From the spark of an idea on the page to the launch of new pieces in a showroom is a journey every aspiring industrial and furnishing designer imagines making.

From the spark of an idea on the page to the launch of new pieces in a showroom is a journey every aspiring industrial and furnishing designer imagines making. However, achieving the breakthrough leap from ambition to reality can be daunting, which is why Maxton Fox partners with Western Sydney University (WSU) to hold the Western Sydney Emerging Designer Award.

This bi-annual event gives design students at WSU an inside glimpse into the connection between form, function and facility. The competition creates an opportunity for students to respond to a brief that is shaped both by the end-user need and the manufacturing capabilities of the Maxton Fox Western Sydney facility.

“As an Australian Manufacturer based in Western Sydney, Maxton Fox take pride in their craft and aim to inspire the next generation of designers in the world of furniture design, joinery design and craftsmanship,” says Belinda Hall, Director of Maxton Fox.

In 2024, second year students from the WSU School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment were invited to design a modular furniture piece suitable for public communal areas within commercial spaces. They were given a tour of the Maxton Fox facility, to help them understand what was possible, and briefed on strict sustainability standards for their items.

There were three categories to choose from: ottoman seating series, storage system or table system, and every entry needed to speak to flexibility, adaptability and the commercial interior environment.

Entrants were required to submit a short bio of themselves, a pitch video explaining their design inspiration, detailed design drawings and a 3D 1:4 scale model of the design.

The shortlisted entries were then showcased and voted on at a live industry event during Saturday InDesign, giving the students a real-world experience of networking with design industry peers at all levels of the profession. Attendees digitally voted on their favourite designs.

The winning designers for 2024, Claire McNally and Adrian Marsano, collaborated to create ‘Centro’, a modular reception seating solution incorporating planters and biophilic curves.

Beyond the accolade, the win gave them an opportunity to participate in an interactive, intensive onsite internship at Maxton Fox in 2025. During their time with the company, they worked on new design briefs, created BOMs and investigated materiality. One of the projects they contributed to is a new chair, ‘Stumpy’, which will be launching in 2026.

“Maxton Fox’s internship was an incredible learning experience. I gained valuable skills of teamwork, craftsmanship and worked on a variety of meaning projects and felt truly supported throughout.  “It’s been a great step in my professional journey. I am so grateful for the opportunity Maxton Fox offered,” says Claire McNally.

“Thanks to winning the Emerging Designer Award 2024, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to intern with Maxton Fox. A brand that stands at the forefront of Australian design and innovation. It’s been inspiring to contribute and collaborate on projects that embody creativity and quality, from concept right through to completion”, Adrian Marsano.

WSU Academic Program Advisor, Industrial Design Programs and Lecturer, Industrial Design, Karen Yevenes says the award program is an important opportunity for student-designers to discover how to respond to a client brief by proposing creative and innovative solutions.

“Our industrial design program is focused on ensuring students achieve the necessary design and industry skillsets to enter the workforce upon graduating from Western Sydney University,” Yevenes says. 

“Our partnership with Maxton Fox is a unique opportunity for students to apply their problem-solving skills to a ‘live’ industry project. Learning about the many facets of a designer’s role begins with fundamental studio and workshop skills, however, our Work Integrated Learning curriculum furthermore provides important linkages with industry professionals, as exemplified in our ongoing association with Maxton Fox.”

The team at Maxton Fox and the academic team at WSU are now working on the topic and brief for the 2026 Western Sydney Emerging Designer Award.

Western Sydney Emerging Designer Award is a competition that could launch a career.