Crystal Olin

Crystal Olin (previously Filep) is a research fellow specialising in urban design and placemaking at the University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand. Trained and practised in architecture and urban design, Dr Olin has more than fifteen years’ international experience spanning across practice, local government, research and university teaching. Between 2019 and 2021 she was Urban Design Manager at Wellington City Council, where she led and managed the team responsible for delivering the city’s urban design programme of works and key functions: design strategy, design review, and public space delivery. She also led Dunedin City Council’s Urban Design Team between 2016 and 2018. Crystal’s research explores ways in which empirical evidence and lived experiences can better shape conceptualisations of place that inform innovative theories and approaches to placemaking, place attachment and design of the built environment. Her practitioner and local government efforts have ranged from large-scale masterplanning to localised revitalisation efforts and artistic interventions, as well as commercial and residential design of buildings.

Crystal is Deputy Director of the Public Housing and Urban Regeneration: Maximising Wellbeing research programme.

Related Links

• Wellington City District Plan Design Guides review
• Wellington Central City Green Network Plan
• Swan Lane and Garrett Street upgrades
• Farmers Lane upgrades
• Dunedin’s adoption of the Global Street Design Guide
• ‘The Octagon Experience 2018’ (tactical urbanism)
• Dunedin Warehouse Precinct upgrades
• How urban design can transform lonely cities into social societies
• Designing housing for city’s big influx
• Best global thinking can shape our streets
• Jetty St opportunity hailed
• Embracing the urban