ONTERA DESIGN DESIGN MEETS PRENEUR QUARTERLY FREEDOM FLEXIBILITY
PATRICIA URQUIOLA OFFERS SAGE ADVICE FOR EMERGING DESIGNERS
THE BUSINESS OF DESIGN PEOPLE PRODUCTS
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ISSUE 53
PAGE 81 / IN-DEPTH
PAGE 65 / INFLUENCERS
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EDITORIAL
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editor Sophia Watson
INSIDE WORD
onsider the following scenario: You purchase a product, lets say an eames chair. You’ve paid in full, you have it in your house, for all legal purposes you are the owner of that chair. However, the eames has a strong image outside of your ownership, and even though you technically bought the chair, it still exists as an identity outside of your possession. The same can be said for the dynamic of acquisitions – take the recent mergers between brands including: Frost* and The Nest, Vitra and Artek and Café Culture + Insitu. Here, the fusion of businesses means that two distinct brands in their own right must now strike the balance to either form a new conjunctive image, or develop a system whereby both brands maintain their separate identity. I’ll give you a hint... there is no one right answer. What works for one may not work for another, and here, we explore the potential outcomes of brand identity during an acquisition or merger as with above cases, pg 18. Its that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about Easter, it’s the DQ Top Ten Forces + Faces 2014! In this section, we look at who is shaping the Australian design and architecture industry this year, and consider what it is that makes them so note-worthy. While architects and product designers have certainly made the cut, this year we have broadened the spectrum to include not just the usual suspects, but the likes of fashion, landscape and art practitioners who demonstrate their value as both business leaders and creative juggernauts in design. In this year’s Top Ten, DQ explores the new ventures, inventions, initiatives and activities of the Top Ten Forces + Faces to watch in 2014, and reflects on where these entrepreneurial visionaries will take the future of Australian design. Find out who made the cut, pg 71. In issue #53, we go IN-DEPTH about education. How does this apply to the design industry you might ask? Well, in an immediate and obvious sense, the education of designers has long been thought to need an overhaul of structure and focus, not to mention the growing need for companies to self-educate internally and update according to changes in the industry. We might also consider the process and structure of how architects and designers educate their clients on any number of factors from the reason behind a particular specification to communicating the value of their services as a whole. Whatever the angle, education has great implications with the Australian design sector, and in the coming pages we engage in a bit of friendly banter and debate around exactly what those implications have been, are, and will be. Join the conversation, pg 81. Here at DQ we like to engage in some rigorous intellectual debate, but we also like to let our hair down and have some fun! From the hottest parties in design from Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore and Hong Kong visit this issue’s INTERACT, pg 97.
DQ EDITOR Sophia Watson, dq@indesign.com.au
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Paul McGillick, editor@indesign.com.au
CEO / PUBLISHER Raj Nandan, raj@indesign.com.au
SENIOR DESIGNER Frances Yeoland, frances@indesign.com.au
ONLINE EDITOR Lorenzo Logi, lorenzo@indesign.com.au
PA TO PUBLISHER/SUBSCRIPTIONS Elizabeth Davy-Hou, liz@indesign.com.au
DESIGNER Alex Buccheri, alex@indesign.com.au
OPERATIONS MANAGER Adele Troeger, adele@indesign.com.au
JUNIOR DESIGNER / AD TRAFFIC Kelsie Barley , kelsie@indesign.com.au
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alicia Sciberras, Alice Blackwood, Ben Morgan, Byron George, Elana Castle, Jen Bishop, Kerry Awerbuch, Leanne Amodeo, Lorenzo Logi, Nicky Lobo, Philippa Daly, Stephen Crafti, Tania Splawa-Neyman, Yen Dao
PRODUCTION MANAGER Sophie Mead, sophie@indesign.com.au
EDITORIAL INTERNS Thomas Tran, Yen Dao
JUNIOR DESIGNER Rollo Hardy, rollo@indesign.com.au
