Tara Keenan

Background

About Tara Keenan

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the quiet power of design — its ability to shape not just the built environment, but the way we feel, move, and dwell within it. Architecture became a natural path for me: a discipline where creativity and precision meet, and where even the most fleeting atmosphere can be crafted with intent. I recently completed my Master of Architecture at the University of Auckland (2025), where my studies were driven by an ongoing fascination with Japanese architecture, particularly its sensitivity to space, material, and emotion. This curiosity began in my second year of undergraduate study and deepened through time spent in Japan, immersed in its architectural rhythm and spatial culture. My thesis, Spatial Poetics: Unveiling the Kenchiku, extended this exploration, combining rigorous research with creative design thinking to investigate how the phenomenological and sensory qualities of Japanese architecture can inform spatial experience and foster deeper connections to the natural environment. Drawing on the works of SANAA, Kengo Kuma, and Tadao Ando, I examined how architecture can dissolve boundaries between building and landscape—using light, materiality, and atmosphere to create spaces that unfold gently over time. The thesis culminated in a design Proposal for a ski resort at Lake Ōhau, a landscape personally significant to me, where architecture was envisioned as a poetic journey: one that emerges from the earth, moves with the wind, and dissolves into the passing of seasons. Across my academic journey, I’ve consistently received top-of-class results in design, supported by a background in mixed media that began in high school — where I was awarded for my work in art, design, and photography. These disciplines taught me how to observe closely and design with feeling. I bring strong design skills, deep curiosity, and a commitment to refining both process and detail. I have a strong work ethic, a reflective design sensibility, and a desire to learn from those around me. I’m particularly drawn to an architectural approach that creates a lasting impact on the built environment, treading lightly and contributing positively to the world around us.