In 2019, Toi Āria: Design for Public Good partnered with the Joint Centre for Disaster Research at Massey University to facilitate a Masterclass in Creative Resilience as part of TechWeek’s Mindset of Design. The objective of the Masterclass was to understand how individuals might respond to complex social and environmental issues. In particular, the questions we asked ourselves were, how can we respond creatively, and how can we build creative resilience?

The workshop focused on the time immediately following a major earthquake. Participants worked through the types of challenges that might occur such as being separated from family, dealing with a broken infrastructure, managing limited resources, coping with uncertainty and trauma, and having to help and rely on people they didn’t know.

After breaking into teams, participants worked through sequential scenarios which posed challenges such as having to let people know they were safe while communication networks were out of order.

A strong sense of theatre helped participants to connect with a post-earthquake experience. The room was strewn with chairs and desks as if an earthquake had just occurred.

Facilitators posed as Emergency Workers, wearing high-visibility vests and issuing instructions. Meanwhile, one member from each team wore earplugs and earmuffs to emulate temporary hearing loss. A siren blasted out of the speakers, to alert everyone of aftershocks and to take cover.