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Kavita Lala, kavita@indesign.com.au ACCOUNTS Gabrielle Regan, gabrielle@indesign.com.au Vivia Felice, vivia@indesign.com.au
EVENTS AND MARKETING Tegan Richardson, tegan@indesign.com.au Angie Boustred, angie@indesign.com.au ONLINE Radu Enache, radu@indesign.com.au Ramith Verdheneni, ramith@indesign.com.au Ryan Sumners, ryan@indesign.com.au Jesse Cai, jesse@indesign.com.au ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES / ONLINE ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Marie Jakubowicz (61 2) 9368 0150 | (61) 431 226 077 marie@indesign.com.au
AD FabPod Nick Williams and John Cherrey, Imagination Partners
Photo: Nicole England
The FabPod was designed by a team of researchers from The Spatial Information Architecture Laboratory (SIAL) and School of Architecture and Design, with support from the Design Research Institute (DRI) at RMIT University and the Australian Research Council (ARC). Thermoformed EchoPanel 442 See how we can help spark your imagination at
wovenimage.com
photography Kelsie Barley
BEHIND THE SCENES On the cover
‘DESIGN FREEDOM’ Custom Carpet Tile by Ontera, featuring E15 and Established&Sons product from Living Edge PRODUCT USED Custom designed carpet tile, made to order by Ontera (ontera.com.au); T1 Torch Lights, designed by Sylvain Willenz for Established&Sons; CH04 Houdini Side Chair - Oak, designed by Stefan Diez for E15. Available at Living Edge (livingedge.com.au) CREATIVE CONCEPT & CUSTOM CARPET DESIGN Frances Yeoland PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Robinson, timrobinsonphotography.com
CARPET IN MOTION Learn more on the making of this carpet online @ indesignlive.com.au/dq/53/ontera
Design Quarterly (DQ) is a wholly owned Australian publication, which is designed and published quarterly in Australia. DQ is available through subscription, at major newsagencies and bookshops nationally. Subscriptions – never miss an issue by subscribing online at indesignlive.com, faxing us at (61 2) 9368 0289, or emailing subscriptions@indesign.com.au. Design Quarterly is a quarterly publication fed by who is doing what in the design industry, championing the personality behind design. It aims to promote and create the next generation of design as well as supporting those designers who are more established. The editor accepts submissions from writers/photographers/illustrators for editorial consideration. We encourage those working in the design industry to submit news and announcements, so we can keep readers abreast of your new developments. Editorial submissions should be made out to the editor dq@indesign.com.au. Any digital images should be supplied by email, downloadable link, or on CD at 300dpi, minimum 20cm wide. Please also supply full contact details and captions with images. Contributions are submitted at the sender’s risk, and DQ cannot accept any loss or damage. Please retain duplicates of text and images. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise. The publishers assume no responsibility for errors or omissions or any consequences of reliance on this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, the publisher or the publication. Magazine Stock Our printer is Environmental Management System ISO14001:2004 accredited. Printing inks are vegetable based. Paper is environmentally friendly ECF (elemental chlorine free) and recyclable. Printed in Singapore. Published under licence by Indesign Publishing Pty Ltd ABN 96 101 789 262 HEAD OFFICE, SYDNEY Level 1, 50 Marshall Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 | (61 2) 9368 0150, (61 2) 9368 0289 (fax) | info@indesign.com.au | indesignlive.com MELBOURNE Suite 11, Level 1, 95 Victoria Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065 SINGAPORE 4 Leng Kee Road, #06-08 SIS Building, SINGAPORE 159088 | (+65) 6475 5228, (+65) 6475 5238 (fax) HONG KONG Unit 12, 21st Floor, Wayson Commercial Building, 28 Connaught Road West, Sheung Wan, HONG KONG | indesignlive.hk
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CONTENTS
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INDUSTRY
INFLUENCERS
ON THE MOVE 5 MINS WITH...JONATHAN INGRAM DEBRIEF – CROWD FUNDING OPINION – BYRON GEORGE A PERFECT 10 – INSTYLE
PATRICIA URQUIOLA ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN TOMEK ARCHER NOMI
Digital Business 24.
