Reflecting on “Living in Paradox” – Ten Years On

At Reset, we are proud to see Director Garth Falconer’s seminal work Living in Paradox revisited a decade after its publication. Written over eight years, the book sought to ground urban design in Aotearoa within its own context, acknowledging the paradoxes between land and settlement, identity and change, and aspiration and reality.

Ten years on, many of its themes remain as relevant as ever: our complex relationship with the land, the influence of institutional lineages, and the growing recognition of Māori perspectives in shaping urbanism. For Reset, these remain daily challenges and opportunities, such as how to design places that are culturally inclusive, environmentally responsive, and socially connected.

While Living in Paradox, value has been sparking debate and keeping alive the big questions of how we build, where we live, and who we design for. As Garth reflects, future practice demands informed, aspirational, and collaborative approaches that draw on history while facing forward with creativity and resourcefulness.

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