Ka Wai co-founded Kaunitz Yeung Architecture with her husband, David Kaunitz, driven by a shared passion for creating socially responsible, culturally sensitive, and humane architecture. She is deeply committed to bridging gaps in society and fostering the continuation of heritage and culture through the built environment. Her work spans health and aged care facilities, cultural and art centres, schools, and housing, all with a focus on uplifting communities and reinforcing their sense of identity.
In 2021, she was humbled to be a joint recipient, alongside David, of the Vassilis Sgoutas Prize from the International Union of Architects (UIA) in recognition of their contributions to improving the living conditions of underprivileged communities. Under their leadership, Kaunitz Yeung Architecture has received numerous accolades both in Australia and internationally, including the European Healthcare Design Awards, the World Community Architecture Award, and the inaugural ArchitectureAU Award for Social Impact.
Why do you think that communities that are deeply rooted in their cultural traditions and practices thrive better than those that aren’t?
Through my work with First Nations communities in Australia and across the Asia-Pacific, I’ve seen firsthand how deeply rooted cultural traditions create stronger, more connected, and more resilient communities. When people are connected to their heritage, they aren’t just preserving the past, they’re nurturing their wellbeing, strengthening their sense of self, and reinforcing their identity in a way that helps them navigate the world with pride and purpose.
Having worked in the Solomon Islands post-2007 earthquake, I’ve seen the most resilient and meaningful outcomes emerge from an entire community actively engaged in the post-disaster recovery process. In communities deeply connected to their traditions, rebuilding becomes a collective, supportive effort. The Soloman’s cultural foundations gave them the ability to adapt because they saw their environment as a living, breathing part of who they are. It supercharged the foundation for our architectural practice, and efficiency of the island’s reconstruction, building with humans for humans. At the heart of it, cultural traditions give people a sense of stability. And when communities have that foundation, they are stronger together.
In Australia, the idea of connecting to Country is central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Country is the lands, waterways and seas, and includes law, place, custom, language, spiritual belief, cultural practice, material sustenance, family and identity. It teaches, heals, and provides a sense of responsibility that extends across generations. This deep relationship with land and culture provides a stronger sense of self and purpose.
We’re currently collaborating with the Barkandji community to construct the Baaka Cultural Centre in Wilcannia, NSW. For Australia’s Indigenous peoples, there’s also a deep sense of meaning in passing down stories, explaining kinship ties and how to care for the land, ensuring that younger generations inherit both the physical places and the wisdom that define who they are. This centre will serve as a living space for cultural storytelling and intergenerational learning. We are so pleased with the way the design reflects their stories, values, and deep connection to Country to preserve cultural heritage but also harness the community’s power of belonging. We hope to see this project become a shared place of identity, healing, and strength.
You and your husband, David, embrace a ‘community-centric’ approach to your projects which is quite different from other architects, what was the main driver behind adopting this approach?
At Kaunitz Yeung Architecture, our approach is guided by 5 core principles:
1. Listening First
2. Co-Design, not consultation
3. Country as Client
4. Culturally safety and legacy
5. Global relevance, local knowledge.
We believe that architecture is not about imposing our vision, but about facilitating the aspirations of the people who will live, work, and gather in the spaces we create.
Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Rather than designing in isolation, we embed ourselves within the communities we work with, listening deeply and understanding their needs from their perspective.
We believe architecture is not just about buildings. It’s about people and the wider environment. A structure is only successful if it supports cultural continuity and empowers those who use it.
We think the process is just as important as the outcome. By involving the community, especially younger generations, the inhabitants develop a sense of belonging and custodianship, ensuring that the project is not just physically sustainable but also socially and culturally enduring. Architecture can be a catalyst for connection, when a community plays an integral role in shaping their built environment, so that the resulting spaces not only reflect their identity but also become a source of pride and collective memory.
Have you observed any significant shifts in the way communities utilise spaces in today’s world?
While our spaces evolve, our fundamental needs remain the same, connection, comfort, and belonging. But now, more than ever, we yearn for what’s been lost; wellbeing, nature, and a deeper sense of place.
In our work with Indigenous communities, we design spaces that restore traditions and strengthen social bonds. For First Nations Elders in aged care, it’s about preserving culture as much as it is about function. We’ve created spaces for Sorry Business, where families can grieve, reflect, and honour loved ones as they bid their last farewell. As sad as the grieving process is, these welcoming places keep elders connected to their communities, instead of isolation, even in old age.
Amid an increasingly homogenous world, there’s a calling for the power of architecture to reconnect us to what truly matters, and celebrate our people, traditions, culture, and the land we call home.
What was your experience like growing up in Hong Kong and then migrating with your family to New Zealand and then Australia?
Growing up between cultures at a young age taught me the deep meaning of belonging and the pain of not belonging. When I first arrived in New Zealand, I struggled to express myself, lost in a language I didn’t understand. It made me far more attuned to non-verbal communication – reading emotions, and sensing unspoken words. Skills that now shape my work with diverse communities.
It also made me reflect, when cultures collide, do we assimilate or integrate? How much of our heritage do we hold onto? I realised that culture isn’t just about heritage, it’s about the choices we make every day to stay connected to our roots. Holding onto identity isn’t about resisting change, but about intentionally creating a balance between where you come from and where you are now.
This perspective influences my approach to design. When working with communities, we focus on how spaces can nurture identity and cultural expression. At the end of the day, feeling at home isn’t just about having a roof over your head, it’s about having a place where you truly feel you belong.
What are some practices that you do at home to maintain a connection to your cultural roots?
Language is a big one. Even though my husband doesn’t speak Cantonese, I try to speak to our kids in my mother tongue as much as possible. I also teach them how to read and write Chinese, because I believe that language carries not just words, but the culture and thinking behind them.
We also make a point of celebrating important festivals like Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year, but in a way that feels personal to us. I love the idea of creating our own hybrid traditions. Growing up, during Mid-Autumn Festival, we would “boil” red candles—dripping water onto the flames to make them flare up. Of course, that’s a bit of a fire hazard! So instead, we’ve started a new tradition with our kids where we toast marshmallows over the candlelight and share stories under the lanterns and glowsticks. It’s a little different, but it carries the same spirit of warmth, celebration, and togetherness.
I love creating our own versions of traditions at home, we actively make them meaningful for the next generation, ensuring that our connection to our roots isn’t just preserved, but lived and experienced in new ways.
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