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TOP TEN FORCES + FACES 2014 TRÉOLOGY DESSEIN FURNITURE KHIM HANG PATRICK MORRIS SIBLING NATION ROUSE PHILLIPS MALAYA BLONDE PEPO ARCHRIVAL ANTHONY GILL
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HEAVY METAL PRODUCTS ALL THINGS TIMBER DELSA FORME ZIP INDUSTRIES SCAVOLINI KITCHENS
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INTERACT
THE DESIGN FILES: OPEN HOUSE MELBOURNE; RESOLVED SPACE 20 YEARS WEYLANDTS TAIT 21ST BIRTHDAY WILKHAHN INLITE STEELCASE JAMES RICHARDSON BRISBANE DESIGN DIARY
The Design Files: Open House Melbourne 98.
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IN-DEPTH
EDUCATION HOW DOES EDUCATION, IN ITS MANY FORMS, IMPACT ON THE BUSINESS OF DESIGN?
Experience in real time
Interior design by
It’s only natural.
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THE POWER OF PLURALITY words Alice Blackwood
How can a business maintain its identity after a merger or aquisition?
Clockwise from top left / Aragosta Gruppo Chairs, Designed by Emilio Nanni, from Cafe Culture + Insitu
INDUSTRY
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he past three years has seen the Australian design community experience its fair share of company collapses and cutbacks – a painful and often sad reminder of just how tenuous prosperity can be within our local industry. However where many businesses have failed to survive the growing pains, some have used a strategic ‘joining of forces’ to aid expansion and growth. Consider three recent mergers – the founding of The Frost* Group; following creative agency Frost*’s acquisition of digital agency The Nest; the acquisition of furniture supplier Insitu Furniture by Café Culture (now Café Culture + Insitu); and the acquisition of Finnish brand Artek by the Italian design house Vitra (Vitra hearts Artek). The circumstances around each merger remains distinct, however when considered collectively, their collaborative approach to strategic growth becomes apparent. It’s a ‘coming together’ of sorts, harnessing each companies’ strengths (whether that be operational, human resource-driven, financial or other) to better position their brand/s in their respective markets. In the case of The Frost* Group, the acquisition of The Nest by Frost* has enabled an open exchange of expertise between the two companies, benefiting both their teams as well as their respective clients. Vince Frost, CEO of Frost*, has, in the past, looked to grow his company’s digital services arm
product offering or services expertise. It’s a strength building exercise that sees the best of both brands come together. The ambitious acquisition of Insitu Furniture by Café Culture – now Café Culture + Insitu – was built around a series of synergies between the two entities. Both represent a similar niche within Australia’s furniture supply market. “Our clients tended to use both companies, side-byside,” says Café Culture + Insitu Director, Marnie HammondDonnelly. “However while Insitu has been strong in the Melbourne market, Café Culture had built its strength in Sydney.” Grafting the companies’ internal structures has probably been the most challenging aspect for Café Culture + Insitu. “We’d already identified the need to move Café Culture to a new company structure,” says Hammond-Donnelly of Café Culture’s imminent growth beyond the boundaries of small business. Merging the two companies’ structures demanded that personnel roles be streamlined, while both companies’ respective strengths in areas of finances and operations were carefully fused together. Marketing, HammondDonnelly notes, is an area which demands the most development, particularly with the increase in design brands and products. At a global level, the acquisition of Artek by Vitra shows a particularly clever ‘coming together’ of brand cultures that improves commercial prospects while maintaining brand autonomy. Both European companies were founded in the early-to-mid 1900s and, by virtue of their enduring years and highly developed ethos, each represents a “way of thinking” rather than a
organically from within. However, the opportunity to literally ‘bring in’ the digital experts arose with the acquisition of The Nest and its 10-person team. But rather than merge The Nest into Frost*’s current business structure, Frost decided to ‘remodel’ his existing model to accommodate The Nest brand as a whole. “The Nest already had its own clients, and new clients regularly approach them. We didn’t want to lose that brand equity, which is why I decided to found The Frost* Group,” he says. “I wanted
to ensure The Nest kept its culture and team focus [and] maintain that within the business, rather than growing for the sake of it.”
