UDINZ Webinar: Making Space for Water

Join us on our next UDINZ Webinar with Sara Zwart, Regeneration Manager | Blue-green Networks within Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience team on "Making Space for Water".

The 2023 Auckland floods exposed how vulnerable the city's urban form is to extreme weather and became a catalyst for accelerating flood resilience as an urban and landscape design opportunity rather than a solely engineering response. As part of Auckland Council's Making Space for Water programme, the Blue-Green Networks initiative is reshaping how flood resilience intersects with open space and urban form. It connects naturalised waterways, public space, and regeneration outcomes across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Drawing on lessons learnt through the delivery of Te Ara Awataha in Northcote, and current work on the Ngā Wairau flood resilience project, Sara Zwart will explore how blue-green networks can support broader place-based outcomes for water, land and people. Sara will share how the Healthy Waters team of engineers, project managers, designers and relationship managers work to ensure that their blue-green network projects are place-sourced, culture-led and community fed; ultimately working with – not against – water.

On our speaker:

Sara Zwart is the Regeneration Manager | Blue-green Networks within Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience team. She supports regenerative outcomes across a programme of blue-green networks throughout Tāmaki Makaurau and has most recently been working on Ngā Wairau flood resilience project on the North Shore.

With over 20 years of experience spanning architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design, Sara has led transformative stormwater projects in collaboration with diverse partners. These include Te Whakaoranga o te Puhinui (Puhinui Stream regeneration) and Northcote’s Te Ara Awataha greenway, delivered in her former role as Principal Regenerative Design Lead at the Auckland Urban Design Office.

Sara is passionate about the intersection of climate adaptation, social equity, and urban design. Her work takes a long-term strategic approach, weaving together social, cultural, economic, and environmental outcomes to shape resilient urban futures. She works in close partnership with mana whenua, recognising them as essential collaborators, advocates, and kaitiaki for the land and people of Aotearoa.

A zoom link will be sent to you the day prior of the event.

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