Mitra Homolja

Iwi Affiliations

Tauiwi

Relevant Qualifications

2021: MArch(Prof) (with distinction) Master of Architecture (Professional), Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington

2018: BAS(Arch) Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington

Expertise

Mitra is an architectural designer, urban designer, and researcher. Her mahi has focused on innovation in architecture, co-design processes and the role of tauiwi in Te Tiriti partnerships. She has expertise in collaboration with rangatahi, mana whenua and diverse communities. Mitra’s passion lies in creating methods and tools (such as virtual reality, computer games, film and other analogue tools) to improve people’s spatial literacy and enable them to be collaborators in the design process. Mitra’s more recent work includes mapping mana whenua sites of significance, community-centred park design, investigating circular economy construction systems in the design of flood resilient housing, AI and e-learning’s implications for tauira Māori success and investigating spatial justice in the built environment.

Key Contributions

  • 2024 Homolja, M., & Tuckey, E. (2024). Can circular economy construction methods support flood resilient public housing? Third Studio. Research report funded by F. Gordon Wilson Fellowship and New Zealand Institute of Architects

  • 2024 Creation and game design of Tiaki – an educational board game on pest management in Aotearoa. In collaboration with Te Kawa a Māui (Te Herenga Waka) and Amber Strain.

  • 2023 F. Gordon Wilson Fellowship for Public Housing recipient for a research project investigating flood resilience and social resilience in public housing through the lens of circular economy construction systems.

  • 2021 Creation and design of The Aotearoa Urban Design Toolkit – a tool to start conversations about what we value in our public spaces in Aotearoa, including native plants, significant sites and mātauranga/knowledge. In collaboration with the Imagining Decolonised Cities team as part of a Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi Marsden Fund.

  • 2021 Creation and game design of He Haerenga ki te Maunga – educational tool for learning about colonisation and decolonisation. In collaboration with the Imagining Decolonised Cities team and Amber Strain.

  • 2021 Homolja, M. (2021. (a) Rangatahi Project: an exploration of architects and rangatahi collaborating in the design of spaces to activate youth agency. Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Thesis.

  • 2020 Maghool, S, A, H., Homolja, M., & Schnabel, M, A. (2020). Cybernetics Approach to Virtual Emotional Spaces - An electrodermal activity actuated adaptive space. Publication in Anthropologic: Architecture and Fabrication in the Cognitive Age (38th eCAADe Conference).

  • 2020 Schnabel, M, A., Homolja, M., & Maghool, S. (2020). The Impact of Moving through the Built Environment on Emotional and Neurophysiological State - A Systematic Literature Review. Conference contribution for RE: Anthropocene, Design in the Age of Humans.

  • 2019 Best Design Awards Ngā Aho Gold Pin for Ngā Kōrero, Reimagining the Design Process