As a CEO, Frost speaks of the importance of surrounding oneself with experts. The founding of The Frost* Group as an umbrella of design, digital and “ideas” specialists who “share the same objectives and work smartly on creating successful outcomes,” achieves this well. “I love being surrounded by experts and seeing them working together in a transparent and collaborative way,” Frost says. “To achieve this doesn’t mean we have to become this big machine. We’re focused on small, flexible teams.” Brand equity aside, these mergers have also allowed the acquiring company to adopt its partner’s best attributes – whether that be administrative or operational, human resourcing,
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simple design aesthetic. The strategic alliance helps achieve Artek’s goal of revitalising its brand, and further extending its offering into consumer and contract markets as well as online. “We understood the brand was dusty but had great potential,” says Artek CEO Mirkku Kullberg. “We needed to work on new collections and distribution, extend our portfolio and have the power to control the way we looked and communicated.” While Artek remains a separate entity to Vitra – “Vitra made it very clear to us that they want to keep Artek as a separate brand, a separate company,” notes Kullberg – synergies are explored through shared collaborations. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Vitra’s extensive production, distribution and logistics facilities allow for consolidation and growth. “Vitra has enriched Artek and vice versa,” says Kullberg of the mutually beneficial business move. It’s a statement that rings true, across all three mergers.
THE FROST* GROUP FROSTDESIGN.COM.AU (61 2) 9280 4233
CAFÉ CULTURE + INSITU CAFECULTUREINSITU.COM.AU (61 2) 9699 8577
ARTEK ARTEK.FI ANIBOU.COM.AU (61 2) 9319 0655
DIGITALDIAGNOSIS What is your company’s website really saying about your business?
words Sophia Watson
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ebsites, like people, have personalities. And what those websites say about your business is quite telling to the consumer. Too much information, versus too little. Well-designed layouts with no brand substance versus poorly-designed spaces with valuable content. Take the below quiz and find out what your company’s website is really saying about your business.
1. Most clients would describe the aesthetic of your website as: a. Sleek, simple and closely aligned with our visual branding b. A lot of valuable brand information, but I guess the layout doesn’t necessarily match the overall business image c. Generic website template, but it gets the job done
2. Most clients would describe the functionality and content of your website as:
a. Easy to navigate, but the content could be a bit more tailored and in-depth b. A strong and substantial offering of relevant content, but information can be difficult to locate and not succinct enough for the user c. Limited content that hasn’t been updated in some time
3. When designing your website, your primary focus was:
a. The overall appearance to convey the visual language of your brand b. Filling the site with detailed business and brand content. Style and layout was an after-thought c. Having a basic setup for online contact information and a company bio
4. How would you describe your target audience?:
a. Technology savvy creatives and industry insiders b. Conservative sector, largely commercial and private institutions c. Anyone. We don’t really have a target audience
5. The current focus and digital strategy of your website is:
This page / “You faked it all the way” Illustration by Alex Buccheri
a. Establishing a strong visual brand identity between your online space and physical location/s b. Continuously educating and updating the consumer on new product/s or current projects and related content, etc. c. Having our contact information online so people can Google us
INDUSTRY
Building loyalty online
MOSTLY ‘A’S’: THE LOOK + FEEL DEAL Aesthetics have proved to be a key asset in business – particularly in this industry. In a world where consumers have increasingly microscopic attention spans, an instantly eye-catching website can often be what seals the deal. However, people ultimately come to your site for content. Although the first impression of design and layout may attract attention, content will determine whether visitors return or not. Many companies make the mistake of having a well-designed website and thinking that their search engine rankings or name-recognition will keep traffic flowing and visitors engaged. And while these factors are critical elements, the demand for excellent content should not be put on the backburner.
