Overview
At the heart of the creative capital since 1886, Wellington School of Design – Ngā Pae Mahutonga combines digital technology and hands-on craft in world-leading ways.
We were named top design university in the Asia-Pacific by Red Dot in 2019. Our alumni lead tech and design agencies around the globe.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Massey
We are deeply committed to being a Tiriti-led university, demonstrating authentic leadership in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand as we uphold te Tiriti o Waitangi, the founding document of our nation, and its principles through our practice. We embrace this not just as an obligation but as a real opportunity for the nation and its people.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi ki Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – The Treaty of Waitangi at Massey
Study with us
Study design with us, taking classes supported by technical workshops to hone your skills. The Wellington School of Design offer majors such as:
- photography
- concept design (creating characters, objects and worlds for film, television, and games)
- visual communication design (including typography, brand, illustration, information design and interaction design).
Explore by area of interest
Explore a selection of qualifications relating to your interests.
Study art & photography
Massey graduates are prepared for a career in fine arts or photography. Get access to expert educators and state-of-the-art facilities. Learn more now.
Study fashion & textile design
Massey prepares graduates to compete on the world stage of fashion design, clothing labels and textiles. Learn more about our study options.
Study spatial & industrial design
Design products, services, spaces or environments to improve quality of life, enrich our culture, and contribute to business success. Learn more.
Study visual communication design
Visual communication graduates work in publishing, content, branding and experience design, interactivity and entertainment. Start your journey today.
Research
Our researchers thrive on finding solutions to complex problems. We seek out local and global collaborations at the experimental edge of disciplines, where great design happens.
View selected projects below.
Researchers design 'operational hijab' for NZ Police
Wellington Design School researchers received international press coverage after working with New Zealand police to design a comfortable, functional hijab as part of the organisation's uniform for female officers.
The 16-month collaboration included design, sample-making, rigorous testing and development of a final prototype made from a light, moisture-wicking sports fabric. It aimed to encourage more Muslim women to consider policing as a career and make the police service more inclusive.
Why can't machines understand what we say?
An immersive installation at the Science Gallery Dublin co-created by senior lecturer Ant Nevin has explored the interface between artificial intelligence and the nuances of the human voice. The experience, 'The Uncanny Valley of Breath', formed part of the Bias exhibition, an exploration of the ethics of artificial intelligence (AI).
Developed with AI researchers from University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, and Dublin's ADAPT research centre.
Cool health project wins innovation prize
A project to improve cold storage systems for life-saving vaccines and medicines has won the prestigious Massey Innovation Prize. It is the first collaboration between the School of Design, the School of Health Sciences and the Capital and Coast District Health Board.
The project aims to improve the 'Cold Chain' process, which keeps a drug at optimal temperature (between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius) from the point of manufacture to when it's administered to a patient.
Find out more about the Massey Innovation Prize on the Massey Ventures website
Facilities
Our first-class teaching spaces and studios include:
- fashion and textile workrooms
- extensive 3D workshop
- print studio
- Toystore gear library
- photography and film studio
- Fab Lab Wgtn.
Who we are
Our staff are imaginative makers and problem-solvers. Meet amazing educators in the Wellington School of Design – Ngā Pae Māhutonga.
Associate Professor Sven Mehzoud
Sven Mehzoud has directed design programmes at New Zealand and Australian universities for over 20 years and is originally from Switzerland where he practiced architecture. Sven’s creative practice encompasses exhibition design, scenography and interior architectural design, and currently focuses on narrative constructions in museums and exhibition design.
Kerry Ann Lee
Kerry Ann Lee is an artist, designer and scholar whose research explores exchange and transformation in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. She is Creative Director of the Asian Aotearoa Arts programme, and is well-known for her publishing, fanzine and illustration work. Lee exhibits nationally and internationally, and has been awarded residencies in China, Taiwan, USA, Mexico and Australia.
Angela Kilford
Accreditation and rankings
QS Ranking - Art & Design
College of Creative Arts – Toi Rauwhārangi ranks in the global top 150 for art and design by QS World University Rankings.
Red Dot Design ranking
Ranked 3rd in Asia-Pacific by International Red Dot Design Awards, the only design school to be ranked in New Zealand and Australia. This significant achievement recognises the high calibre of our teaching staff and the exceptional quality of our students' design concept work.
Contact the Wellington School of Design
Wellington School of Design – Wellington campus
- creative@massey.ac.nz
- Phone
- Location
Physical address
Block 1
Te Whare Pukākā
Mount Cook
Wellington 6021Use our Wellington campus maps or find us on Google Maps.
Looking for a staff member? Visit our staff directory or use Expertise search.