About Urban Designers Institute Aotearoa
The Urban Designers Institute Aotearoa (UDIA) was established in 2024 as an Incorporated Society.
The UDIA is managed by a National Council. The National Council is responsible for overseeing the ongoing operation of the UDIA. This includes setting and maintaining membership requirements and continuing professional development, administering the membership application process, producing and monitoring practice notes.
The National Council will consist of a minimum of five members; with at least two based within Te-Ika-a-Māui North Island and one based within Te Waipounamu South Island. The initial National Council has eleven founding members across Aotearoa.
Chair: Tim Church
Deputy Chair: Lisa Mein
Treasurer: Nick Rae
Memberships & Standards Manager: Wayne Bredemeijer / Ian Munro (shared role)
Other National Council Members: Lauren White, Dr Lee Beattie, Kate Watson, Matthew Wenden
The Council
Tim Church
Chair
Company: Boffa Miskell
Qualifications: MA Urban Design; BLA (Hons); NZILA Registered Landscape Architect
Tim is a qualified urban designer with a landscape architecture background and over 26 years’ professional experience, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas. He is a Partner at Boffa Miskell, based in their Tāhuna | Queenstown office. Tim has had three terms on the Urban Design Forum Aotearoa National Committee (2018 – 2024), representing Te Waipounamu | South Island, including a position on the Urbanism NZ conference 2023 Advisory Committee. He is a Christchurch Urban Design Panel member and CPTED practitioner.
Spatial / master planning, policy development and complex community infrastructure projects are his strengths.
Lisa Mein
Deputy Chair
Company: Mein Urban Design and Planning Ltd
Qualifications: BPlan; MA Urban Design; Cert. in Public Participation (IAP2)
Lisa is a qualified Urban Designer and Planner with more than 28 years’ experience in Aotearoa, the UK and Ireland. Her experience has spanned all facets of urban design in public and private sectors. Lisa is actively involved in championing quality urban design outcomes in our urban environments, including in her role as co-chair of Urban Design Forum Aotearoa (2020-2024), through her many panel positions and in the urban design advice she provides to her clients and colleagues. In both her professional and personal life, Lisa is passionate about reinforcing a sense of place for communities and creating places all people can enjoy.
Nick Rae
Treasurer
Company: Transurban
Qualifications: BLA; Master of Urban Design
Nick is a qualified urban designer and landscape architect who has a desire to create great places for people whilst embracing our natural environment. Nick’s career has seen him work and study in New Zealand, the UK, Europe, Saudi Arabia and Australia.
Nick leads the team at Transurban, where a cross-disciplinary approach integrates urban design, urban development and resource management.
Nick is driven “to achieve the best we can with the tools and opportunities we have with a passion for achieving great outcomes for people and the environment."
Lauren White
Company: Urban Acumen Ltd
Qualifications: BAS; Master of City Planning & Urban Design (MCPUD)
Lauren's career as an urban designer spans nearly 25 years and includes working in both the public and private sectors in New Zealand and abroad. She founded Urban Acumen Ltd in 2020 and focusses on structure and master planning, plan changes, detailed site development and feasibility in Auckland and other regions. She is a Professional Teaching Fellow at the University of Auckland and through both her position as Chair on the Auckland Urban Design Panel and her role as consultant for a number of District Councils, is often engaged in design review and assessment.
Ian Munro
Membership & Standards
Company: self-employed
Qualifications: B.Plan; M.Plan; M.Arch[Urb Des]; M.EnvLS; M.EngSt
Ian has worked in local government and private practice, and since 2014 has been self-employed as a planner and urban designer. Ian regularly lectures at the University of Auckland and presents at industry conferences. His work takes him across New Zealand and includes urban growth and structure planning, urban master planning, RMA plan changes, and resource consents from large-scale subdivisions down to the level of individual buildings. Ian is highly experienced in public hearings and processes, and regularly provides evidence as an expert witness.
Matthew Wenden
Company: McIndoe Urban
Qualifications:
Qualifications: MA UD (Dist); March (prof); BAS (Arch); LEED AP ND
Matt is a qualified urban designer with a background and training in architecture. He has with extensive experience in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Aotearoa. As a Senior Associate at McIndoe Urban in Wellington, he specializes in city-scale strategy, urban regeneration, and complex masterplanning. Prior to this Matt was Lead Urban Designer at Dar Al-Handasah in London, where he led major international initiatives ranging from large-scale new city masterplans to spatial plans and campus developments.
In Aotearoa, Matt provides strategic urban design advice, design review, and masterplanning for local authorities and private clients across the country. Matt is passionate about establishing robust urban frameworks that balance environmental sustainability with commercial viability, ensuring our towns and cities grow into resilient, high-quality places.
Wayne Bredemeijer
Company: Self Employed
Qualifications: MSc [Urbanism]
Wayne has been an urban designer since 2002, when he graduated from Delft University of Technology's Faculty of Architecture, specialising in Urbanism. He has worked for urban design consultancies in New Zealand and the Netherlands, leading revitalisation and urban growth projects and providing design input into structure plans and masterplans. Wayne facilitates workshops and consultation sessions and offers design advice through urban design assessments and expert evidence at hearings. He is also a member of the Auckland Urban Design Panel. Wayne has served part-time as a Professional Teaching Fellow at the University of Auckland, contributing to the Master of Urban Design programme and Urban Design-focused studios within the Bachelor of Urban Planning.
Kate Watson
Company: Construkt Architects
Dr Lee Beattie
Company: University of Auckland
Qualification:B.Plan; PostGradDip Urban Design; M.Sc; PhD in Urban Planning
Dr Lee Beattie is an urban designer and urban planner with almost 30 years professional experience. He is an Associate Professor of Urban Design and Head of the University of Auckland’s School of Architecture and Planning, where he teaches urban design theory and practice and master-planning. His current research interests explore the factors and barriers preventing the delivery of compact and quality urban form that is sustainable, resilient, liveable, meets the needs of local residents and reduces travel demand in both the local and international (Asia/Pacific rim) context.