words Jen Bishop theinteriorsaddict.com facebook.com/interiorsaddict pinterest.com/interiorsaddict Twitter @interiorsaddict
MOSTLY ‘B’S’: CONTENT CRAZED Content is a huge part of digital success, but if that content isn’t tempered with a well-designed, on-brand layout, then no one will stick around long enough for the content to have an impact. Usercentric design should be integral in your digital strategy. Overloading users with mountains of content they are unable to navigate through or even locate to begin with, gives the impression that your business is cluttered, messy and unorganised. The first impression a potential customer will have about your business is based on your salesperson. Let’s say that you had one salesperson. He was poorly-dressed and unkempt. He made babies cry. (Okay, so maybe not that bad, but you get the point) Would you send out this person to visit potential customers? Chances are you wouldn’t, and this same principle applies for your brand’s digital presence. Don’t forget the value of image.
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s an online-only business, it perhaps puts you in a harder position than a bricks and mortar store when it comes to building relationships and trust with customers and suppliers. According to Lexi Mills, CEO of TheHome – a leading Australian members-only homewares retailer – it certainly can be done! She explains the most common challenges: “For some suppliers, working with online businesses is a relatively new concept. They don’t know how to sell online (how you present products attractively, how you price, how you fulfil orders) and it is a daunting prospect at first. For example, they may also not be ready for the large quantities they will sell, or have images of their products suitable for an online medium. We take suppliers through this process, from picking ranges suitable to sell online, shooting images of their products, placing a regular order like a bricks and mortar shop would and then picking and packing the orders for the end-user ourselves.” Their buying team works hard to bring members the best products at the best prices, but that on its own is no longer enough. “Keeping members engaged with interesting and beautiful content is really important to build and uphold our relationship with them, and also to ensure they trust we are experts in the field.” As suppliers realise how much they can sell online, in many cases their reluctance has been disappearing. “They are realising the potential – it allows their products to reach a much larger geographical spread of customers via one point-of-sale,
MOSTLY ‘C’S’: NET NEGLECT Like it or not, your website speaks on your behalf, creating impressions and either attracting or turning away potential business. A cheap-looking, nonfunctional website gives the impression that the business does not care to invest in the things that matter. A website that is not user-friendly may tell your visitors you lack caring and basic customer service. A blog that has not been updated may speak of neglect. Regardless of your product or service, it is vital to consistently evaluate the message you are sending across the digital sphere. Creating a userfriendly, professional, and meaningful site may take some time and money, but the alternative may prove even more costly.
TOP THREE DIGITAL PERSONALITIES 1. Aesop aesop.com/au 2. Hansel ilovehansel.com 3. Sydney Living Museums sydneylivingmuseums.com.au
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and they only have to deliver the stock to one warehouse rather than to hundreds of little shops around the country, helping to cut distribution costs,” says Mills. Gaining loyal customers is no easy task when the internet levels the playing field and gives the consumer more choice then ever before. “We want our customers to trust our choice of products and prices to the extent that they no longer need to compare with other shops,” says Mills. “It is the talent of our team that is behind this – experienced industry buyers, stylists and business leaders. Although we are online, we do have a whole team of people behind the scenes working extremely hard to give our members what they want. You might not see them in a shop, but they are there!” People need to be able to trust an online brand in order to take the jump to becoming a customer and, hopefully, a returning one. “An important part of this is having a human side to the online business in the form of customer service so they can ask questions and turn to us for support if anything happens to their order. We focus heavily on this,” Mills adds. “This isn’t an easy task, but it is a must for online businesses that want to succeed.”
