5 Mins With… Mark Elliott
Published
Design Director at PointofView, Mark Elliott gives us five enlightening minutes of his time
Your top 3 influences.
My Daughter, she’s not hindered by expectation
Lighting in animation, it’s not hindered by practicality
Sculpture, is not hindered by conformity
The moment you knew you wanted to be a designer.
When I saw a documentary about an underground house with skylights and a grass roof
Favourite local landmark/building.
Obvious, but the Opera House, in another city it would be harder to choose but in Sydney the Opera House stands on its own with that star quality
Favourite material.
Plexi Glass Satin Ice, carries light amazingly.
Favourite international landmark/building.
Sagrada Famiglia in Barcelona its just unbelievable, there is no way that would be designed in this day and age, the build ability is not practical now, what’s even more amazing is that they are actually still building it to the original plans.
Biggest career moment.
Moving to Australia from London in 2004, stepping away from the global design market and the comfort of home to a country I had never visited.
Dream project to work on (real or imaginary).
Jean Nouvel’s The Louvre in Abu Dhabi, the concept of the perforated domed canopy with the dappled natural light would lead such amazing inspiration for artificial lighting
Dream person to collaborate with.
I’ve worked with many, but not Frank Ghery, integrating light within his design would be a great challenge
Favourite decade of design.
The 1950’s: simply but curvy
Favourite chair.
Hans Wagner Kennedy Chair, or any chair by Hans Wagner.
#1 concern for the design industry in the coming decade.
Devaluation of creativity, serious but worrying
Which items in the workplace can you not live without?
iPhone and water cooler
The most unusual/interesting thing about the way you work.
I still use a pencil and paper!
Point of View
Related Articles
Events
A rollicking good story with Richards Stanisich and Royal Oak Floors
Jonathan Richards and Kirsten Stanisich discussed practice, design process and the business of running a studio at a live audience event hosted by Royal Oak Floors in Sydney.
Events
Indesign x Wilkhahn: Melbourne, where are you working?
Our latest collaboration saw a range of designers come together at Wilkhahn’s Melbourne showroom for a discussion on the workplace dynamics specific to the Victorian capital.
Events
“A journey into a whole new material world”: Plant Life at the NGV
Curator Ewan McEoin tells us about the NGV’s new exhibition on plant-based materials as alternatives to plastics, synthetic materials and other non-renewable resources.
Events
The inaugural Coastal Design Assembly is about to make landfall in Sydney
Sophie Lanigan, organiser of a new event centring on Sydney’s relationship to water, tells us what the event’s all about, who it’s for and why it matters today.