TUA Impact.
TUA is committed to driving positive, lasting impact across Aotearoa’s urban development system. We invest directly in the sector through research, education, capability‑building, co‑funding, and ongoing knowledge sharing. Our work is grounded in a belief that better urban environments require collective effort, transparent evidence, and genuine community participation.
Supporting Community
Communities are at the heart of our built environments. We are passionate about engaging with, lifting up, and learning from the many diverse communities here in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Supporting Communities
Communities are at the heart of our built environments. We are passionate about engaging with, lifting up and learning from the many diverse communities here in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Communities sit at the centre of our urban environments. TUA is dedicated to engaging with, uplifting, and learning from the diverse people and places that make up Aotearoa New Zealand.We support communities to participate meaningfully in shaping homes, neighbourhoods, towns, and cities through:
- In‑person workshops
- Participatory design and co‑design processes
- Research that elevates community perspectives into decision‑making
- Advisory support for housing initiatives that prioritise resident voice and agency
Our goal is to make public participation more accessible, more effective, and more reflective of the lived experiences of those who know their places best.
Examples of community‑focused work include:
- Community Visioning in Paekākāriki
- Uptown Business Association engagement
- Madras Square Engagement Workbook
Gathering Data
The NZ Housing Survey is TUA’s brand new initiative to gather quality data from real New Zealanders. This data will be available for use by organisations, leaders and Government to make informed decisions about housing across New Zealand.
Gathering Data
Robust data is essential for informed, future‑ready decision‑making. Research is a core pillar of TUA’s practice, and our team is recognised nationally for producing high‑quality, evidence‑based insights.
TUA conducts research for clients and operates as a New Zealand research organisation in its own right, delivering data that supports system‑level improvements across housing, placemaking, and urban development.Our flagship research initiative, The New Zealand Housing Survey, collects high‑quality, representative data from people across the motu. The insights generated will support government, iwi, local authorities, community organisations, and industry leaders to make stronger, evidence‑driven housing decisions.
Take The NZ Housing Survey HERE.
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Sharing Knowledge
Evidence-based thinking helps us all do better. TUA believes that knowledge should be accessible, so dive into our Knowledge Hub to up skill on all things Urban, with the aid of our research and insights.
Sharing Knowledge
We believe that evidence should be accessible, understandable, and openly shared. TUA regularly contributes to sector capability through:
- Workshops and training
- Panel discussions and industry forums
- Keynote speaking
- Publications, white papers, and research reports
Our Knowledge Hub provides free access to insights, reports, tools, and resources designed to support collective understanding of Aotearoa’s urban environments.
Visit the Knowledge Hub HERE.
Co-Funding
Sometimes bold, new projects need assistance to get off the ground. TUA regularly co-invest time and recourses to help these innovative projects succeed. No project is too big or too small.
Co‑Funding and Pro Bono Support
Transformational ideas often need support to get off the ground. TUA co‑invests time, expertise, networks, and resources into bold projects that align with our values and have strong potential to deliver community benefit.
Alongside co‑funding, we also undertake pro bono and low‑cost advisory work for initiatives that advance equitable development, uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and empower communities to realise their aspirations.
Examples of projects we’ve supported include:
- Tātaki Cycle Project
- Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki Housing Strategy
- Study tour on the housing ecosystem
- Co-housing advisory and support
- Cambridge co-housing feasibility
The Next Generation
TUA work closely with students from leading Universities in Auckland to provide mentoring, guidance, support and internships to lift the next generation of Urban Professionals up.
Supporting the Next Generation
TUA partners with leading universities to help grow the future urban development workforce. We provide mentoring, internships, guest lectures, and project‑based learning opportunities for students entering the sector.
We work closely with institutions such as the University of Auckland, AUT, Unitec, and the University of Otago to support emerging talent and contribute to a strong, future‑focused urban professions pipeline.
Think Big
We love big, innovative ideas. Our job as Urban Strategists is to break down complex visions into step by step strategies, detailing what needs to happen and how, for an idea to become a reality.
Thinking Big
We thrive on bold, ambitious ideas. As Urban Strategists, our role is to break complex visions into clear, actionable strategies — identifying what needs to happen, when, and how.
When people approach us with a “big idea,” we don’t dismiss it as a dream. We work through the systems, partnerships, pathways, and delivery mechanisms that can make it real.One example is our work on the Tūmanako Wellness Centre, developed in partnership with sector experts to shape an innovative model for community wellbeing.
Read the Tūmanako Wellness Centre proposal HERE.