THEHOME THEHOME.COM.AU
STRATEGY
INDUSTRY
You are what you get paid, so how do you prove your design skills are worth the money you’re asking for? Director of CoLAB Design Studio, Anna Drummond, believes communication and clear structure is the key.
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Clockwise from top left/ “Pitch Strategy” Illustration by Frances Yeoland
ne of the age-old questions for any sole trader or self-employed designer is this: What is my time worth, and how can I prove the real value of my design expertise to my client? Because if there’s one thing that is certain: no pay – means no livelihood. “One of the hardest lessons learnt is not getting paid,” says Anna Drummond, who is codirector of CoLAB Design Studio, alongside business partner Trish Turner. “In the early stages of a business you can’t be picky about the clients you work with – but we quickly learnt how to discern the type of client we didn’t want to do business with.” Drummond, who made the shift some years ago from a large architecture firm into her own multi-disciplinary design business, discovered early on that if a client doesn’t value your skills and knowledge, they’re not going to take your quoting and invoicing very seriously. Two misconceptions that Drummond comes up against on a regular basis: “One: That the job is ‘fun’, therefore it’s not really worth paying for – it’s almost like they’re indulging your need to be creative.” Two: that in this day and age of advanced technology, computers do the drawing for you, magically producing complex handiwork at the click of a mouse. “The challenge with selling a design service is that the client very rarely understands what they are signing up to,” says Drummond. And it is only through properly dispelling those myths, that you can successfully run a sustainable and prospering business. It takes time – sometimes years – to properly establish the value of your time and expertise. And it’s often achieved through trial and
error (for example, over quoting on a project, or being undercut by competitors on a pitch). But if you develop your pitch strategy and adopt a highly-communicative approach, then justifying your dollar value and getting paid on time may just end up being the very least of your worries. Anna says: “Designers can be bad at communicating, and not particularly empathetic to their clients. When you think about it, the design process is a really alien concept. Architects and developers aside, your average client has no idea of how you arrive at a design.” “The notion that it’s ‘a process’ is really important, and we try to communicate that from day one – that what they are embarking on is a journey. There are clear stages – concept, design development, documentation, delivery, and that’s how it works every time. You can never be sure of how much or how little people know. I always present a full set of examples – what a schematic design presentation looks like, what a documentation package looks like... right through to the finished product.” It is also important to invest in promoting yourself, to prove to the client that they are paying for a top quality product. “Investing in great project photography,” says Drummond, “allows us to justify what we’re charging by communicating the quality of the work we are doing.” When you’re starting out, the biggest struggle with ascertaining your ‘real dollar value’ is the lack of reference point. Comparing your rates against that of a large company is like comparing apples and oranges. The resourcing, overheads and business dynamic are completely different.
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words Alice Blackwood
“Working for a large company, we learnt how to structure a fee proposal as a high-level document which did little to demystify the design process. When clients engage a big firm, they’ve already bought into the reputation of that brand; little justification is needed. When establishing our own small business, we found the need to justify our fees and found clients appreciate a detailed breakdown of the design process and deliverables associated with each stage. One thing that astounds me is that there’s no single resource for understanding the design process within a project. Through university I was never taught that there was a cohesive start-tofinish process – it all seemed so random, projects were just about concept and documentation. As a business owner, I’ve found there’s no clear way to educate clients unless you take the time to develop a scope of services, or a design map that ‘maps out’ the design process visually. You can’t function unless you have a cohesive structure. You need it to close off the project – as much as commence it. If the project’s various phases (and its corresponding payment structure) could become blurred, design could go on forever, and you wouldn’t have anything to protect yourself if the scope of services extended beyond the original brief presented.”
