Bradhly Le returns to 30UNDER30 as a shortlist judge

Bradhly Le is no stranger to ADR‘s 30UNDER30 program, having been a practice partner last year. This time he’s taking on the (not so) enviable task of narrowing down the swathe of entries into a shortlist, from which the mentors and judges will select the final 30.

Founder and creative director of RIZEN Atelier, a boutique interior design studio based in Sydney, Le embraces the challenge. He tells ADR what he looks for in emerging talent, and why he’s made the decision to contribute to the program for the second year in a row.

Australian Design Review: You were a practice partner last year, what made you want to come back as a shortlist judge?

Bradhly Le: It is such an important program to cast a light on our future design leaders and I need to remind myself that we were all there before, early in our careers, building connections and finding opportunities to fulfil our dreams in design. The path to success for designers in the infancy of their career journey will never be linear. The influences they receive now can have a monumental impact on their creative futures, so I wanted to play a role in this and provide that influence as a judge for the 30UNDER30 program.

Has your involvement in the program influenced your practice in the last year?

Our involvement in the program last year has caught a lot of attention within our industry. We have received a tremendous amount of gratitude from our peers, and we’re recognised as an emerging studio that supports and invests in emerging talent and this is rewarding for us to hear and be part of.

You also spoke about embracing technology, such as AI design tools, while preserving the analogue elements of design. How has your studio been balancing this over the last year?

It has been interesting to witness how AI has become a necessary tool in our administrative and creative workflows, and we embrace the instantaneous benefits of AI when it is beneficial to our process. We still believe that there is something inherently human, natural and unique in drawing with pen and paper, and a lot of our planning and design studies are still done this way.

Most of our clients prefer this analogue method of visual communication than something that was generated by AI software, and this is helping our business attract new clients and win work. What makes us stand out are the things that we are doing that not everyone is doing – using analogue design techniques that are a direct translation of design thinking to paper that is creative and genuinely unique.

What sorts of skills or traits do you look for in young designers?

Skills are important; however, attitude trumps all. The type of young designers that are attractive to us are the ones that are naturally curious, driven and do not pretend to know everything, but have a motivation to learn. They can also teach us a thing or two and this is what we look out for.

*RIZEN Atelier Team L-R: Carolina Velosa, Angel Miu, Bradhly Le, Alison Gibb, Audrey Marquant, Paris Dickins, Megan Andrews, Natalie Aganoff*.

Do you have any advice for those submitting an entry?

My advice would be to demonstrate clear visual communication and show your creative process in whatever means necessary that makes sense to you and convey this sensibility on the submission. How did an idea or problem that needed to be solved transform into a concept narrative? And how did that concept translate into built form or design resolution? I will be drawn to an authentic creative process versus a polished solution with no visual display of intellectual design thinking.

What advice do you wish you could give your 30-year-old self?

Acknowledge your strengths, play to these, but don’t be afraid to break out of your orbit, as this is the only way you will discover and test your real inherent abilities.

We asked you this last year, but I’m interested to know your answer now that you’ve been involved in the program: why would you encourage young designers to join 30UNDER30?

The program offers mentorship, relationship building and career opportunities. Whether you are shortlisted or not, this is a unique program that ADR offers and you will not be disappointed in participating as it is a wonderful opportunity to put yourself out there and grow from. Get involved and set those goals that will enable you to benchmark yourself against others in an industry of young under-30-year-olds.

Top image: RIZEN Atelier Team L-R: Carolina Velosa, Angel Miu, Bradhly Le, Alison Gibb, Audrey Marquant, Paris Dickins, Megan Andrews, Natalie Aganoff.

Images: Supplied.

ADR’s 30UNDER30 program is brought to you by co-major sponsors Neolith and King Living, alongside partners Designer Rugs, LAUFEN, Krost, Miele, Signature Appliances powered by Miele and Tongue & Groove.