There was something different about the 30UNDER30 creative retreat this year and it was an innovation that will definitely stick.

For the fourth program in a row, we changed things up a bit. Previously the cohort, in alternating years, has comprised purely architects followed by interior designers along with product designers. Other professionals of the built world were also added to the mix somewhere along the line.

But the 2025/26 program was a complete melting pot, with all the disciplines rubbing shoulders and exchanging ideas. And it made perfect sense. The A+D industry is not a siloed one. In a design career practitioners will be working with people across the board and across disciplines.

The program has always been an invaluable way of connecting with other emerging leaders at a similar stage of their career journey or in a similar situation – rising architect in a large practice or interior designer working in a small to medium-sized studio, for instance. But now the cohort offers opportunities for connections between product designers, interior designers, architects, communications specialists and, of course, more. And of course, suppliers, with representatives from each of the program’s sponsors also in attendance.

Joining the retreat in 2026 were Con Papadakis and Tegan Donaldson from Neolith, Dianna Hanna from Laufen, Sammy Newton and Jess Ivory from Tongue & Groove, Alice Byrnes and Jonathan Tommasoni from Miele, Gareth Krost and Pratima Bajracharya from Krost, Blair Sullivan and Marija Barrera from Designer Rugs and Jesse Lee and Anna Luchtenberg from Signature Appliances powered by Miele.

Watching the 2025/26 group of 30 younger professionals bring their ideas, their creativity and, above all, their energy and their dynamism to the sessions, panel discussions and restorative opportunities (around the pool, during the sunset cocktails and more!) was wonderful.

Chris Stribley was one of the venerable group of mentors (along with AJC Architects‘ Dua Green, BVN‘s Sally Campbell, COX Architecture‘s Brooke Lloyd and Ross Gardam) who commented on this infectious quality more than once.

The cohort’s energy was palpable he noted, adding that his greatest hope was to carry a bit of that back to Melbourne with him and spread it among his colleagues at Cera Stribley.

The kick-off

Before the 30UNDER30 creative retreat began, there was the opportunity to get to know the location a little better via Potato Head’s famous sustainability tour. As waste management has long been a primary issue in Bali, the venue was established as a pioneer in the field of recycling, reusing and reducing waste. When it comes to waste sent to landfill, its figures are not just impressive, they’re almost negligible. Practically everything that is used and produced by the venue gets reused and remade into something new – furniture, menus, jewellery and more made from recycled plastics, candles made from waste kitchen oil and so much more.

In the context of the island of Bali as a whole, it is of course but a drop in the (Indian) Ocean, but we all know the road to enlightenment starts with one step forward, and Potato Head is making veritable strides.

I’ve started so I’ll finish

Easing into the program, the first session on Friday afternoon was the traditional ice-breaking ‘not so hard’ quiz, hosted by Niche Media’s venerable question mistress, Jillian Hood. Thrown a little in the deep end, the cohort first had to each face the microphone and provide the room with a brief introduction – name, practice and, perhaps, a ‘what I’d be if not a designer’ suggestion.

The quiz followed with the first group, appropriately dubbed the Numero Unos, narrowly leading after the first block of questions and then taking line honours thanks to Marlo Lyda who correctly guessed the ‘who am I?’ – Yasmine Ghoniem – in just two clues.

Rounding off the evening and cementing the opportunities for enhancing those introductions connections, Friday’s evening event was the sunset cocktails and a delicious dinner near the pool, as the sun went down over the Indian Ocean.

Program proper

Saturday morning, the cohort were straight into it with a fast and furious round table session. Eight tables, eight groups, with static sponsors, mentors and Niche team members split among the tables. Each group of cohorts would have around 20 minutes to grill the statics, before being moved on to the next table. This session was doubtless hardest for the statics who could find themselves repeating the same answers/advice/anecdotes up to eight times but, like the best repertory theatre actors, doing their darnedest to make it sound fresh and unrehearsed every single time.

A quick break was followed by the dynamic Seton Walsh-Rose, presenting ‘A Sustainable Career’ – a thought-provoking, wonderfully well-researched 75-minute master class into longevity in the design industry, but with a focus on the traits of great leadership.

It was a packed morning, but at least one of the cohort just wanted more…

“I was so inspired after that, I wanted to just keep going,” said COX Architecture’s Rhiana Roberts. “I wanted to do some planning, I wanted to explore some things. I went back and wrote notes!”

Even she understood that it was probably best not to overwhelm the group right off the bat though. “I think for a first day it was probably great that it was the time-frame that it was,” she added. “I was just in that mindset!”

With the afternoon free for the restorative part of the program, the cohort took the opportunity to explore Potato Head’s many attractions – a dip in the turquoise pool, a massage or spa visit or simply drinks on the beachfront deck, strengthening relationships that had already begun.

The day concluded with a spectacular dinner on the rooftop of Potato Head’s signature restaurant, Kaum. The wait staff did explain each of the many dishes, but the conversations were so animated (and loud) it’s doubtful anyone really knew what they were eating…

Sunday sessions

How can three days feel like a month? The final structured part of the program were Tegan Wallis’ ‘Success without Stress’ presentation and the mentors’ panel discussion. The former began with the endlessly engaging Wallis handing out workbooks and asking us to consider and rate our mental, physical and emotional states. So far, so ‘corporate leadership retreat 101’, but Wallis went so much further, really delving into both the science of her topic and the real world ramifications. Like Walsh-Rose’s session the previous day, it was another beautifully structured presentation, leaving the cohort with plenty of food for thought and tangible action plans to take away.

And then, the final item on the agenda, and the last formal opportunity (before building their individual ongoing relationships) for the cohort to put the mentors under the spotlight, with Dua Green, Sally Campbell, Brooke Lloyd, Ross Gardam and Chris Stribley forming a panel moderated by the inimitable Marija Barrera from Designer Rugs.

And to wind down, it was up to the Sunset Park bar for cocktails, when the group’s plus-ones were all invited along too. And this year, we realised that the cohort’s plus-ones had formed a whole new social group of their own. So much so, that we heard of groups already planning to continue their Bali experience with some travel, along with newly acquired friends and colleagues they’d only just met.

For the last word on Bali 2025/26, there are a few further reflections from members of the cohort, Morgan Wolpers and Shalini Rautela.

“[It was all about] the space and the connections. It’s such a privilege to be here in such a beautiful space…” said Wolpers, while Rautela added: “And such a diverse group of people. That’s been the big takeaway that a lot of us have been talking about.”

Roberts concluded, “It goes without saying it was a fantastic weekend. I think the cohort this year have been very lucky that everyone was very open minded and willing to connect, wanting to learn and grow in that same aspect, and that made such a difference. Especially having the mentors here with their experience and their knowledge and with the sponsors as well – the great blend of all of that – was fantastic.”

Photography: I Love Bali.

ADR’s 30UNDER30 program is brought to you by major sponsor Neolith, alongside partners Designer Rugs, Laufen, Krost, Miele, Signature Appliances powered by Miele and Tongue & Groove.

ADR is also grateful to our 30UNDER30 practice partners AJC Architects, BVN, Cera Stribley, COX Architecture, Genton, GroupGSA, HDR, Richards Stanisich, RIZEN Atelier, Rob Mills Architects, Rothelowman, SJB and Design by WBL for helping us foster the future of Australian design.