COLAB DESIGN STUDIO COLABDESIGNSTUDIO.COM.AU (61 3) 9533 2210
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T H E 01 RENATA PENDANT LIGHTS Design & Brand / Weplight Supplier / Halo Lighting halolighting.com.au (61 8) 9221 5544
04 VERGE TABLE WITH MING DINING CHAIR
07 DUO TABLE LAMP Design & Brand / Georgina Lewis Supplier / Olio Objects olioobjects.com (44) 7807 812 441
Design, Brand & Supplier / Camerich camerich.com.au (61 2) 9699 1088
02 CUSTOM STAIRS – VARIOUS
05 SHELL CUPBOARD
Design, Brand & Supplier / mafi mafi.com.au 02 9698 7877
Design & Brand / Roethlisberger Supplier / Anibou anibou.com.au (61 2) 9319 0655
03 BALANCING BOXES
06 BOLT CHAIR
Designer / FRONT Brand / Porro Supplier / Space Furniture spacefurniture.com.au (61 2) 9640 5600
Design / Note Design Studio Brand / La Chance Supplier / Living Edge livingedge.com.au (61 2) 9640 5600
08 HIROSHIMA SIDE BOARD Design / Naoto Fukasawa Brand / Maruni Supplier / SeehoSu seehosu.com.au (61 2) 8065 1208 09 KIRKOS 5 STAR SWIVEL BASE WITH CASTORS Design / Wolfgang C.R. Mezgar Brand / Allermuir Supplier / Zenith Interiors zenithinteriors.com.au (61 2) 9125 6700 57
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10 EVENEER ALPIKORD CONCEPT APUANE GROOVE Design, Brand & Supplier / Elton Group eltongroup.com/ 1300 133 481 11 TAILORED TABLE 45 Design & Brand / Ross Gardam Supplier / Stylecraft stylecraft.com.au (61 3) 9666 4300 12 CEILING PANEL PROFILE 4012 IN WESTERN RED CEDAR WITH A CLEAR LOW VOC FINISH Design, Brand & Supplier / Screenwood screenwood.com.au (02) 9521 7200
interview Philippa Daly
Clockwise from top left / Comeback Chair, Designed by Patricia Urquiola for Kartell; Patricia Urquiola, Photo: Alessandro Paderni
INFLUENCERS
PATRICIA URQUIOLA Legendary Spanish architect and designer Patricia Urquiola canvases the greatest lessons in her career, and shares some words of wisdom for emerging designers.
What are the most important lessons you learned about design in your years, both as a practice and as a business? About business? Nothing! For me it’s a practice, and business comes after. It’s a profession that is only for people who are experimental and who enjoy the process more than the result. For example I began an architectural project for a hotel, and I needed three years to complete the project. Three years! And the process of product design can even take longer. It means that you will be working through a long process many times – not always – but mostly. So if you don’t enjoy the process itself; of going back and forth with the client, different stages of prototyping, playing with new techniques; then perhaps design isn’t for you. Every move you make throughout the process of design impacts on the outcome of the project. Every ‘no’ and ‘yes’ will take the project in a certain direction, and as a designer you are leading that direction. Even with a strong dialogue between you and the companies you are working with, you as the designer have the vital role in the evolution of ideas and directions. Often the idea you begin with is very different from what you get, and the process is a huge part of that outcome. It is important to have a clear intention of why you are designing what you are designing, but you also need to embrace the process and be open to the evolution of ideas. In fine art, the process is freer and more explorative, where intention doesn’t play such a big role. With design, we need to be more refined in our approach, as our outcomes will often have a practical function. It is the fusion of intention, experimentation and evolution – that is key to success in design. What I like about design is that the rules are always changing. New projects are coming up more and more that require new techniques, new technologies such as 3D-printing, digital machines
and so on, and as long as you have a key knowledge about process, materials, functionality and so on, you can use any method of completion, perhaps easier than you could have before, which opens up a new set of opportunities in itself. For example if you work a lot with moulds, you can experiment with 3D-printing, making the moulds obsolete and changing the process of making entirely. As a design lecturer at university level and a practicing designer, what advice would you give to yourself as an emerging designer? I would have told myself to get out of my comfort zone as much as I possibly could at every opportunity. That’s the only way. I would say to surround yourself with things that inspire you, and connect with that world. When your young you have less baggage, and are able to learn and absorb far more than you can when you’ve been around the block a few times. You really need to understand how to move your inner compass and take advantage of any opportunity that presents itself. It’s more important to have a compass than to know the way. I was never a person who had grand goals, I always just followed after what interested and inspired me, and things just fell into place. Curiosity is one of the most important traits a young designer can have. You need to travel, to move, to listen to music, to immerse yourself in as much foreign culture as you can manage, but most importantly you need to open yourself up to any and all experiences, good and bad alike.
