Your top 3 influences.

• ’Less is More’ , Mies Van der Rohe a true pioneer in modern architecture and design.
• Trends in Art, Fashion and Technology as an infinite pool of inspiration.
• My family, Myeisha and Daniel for their innocent and often humorous take on life and Geoff who is a very patient man (most of the time)……they put things back into perspective at the end of each day.

The moment you knew you wanted to be a designer.
Hard to define one moment as have always had a creative disposition, just ask my parents. Have fond childhood memories of always drawing, being immersed in imaginary worlds, dressing up, a love of the stage and spending hours upon hours constructing Lego objects.

You could say that I am still doing all of the above.

Favourite local landmark/building.

Ballast Point Park, Birchgrove. Hats off to McGregor+Coxall Landscape Architects who have transformed this old Caltex facility into a 2.5ha haven for fellow ’locals’. The integration of rich historical references, combination of terraced viewing platforms to service the panoramic views of the foreshore and innovative use of materials makes it extremely unique. We are fortunate enough to have a view from our balcony of the central monument, an old Caltex drum that has become a sculptural beacon for the site in remembrance of what was and what is now.

Favourite material.
So cruel, only one?

Concrete an ode to industrialization. Love the rawness of this material, exposed aggregate, polished, reinforced, the addition of light conductors or colour pigmentation, even photo engrave it, this material can be so versatile. Ongoing exploration into new innovations with concrete make it a timeless material for the modern world.

Favourite international landmark/building.
The German Pavilion, Barcelona, with its balanced spatial elements, simplicity, and unique combinations of textures and materials, the polished onyx wall is a site to behold, you can’t help but want to touch it. The Pavilion is such a stark contrast to the likes of Gaudi’s collective legacy that is so prominent in Barcelona, his Sagrada Familia which itself is an incredible architectural feat and climbing to the top of one of its spires to look over the city is truly ’a moment’.

Biggest career moment.
1999, transitioning from the interior design and architectural domain into the experiential and brand communications realm. This was like a new world that introduced and exposed me to the most diverse pool of creative and business talent, many of whom I continue to work with and truly admire today.

Dream project to work on (real or imaginary).
To transform an abandoned warehouse or apartment block in Melbourne into a completely immersive performance space. Engaging many of the crème de la crème of our industry, including some of my contemporaries who would work for ’mate rates’ of course. The idea would be to create a narrative with a moving feast of surprise and delight moments for the guests, it would be the ultimate 360 degree experience utilizing up and coming Australian talent….. all this with an unlimited budget, realistic timeframe and no other projects on the books.

Dream person to collaborate with.
Christo and unleashing the key for Council approval to wrap the Reichstag in Berlin.

Favourite decade of design.
Oh so cruel again.

Bauhaus 1919 – 1933, particularly love the posters of this time and their typographic styling and spatial arrangements.

Favourite chair.
The 1958 Egg Chair by Arne Jacobsen. What a gorgeous statement piece and still on the inventory to purchase ’one day’ in fuscia suede.

#1 concern for the design industry in the coming decade.
Aging infrastructures that are unable to keep up with the speed of developing technologies, by the time we are able to cut through all the red tape current innovations have surpassed and so the cycle continues.

Which items in the workplace can you not live without?
Google, coffee, tape measure, and an incredible pool of talent.

The most unusual/interesting thing about the way you work.
Work best under pressure, maybe with a glass of red (or two).

IMAGINTATION

sydney.imagination.com