Now in its sixth year, entries for the 2013 Dulux Study Tour are officially open.

Initiated to foster Australia’s next generation of emerging architectural talent, places on the tour are hotly contested.

Unparalleled in its scope, this Dulux sponsored educational tour is an immersive experience that delivers recent architectural graduates into a global mélange of styles, cultures and professional practices.

Spanning China, Spain and the United Kingdom, five successful entrants will explore specially selected, architecturally significant developments, as well as meeting with industry leaders.

Indesignlive spoke to some of the 2012 participants (who visited the UAE, Germany and the UK) and pressed them on how the tour impacted on their design thinking and how it would translate into their own design practice:

“It has reaffirmed my belief in our profession, informed my view on how I can better position myself in our industry, and provided me with an incredible launch pad for future endeavours and contributions to Australian architecture” says Melbourne’s Weian Lim.

For Tasmania’s Emily Ouston, exposure to a variety of foreign business models stood out, serving to highlight how a business’ strategy can drive the creative process within a design office.

“We visited a vast range of architectural practices – from the micro to the meta – and each had their own methodologies for designing and managing their practices… it is clear a refined business strategy enables more freedom for the exploration of architectural ideas.”

With the qualification process in two stages, successful applicants will be announced in March 2013 at the Australian Architecture Achievement Awards. First stage entries will close on 26 September 2012.

The Dulux Study Tour is as collaborative initiative between the Australian Institute of Architects and Dulux.

Visit Dulux Study Tour for more information.

All Images © Weian Lim