Fast Forward 2025 Semester 2 | Natalie Allen, Urban Advisory

Fast Forward 2025: Systems Change - Finance, Planning, and Community in the Climate Era

August-September 2025 | Te Pare School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland

How do we fundamentally transform the systems that shape our built environment? Fast Forward 2025 brings together perspectives on disrupting finance, master planning, and community development to address New Zealand's most pressing challenges: housing affordability, climate adaptation, and sustainable urban growth.

As communities seek new approaches for the future, these speakers demonstrate how rethinking fundamental systems—from investment models to planning frameworks to community governance—can create pathways to genuinely sustainable and equitable futures.

-

Natalie Allen, Managing Director, The Urban Advisory

Dr. Natalie Allen is a leading voice in urbanism and a passionate advocate for creating healthier, more equitable homes and communities across Aotearoa. As a founder of The Urban Advisory, she spearheads a team of multidisciplinary urban advisors dedicated to ensuring New Zealand's neighbourhoods, towns, and cities are places where people truly thrive. With a background in architecture, urban design, and urban governance, Natalie possesses extensive research experience spanning critical urban topics, including urban growth, precinct delivery strategy, and housing preferences. She is a trusted advisor on diversifying the housing system and designing people-centric projects that enhance wellbeing. A regular keynote speaker on housing and urban development, Natalie's insights focus on how we can all be part of delivering a sustainable, equitable future for New Zealand.

Lecture

Rethinking Aotearoa's Housing: Myths, Realities, and the Path ForwardAbstract: Join us for an insightful lecture that delves into the intricate workings of New Zealand's housing system. This engaging session will unpack the true beneficiaries of the current landscape, examining the ease (or difficulty) of navigating the housing ladder and identifying the key players in housing delivery across the nation. Drawing on emerging findings from The Urban Advisory's comprehensive New Zealand Housing Survey, the presentation will challenge prevailing myths and conventional wisdom, offering fresh perspectives designed to spark vital conversations. Finally, we'll look ahead to the future of New Zealand's housing, pinpointing critical gaps in national and local policy and exploring the compelling potential for a formal, cohesive national housing strategy. Prepare to rethink what you know about housing in Aotearoa.

Please note that tickets purchased from unauthorized third-party websites are not valid; please use only the approved website (eventbrite.co.nz) for ticket purchases/registrations.

---

Getting to the venue:

The main Faculty of Engineering and Design buildings are conveniently located at the heart of the University's City Campus, and are easily accessible via many forms public transport. For further information on public transport schedules, visit the Auckland Transport website.

For those driving in, further information on parking options can be found here.