Bradhly Le, interior designer and founder of the recently launched interior design studio RIZEN Atelier, has been at the forefront of multi-sector design for decades. Fundamental to his design practice is finding inspiration from and connection with the analogue. Here, Le talks to Australian Design Review about the role the natural world and the humble Artline 0.2 black pen play in both his business and creative life.

Australian Design Review: What inspired you to become an interior designer?

Bradhly Le: As a kid, I spent a large part of my youth hanging around construction sites. My father was a builder so rather than do what most kids did during their school holidays, I was encouraged to learn how to read architectural plans and engineering drawings. I remember at the age of 12, my father rolled out structural steel drawings over a pile of stacked bricks to show me what steel bars were required in a concrete beam.

My mother, on the other hand, was a machinist and I will always remember being awakened by the sound of sewing machines blasting away at 5am. Even now, she continues to sew her own fashion designs because she simply can’t find anything in retail that fits her as she likes.

For as long as I can remember design and creativity have always been such an innate and influential part of my life. I ended up working for a portion of my career as a construction manager, but it wasn’t until I started to collaborate with architects and designers that I realised I enjoyed designing spaces much more than building them.

ADR: When you began your design career, did you always dream of founding your own studio?

BL: Not at all. This did not even cross my mind when I started my career. But what was clear was that I wanted to surround myself with inspiring people and influential designers who I could learn from, designers who were creative, passionate, and masters of their craft. And I did just that. 

Little did I know that the energy and diverse experiences I gained from each one of my mentors through the earlier parts of my career, would one day set the foundations for founding my own studio.

ADR: Was there a catalysing moment that pushed you to start RIZEN Atelier? Can you tell us about it? 

BL: I’ve always believed that people generally gravitate to people they trust and have a rapport with. When I became aware that I was creating my very own ecosystem and building my own industry partnerships with consultants, designers and clients, I knew it was time for a change. The only way I could achieve my career ambitions and generate real value and real meaning that aligned with my ethos and design goals was to take control of the wheel.

ADR: Can you tell us about the origin of the name?

I wanted to start a design studio that wasn’t about me, my name or what I’ve built. I wanted it to be an embodiment of my vision so that the studio focuses on what really matters. The new venture needed to embody my vision for a studio rooted in the real world – one that pursues creative concepts and innovative ideas with originality, determination and perseverance. 

The ‘rise’ in RIZEN reflects this ethos, while the ‘zen’ represents my commitment to balanced solutions. This sees RIZEN deliver practical, achievable designs that prioritise human needs and address environmental imperatives.

ADR: Who are your design heroes, locally and internationally? What do you admire about their practice?

BL: The architectural work of Pritzker prize-winning Glenn Murcutt has really amplified Australian architecture globally, and his philosophy around low-impact construction with an approach to architecture that touches the earth lightly is relevant today and in the future. I find his work and ethos truly inspiring.

William Smart has created a practice that is an epitome of innovation and unconventional ideas. He has been able to create a studio that places design at the centre of every decision made and this sits at the heart of everything Smart Design represents. You can see this in the detailing, the quality of the light and material exploration in the practice’s work.

The creative works of Arne Jacobsen, along with his pursuit of design at all scales — from architecture to furniture and object design — are another source of inspiration. We would like to see RIZEN pursue a similar vision and that design does not need to be sector constrained. 

We have been asked to design everything from rugs, furniture, commercial offices, landscapes to boat interiors and are excited to continue this diversity.

ADR: What has been the most challenging aspect of starting your own practice?

BL: The most challenging aspect so far is building a studio from the ground up. By this I mean all the infrastructure associated with running a business that must be established. I’m talking about intangible assets such as technology, software, accounting human resources and marketing. 

Even more important was I wanted to attract and build a culturally aligned team that would support the growth of the studio. I knew that creating a resilient business structure to support my ambition for the studio required a generous investment for it to succeed. I’ve always believed that creating the right framework from the start is the best approach; namely having the right people, technology, design acumen and culture will establish a resilient scaffold that enables the business to naturally grow in the right direction.

ADR: What has been the biggest highlight so far?

BL: People have always been the biggest asset in my mind and there are two schools of thought when it comes to growing a team. I had to decide whether investing in people to attract the work was important or bringing in work to build the team. I’ve been fortunate enough to do both. 

As a result, we have been able to build momentum within the industry and at the same time foster a talented group of designers.

ADR: Sketching and drawing by hand is a throughline within your design practice. With all the digital tools available today, why do you hold fast to the traditional, analogue method?

BL: Digital tools such as 3D rendering software and Revit are integral to our design process and we rely heavily on these baseline tools to technically deliver our client’s project goals.  Although these digital tools are necessary to accomplish our work, they can also restrict our creativity if we rely too heavily on them, particularly during the earlier phases of schematic design and conceptual development.

Cutting and pasting from one client to another seems to be prolific within our industry and does not offer a creative enterprise or a path to innovation – and this simply does not align with our company values.

I usually start with a blank slate, which means that I focus more on the client’s vision rather than adhering to a standard house style or specific aesthetic, crafting designs that are supported by the artisanal practice of hand sketching.

Clients love seeing their vision come to life and see their design take shape through a series of simple lines. The sketches we create together provides a sense of discovery, incites collaboration and seeds storylines with originality.

ADR: Do you have a favourite pen to sketch with and why?

BL: The Artline 0.2.

ADR: Do you keep a sketchbook? What do you sketch?

BL: I draw on white trace and I have rolls of this stuff sitting in the studio and at home. I sketch anything and everything from furniture designs, floor plans, interior perspectives to design concepts.

ADR: Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?

BL: Nature has been designing the world for over four billion years, and it has managed to survive countless epochs. It has an unrelenting resilience that continues to inspire me. When I step outside, I see colour, texture, pattern and light, mastered over millennia, so I often gravitate to nature for an endless source of inspiration. 

I also draw creative inspiration from my travels, the cities I visit and from the creative works of other design professionals as I explore my way through the world.

ADR: Where do you hope RIZEN will be a year from now?

It’s simple — to create a legacy through design that will have a sustainable and positive impact on the planet and all its inhabitants, now and well into the future. 

I’d like to believe that RIZEN Atelier will be a studio that will grow with its people and clients while solving important challenges for the future, regardless of scale or complexity — and do so in a way that keeps everything in perfect balance and equilibrium.

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