Supported by the Italian Embassy in Wellington,tonightslecture forms part of the celebration of international Italian Design Day, the theme being Community design:How to mend the fractures ofhumanity.Speakers fromtwo practices, Ana Heremaia and Jo Walsh forKAU and Nick Officer and Ben Jagersma for First Light Studio, will talk abouthow thoughtful design and committed activism as demonstrated in their projects can foster stronger, more connectedcommunities.KAUiscommitted to collaboration and community engagement fromits Te Tai Tokerau, Kaikohe office. The practices work seeks to transform the lives of tamariki and whnau through a workshop process which connects people with their tpuna stories and provides hands-on learning through architecture and design.Overthe course of 10 years, thestudio has moved from furniture design to contributing toward the new sports hub Papa Hawaiki and new ongoing library project forKaikohe.First Light Studiowill present two transformative projects, each addressing community needs at different scales and stages of development: a small Wellington church that used seismic strengthening as an opportunity to redefine its role and relevance, to a portfolio of public housing solutions for Te huru Mwai, New Zealands largest Mori-owned community housing provider. These projects demonstrate how thoughtful design can foster stronger, more connectedcommunities.How to Mend the Fractures of Humanity: KAU | First LightArchitectsWednesday 19 March 2025, 6.30pmLecture Theatre 342, Conference Centre Building 423, University of AucklandRegisterhereforyourticket.Other speakers in the series arePAC Studio(Wednesday 26 March),Isthmus(Wednesday 2 April) andParlour(Wednesday 9 April). For more information, and to register, clickhere.TheFast Forward lecture series is generously sponsored byGIBand supported byTe Khui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects.10 NZRAB CPD points are available at each lecture. Attendance is free and allarewelcome.