Nina Boyd
Victoria University of Wellington
Three days before her first design review we caught up with Nina Boyd at Victoria University of Wellington after her models caught our eye perched on the studio wall. Spurred on by questions such as “how do you spatially situate yourself while you’re swimming in an artificial beach in the middle of winter in Miyazaki, Japan?” Nina’s interest in critiquing the homogeneity of mass tourism through architectural exploration seems coupled with her own desire to fly the coop. Read on for more…
Student Architecture Network New Zealand: In 20 words, what is your thesis about?
Nina Boyd: It’s kind of a critique on the homogeneity of mass tourism. I’m trying to construct a fluid, hyper-mobile condition for experiencing places associated with tourism. Right now I’m designing an airport hotel.
SANNZ: Who is your supervisor and why did you choose to work with him/her
NB: I wanted to work with Jan Smitheram initially because she coordinated some of my favourite papers in the past and she seems to really have her shit together. That plus she is willing to take even your loosest ideas seriously. Most people probably think she’d be quite heavy on the theory but instead she always pushes us to keep creating stuff.
SANNZ: When you started your Masters just over a year ago at the start of fourth year, did you think your thesis would take this direction?
NB: Last year I was hooked on the idea of exploring how we inhabit artificial landscapes and how globalisation and material excess is corrupting authentic experiences of space. You know, like how do you spatially situate yourself while you’re swimming in an artificial beach in the middle of winter in Miyazaki, Japan? I’ve kind of twisted that interest into a more practical question.
SANNZ: What are your plans for next year?
NB: I’m planning a trip to Hong Kong and the Philippines towards the end of the year, and next year I’m hoping to go live in the States on a year-long working visa and travel through South and Central America. Dreams are free right?
SANNZ: Do you feel that architecture school has prepared you for the realities of working in the industry?
NB: I honestly wouldn’t know. Probably not but at least I’ve learnt to work really well under pressure thanks to my horrible time management skills.
SANNZ: Where are you from? What’s your opinion of the architecture or built environment there?
NB: I was born and raised in Wellington so I suppose I’m pretty lucky in that respect. The main thing that living in a close proximity to some really wealthy suburbs has taught me that wealth has absolutely no correlation to taste.
SANNZ: Do you work while studying? How do you find the balance?
NB: I work about 20 hours a week at the moment, part of that is tutoring at school so it’s pretty manageable. I don’t really think ‘balance’ exists, or at least I don’t see it as something personally attainable. A friend once told me that “faster pieces are masterpieces”, and those are words to live by.
SANNZ: What music or artist has helped you get through architecture school?
NB: Depending on the mood it shifts between one of two playlists, the first being *chill* which heavily features Beck and Nelly Furtado. Then, there’s ~NO CHILL~ which is for those more gruelling days where rapping all the lyrics to Big Sean is the closest to a sense of accomplishment you’ve achieved in months.
SANNZ: What coffee has fuelled your degree and where do you usually buy it from?
NB: I actually prefer to drink very weak Healtheries Green Tea with Zesty Lemon. Coffee can make me anxious.
SANNZ: What keeps you occupied outside of study?
NB: Just normal domestic stuff I suppose. I love cooking and going to the Newtown market, I love walking in the bush and stuff and going on road trips with my boyfriend, especially to the Wairarapa because it has the best Savemart. I’m always planning imaginary itineraries for overseas trips too. Now that The Bachelor is over there’s a gaping hole in my weekly routine.
SANNZ: If you could invite two architects to dinner with you, who would they be and why?
NB: Well I have two friends living overseas, Julie in Norway and Janice in Hong Kong, who are closer to being architects than I’ll ever be. Once they’re both registered I would have them get dinner with me, maybe do a sushi train or something.
SANNZ: What is your favourite time of day?
NB: Lunch, followed by dinner.