SPACE SPACEFURNITURE.COM.AU (61 2) 8339 7588
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IN-DEPTH words Sophia Watson
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ducation has been a somewhat hot topic of late. In a more literal sense, political and social debates surrounding formal education structures including the Gonski review, traditional verses experimental formats of learning, and even the content matter itself has been subject to rigorous controversy. How does this apply to the design industry you might ask? Well, in an immediate and obvious sense, the education of designers has long been thought to need an overhaul of structure and focus, not to mention the growing need for companies to self-educate internally and update according to changes in the industry. We might also consider the process and structure of how architects and designers educate their clients on any number of factors from the reason behind a particular specification to communicating the value of their services as a whole. Whatever the angle, education has great implications with the Australian design industry, and in the coming pages we engage in a bit of friendly banter and debate around exactly what those implications have been, are, and will be.
INTERACT
SOLVE + RESOLVE
Clockwise from top left / Stitch Medley Chair, Designed by Adam Goodrum for Cappellini; Coco Pendant Light (small), Designed by Kate Stokes for Coco Flip, Photo: Chris Polack
words Object Gallery & Workshopped
Resolved: Journeys in Australian Design - an exciting new touring exhibition from April 2014 – 2016 from Workshopped and Object: Australian Design Centre.
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Featured Designers Adam Cornish, Adam Goodrum, Alex Gilmour, Ben McCarthy, Bic Tieu, Chris Hardy, Fukutoshi, Gary Galego, Kate Stokes, Marc Harrison, Matt Conway and Zoë MacDonell.
n April this year, Resolved: Journey’s in Australian Design will launch as an exhibition that responds to the growing interest of contemporary design by audiences in regional venues across the country. Object, in partnership with Western Plains Cultural Centre (WPPC) and Workshopped, will develop a layered program that will include the work and stories of 12 Australian designers; demonstrating the challenges, failures, problem solving and ultimately the resolution of the final design. Audiences will see that there are many ways to define design ‘success’ through creative collaborations, sustainable design, contemporary objects with traditional cultural expressions, experimental use of material and manufacture, or innovative application of a number of emerging technologies. The exhibition itself is a selection of the most compelling works from the highly acclaimed Workshopped exhibitions held in Sydney over recent years. An important force in the Australian design community for over a decade, Workshopped has discovered, nurtured and launched the careers of some of our most exciting and talented local designers. Resolved will be multi-layered, consisting of a dynamic exhibition, rich digital content, accessible education and public programs, and an ambitious audience engagement strategy. The digital content, housed both online and
incorporated into the exhibition itself, aims to expand their understanding and knowledge of design through an experience of the ‘designer’s world’. Resolved is confirmed to tour to nine venues (including the launch at Object in Sydney) over two years. Primarily regional, the venues are located in New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia. See below interview with Raymond Scott of Workshopped: Who is partnered with the event and why? It’s partnered with Object and the Western Plains Gallery in Dubbo, they loved the story and background to Workshopped and thought it was a great way to feature individual designer stories. They then developed the exhibition to a point where it was ready for grant applications. What is the value of the tour? The tour is about education, it has a very strong participatory element with workshops and talks. It’s the first tour that will include an animatuer, who will work with the galleries to create more audience engagement.
WORKSHOPPED WORKSHOPPED.COM.AU (61 2) 9146 4353
OBJECT OBJECT.COM.AU (61 2) 9361 4511