Architect, Kieron Gait, helped kick off a new series of seminars from the Design Institute of Australia last week in Brisbane, with advice to designers about starting up small businesses.

The DIAlogues seminars, running until June 2009, feature respected designers speaking across a range of areas – from graphic art to commercial management.

Kieron Gait, previously an Associate at Richard Kirk Architect, discussed the importance of finding a balance between design, business, and ambition when starting a small practice. “If there were a central message, it would be to be clear in focusing your ambitions to realise your worth,” he says.

For Gait, the chance to speak to a crowd of his peers was an opportunity not to be missed. “I think it fosters the view that design is a collaborative industry,” he says.

He is confident that the series will be both enlightening and entertaining for a wide audience – not just designers. “It will certainly provide a diverse series of talks, that should interest a broad audience,” he says.

Gait’s seminar will be followed up by Hannah Cutts from Cutts Creative, who is due to present the next DIAlogue seminar on 26th November. Cutts will present the topic of ‘advertising with humour’, discussing the importance of comedy in all design disciplines.

Design Institute of Australia, DIAlogues

dia.org.au/dialogues

Kieron Gait Architects

kierongait.com.au

Photos and project drawings courtesy of Kieron Gait, and Kieron Gait Architects.