The SpeakingOut! series, hosted by Jan Henderson as part of the 2025 INDE.Awards, offers a rare glimpse into the minds behind the region’s most celebrated architecture and design. In this final instalment of the year, Jan speaks with Ben Lornie, Director at PTID. The Retail Space category at the 2025 INDE.Awards is proudly partnered by Polyflor. 

With over 17 years at PTID, Ben Lornie has been instrumental in defining what experiential retail means in an increasingly digital world. In this conversation, he shares insights into the intricacies of luxury retail design, the power of cross-disciplinary collaboration, and his team’s award-winning project – the Dion Lee flagship.

The Power of Collaboration and Cross-Disciplinary Thinking

Lornie brings a layered and collaborative mindset to retail design, shaped by a background in landscape design and a long-standing role at PTID. He describes his evolution from working alongside architects to becoming one, and how that journey –, along with PTID’s diverse, design-focused team, fosters rich, interdisciplinary outcomes in projects. Working with creatives from fields like art and graphic design, Ben sees immense value in crossing traditional boundaries to create nuanced retail experiences.

Designing for Dion Lee

PTID’s collaboration with Dion Lee and Stamuli delivered a bold, post-apocalyptic concept for the designer’s largest Australian flagship. The project merged high-end materials such as marble and stainless steel with industrial elements like rough stone and broken concrete, creating a tactile and theatrical shopping experience. Lornie explains how the team designed everything from scratch – down to the bolts stamped with the Dion Lee name – to curate a truly immersive environment.

Precision and Passion in the Details

Ben reveals his love for the precision and obsessiveness that premium retail demands, calling attention to elements like custom fixtures and architectural storytelling through form and material. He admits that not every designer loves this level of intensity, but for those who do, the gratification is unmatched, especially when the result transforms customer experience and reinforces brand identity in compelling, unforgettable ways.

Retail as Experience in the Digital Age

With e-commerce dominating consumer habits, Ben underscores the importance of creating compelling in-store experiences. He explains that retail spaces must now work harder to stand out –  to surprise, delight, and convert visitors into long-term brand advocates. Design, he says, is the essential differentiator, with successful brands using physical spaces to reinforce values and establish meaningful emotional connections.

Global Standards, Local Identity

Luxury retail often requires tight adherence to global brand guidelines, but Ben sees this as an opportunity rather than a constraint. He shares how PTID navigates the tension between maintaining brand consistency and expressing local context – as seen in projects for Cartier, Gucci, and Tiffany & Co. Whether collaborating with global design teams or adding regional flourishes, he emphasises the importance of flexibility, humility, and clear creative roles.

Ben highlights standout projects that exemplify his team’s ability to marry global luxury with local narrative. From the Sydney flagship for Cartier to a Perth-based Gucci concept inspired by the Black Swan, a symbol rich with Indigenous, Roman, and scientific meaning, each project speaks to a layered understanding of place. These works not only meet international standards but elevate local culture on the world stage.

Ben closes the interview reflecting on the beauty of collaborative creation and the pride that comes with seeing a project come to life. As the final episode of this year’s SpeakingOut! series, the conversation celebrates the many design voices that have shaped the INDE.Awards community. 

Thank you to Ben Lornie for his contributions to this episode and to Polyflor for their support. To hear the full episode, head to our Instagram page here.