture, designing a walking trail that challenges and redefines typical depictions of landscape in New Zealand’s tourism industry to one that educates tourists on Māori worldview and acknowledges the whakapapa of the local iwi. For her thesis, she won a silver award at the DINZ Best Awards in the student spatial category in this project.

Since joining us, Zena has worked on a diverse range of projects that have given her experience in the many stages, from early concept design to building consent. She enjoys working on many residential developments as it has been really rewarding for her to see these beautiful neighbourhoods come to life.

At Collingridge and Smith, she loves the challenging nature of the work and the advantageous experiences. Her architectural education has also been greatly influenced by her Māori heritage, in which she shares awareness and acknowledgement of Tikanga Māori with the team.

“Seeing projects that you’ve spent hours on come to life is hugely rewarding.” – Zena Gerrard