Last month Lizzi Whaley told me something that stuck with me.

WATCH INTERVIEW

“Failure isn’t failure. It’s just part of the job.”

After hearing her unpack it in our interview during Auckland Design Week, I feel it in my own journey too, everyday.

I asked her about her biggest failure running Spaceworks Interior Architecture.

Her answer? "I need pages and pages. But that’s how you learn. That’s how you evolve."

And evolve she has.

It's been awesome following the journey of Spaceworks over the years from retail to aged care, hospitality to commercial design

From layout to behaviour change

From design awards to real-world impact

Spaceworks’ kaupapa I'm learning, is about one thing:

Creating spaces that make people feel something.

That retain staff. That guide movement. That deliver on the client’s vision—down to the last detail.

Lizzi also shared her take on where design is heading

Yes—AI, AR, VR will disrupt.

But the one thing they’ll never replace is the human experience.

Loved this reflection. Because no algorithm understands people like a designer who’s failed, listened, and adapted.

And if you ask me—that’s the kind of designer who’ll lead the future.

Watch the full kōrero with Lizzi below.

And if you’re a designer or founder who’s navigated failure to get here—I’d love to hear your story too because we're launching a podcast called 'Misunderstood'

If you know someone who would make an incredible guest, drop their names in the comments below or message us on our website: criticaldesign.nz and I'll reach out!

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