The Interior Design Excellence Awards has been honouring the talent of Australian designers for 15 years. Among the many winners over that time, one category has been shining a light on the next generation of up-and-coming designers. ADR takes a look back at three of the previous winners from the Emerging Designer category to see where they are now.

Entries into IDEA 2018 close on Saturday 28 April Wednesday 16 May [EXTENDED], make sure you get your entry in now! Any practice that fits the criterion of an Emerging Designer that has submitted work to this year’s IDEA competition can opt in to be considered for the Emerging Designer award.

Foolscap studio (2013 recipient)

A standout studio with a reputation in the hospitality sector, Foolscap studio can be attributed with designing many of Melbourne’s favourite hotspots. In the five years since taking out the Emerging Designer award, Foolscap has designed myriad restaurants, along with workplace (Dentsu) and temporary public installations (Wulugul at Barangaroo). To top it off, it’s also expanded with a Sydney office.

Wulugul Pop up at Barangaroo, shortlisted in the Event category at IDEA 2016. Photo by Penny Lane.

NOMA Australia by Foolscap studio was shortlisted in the Hospitality category at IDEA 2016. Photo by Jason Loucas.

Karen Abernethy (2016 recipient) 

Taking out the gong in 2016, Karen Abernethy has continued to build a name for herself across retail, hospitality and workplace design. The studio uses sim­ple forms and basic nar­ra­tives to cre­ate designs that res­onate sim­ply and pro­foundly with place and its in­hab­i­tants. Established in 2013, the stu­dio is now based permanently in Melbourne and works on pro­jects in both Aus­tralia and Switzer­land.

The Jewel House. Photography by Scottie Cameron

Berry Street house. Photography by Dan Hocking

Trent Jansen (2008 recipient)

One of Australia’s leading industrial designers, back in 2008 Jansen was only four years into his career. Add another ten years onto that and he can include working with some of the biggest brands, multiple exhibitions, an Edra residency and the continuation of his Broached series on his CV.

The latest in the Broached series being Broached Monsters, which was shown as part of last year’s Melbourne Design Week.

Chinaman’s File rocking chair by Trent Jansen for Broached East.

Briggs Family Tea Service

Entries into IDEA 2018 close on Saturday 28 April Wednesday 18 May [EXTENDED], make sure you get your entry in now! Any practice that fits the criterion of an Emerging Designer that has submitted work to this year’s IDEA competition can opt in to be considered for the Emerging Designer award.