30UNDER30’s Dasha Tolotchkov on observation, creativity and emotional design

Dasha Tolotchkov is a Melbourne-based exhibition designer at the National Gallery of Victoria. Australian Design Review‘s 30UNDER30 for 2025/2026, she brings a playful and detail-driven approach to creating spatial experiences that evoke emotion, curiosity and quiet surprise.

Australian Design Review: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Dasha Tolotchkov: In my spare time, I am usually working on the next thing amid a big relaxing time. In the last few years, I have been exploring furniture and objects. Designing and experimenting in collaboration with Studio Backcountry, a local furniture design studio, has allowed me to explore a different scale, one that is intimate and close to the body and our everyday lives. This venture into object design has filled my spare time with sketches, tests and prototyping – creating playful ideas that I’d be excited to have in my own home and that shift how people interact and live with their objects. I’m always looking to the next, finding space for new ideas and expressions.

What do you do to kickstart your creativity when you’re in a rut?

When I’m feeling in a rut or close to one, instead of doubling down, I try to shift the focus outwards and observe what is around me. A walk assists quite a lot; I make sure to notice as much as I can, small details in the buildings, the way someone has decorated their home, a funny piece that adorns a house, the selection of flowers or the details in a garden.

This often leaves me with new thoughts or a visual that can lead to a form, a palette or a design direction. I enjoy moving the focus away from interior design, and sifting through imagery or references in art, fashion, objects, performance, exhibitions and the list goes on – something that feels slightly disconnected from the task at hand, but can evoke inspiration, enlightenment and a new way of seeing. I find it is important to make sure to visit places and exhibitions in person to investigate these details and moments of charm up close.

Do you remember your first encounter with design?

Looking back now, my first encounter with design must’ve been when I was doing ballet when I was younger. It not only introduced me to the flow of my body and its presence in space, but also to the understanding of how multiple bodies can move and shift through space, the patterns and structures of space, and the spatial flow of a stage and how the body interacts with these to create the performance. The sets that came in were magical: they were hand-painted, crafted, sewn and dressed. Once propped up, I saw how they created otherworldly spaces that shifted the characters, the mood and changed how people moved – creating a new environment, a new reaction from the performers and a completely new world for the viewers.

What has been a highlight in your career so far? (For example, a project, collaboration, workplace, client, mentor, trip, award, realisation etc.)

I was fortunate to be the exhibition designer on Africa Fashion presented by the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and developed by the V&A Museum, London. As it was a touring exhibition, we worked with the design principles and concepts shared by the V&A for the exhibition, utilising these to influence a reimagined presentation of the works for the NGV. It was an exciting project to be able to design an exhibition that showcases such inspiring works.

*NGV Africa Fashion. Photo: Lillie Thompson.*

How would you describe your work?

At the core of my work, I relate to a strong sense of detail, an intuitive spatial flow and evoking an emotional response, whether it be very minor or something that resonates long after. My work often explores how a space can offer a sense of calmness, curiosity, charm or quiet surprise. I value a strong conceptual, narrative framework that drives the overall feeling, layout and experience of a space – creating spatial experiences that feel thoughtful, responsive and that allow people to connect more deeply with what’s around them.