Among a range of events, forums and exhibitions and talks, Melbourne International Design Week (held last week) was a melting pot of ideas, celebrating local and international design excellence. Here are a few highlights from the week. 

Above: Green School by 3XN. Image: 3XN (part of Risk 2015)

 

DEN

Sweeney Chair from Jardan

A curated three-day event offering a fine selection of contemporary furniture, lighting, textile & soft furnishing and object design, DEN 2015 saw a strong focus on local emerging and established brands, such as CULT, Jardan, Tait, AJar, Amadillo & co. Interstudio and , as well as international original designer brands. Good engagement with the public and a satisfying mix of residential deign products and homewares were the stand out features.

Well done to CULT for winning the award for best stand at the event this year.

 

Australian Interior Design Awards

DUST by SIBLING

Held at The Grand Ballroom, Sofitel, the 2015 Australian Interior Design Awards showcased Australia’s best interior design projects. The Premier Award for Interior Design Excellence and Innovation went to young Melbourne practice SIBLING, for the fitout DUST, which also received the Retail Design Award and a Best of State Award (Victoria).

The inaugural Award for Interior Design Impact: BVN for Ravenswood School for Girls, Mabel Fidler Building.

Sustainability Advancement Awards: Bates Smart for TransGrid Sydney Office
Carr Design Group for Australia Post, StarTrack House Sydney

 

Risk 2015

Risk creative directors, from left to right: Hamish Lyon, Andrew Mackenzie and Donald Bates

Featuring over twenty local and international speakers, the 2015 National Architecture Conference focused around the theme: RISK. The speakers interrogated the theme by exploring “the troubled nexus between the architectural necessity of risk-taking and a building environment predicated by risk minimisation,” as creative directors Hamish Lyon, Andrew Mackenzie and Donald Bates put it.

Headlining the conference was David Gianotten (OMA Asia), Caroline Bos (UNStudio), Kasper Jensen (3XN) and Gregg Pasquarelli (ShoP Architects).

 

Melbourne International Design Week
designmattersvictoria.com/design-week