DR JAMES BERGHAN

Dr James Berghan

Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri

Co-Director | Principal Researcher

James is an urbanist, planner, and surveyor who thinks deeply about how people find their way home, and what gets in the way. His research spans papakāinga, collective housing, alternative tenure models, and Indigenous urbanism, and he is currently digging into the murky world of mis and disinformation in planning and design. Originally from Te Tai Tokerau, often described as the nation's birthplace where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed, James carries that history into everything he does. Outside of work he teaches group fitness classes at Les Mills, which tells you everything you need to know about his energy, and unwinds with a good puzzle. He is the kind of person who finds the pattern in the chaos, whether that is in urban systems or a 1000-piece jigsaw.

You can reach out to James at: james@spatialjustice.org.nz