David Flack has been named the fifth judge for IDEA 2021, joining Chelsea Hing, Brahman Perera, Hassell principal Domino Risch and Adelaide-based Ryan Genesin.

Entries for IDEA 2021 are now open. Enter before 2 May to save $90 on your entry. Don’t worry if you can’t finish it by this Sunday. You can log back in and edit your entry as many times as you like after submission.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know who David Flack is. The self-described country boy has been on a meteoric rise since starting his Melbourne practice in 2014.

Flack Studio also happens to be the IDEA 2020 Designer of the Year.

For the first time in IDEA’s 18-year history, the 2020 Designer of the Year finalists were asked to film a short video pitching themselves to the jury.

To celebrate the win and his role as a 2021 judge, ADR has put together a snippet of Flack Studio’s video entry, which is being shared online for the first time.

Renowned for multi-faceted, experiential residential, hospitality, commercial and retail environments, Flack comes from construction family stock and has a deep-seated understanding of the built environment.

He also has an unforgettable and unmistakable way with colour, wielding it in his interiors with a sophistication that is unparalleled.

In his Designer of the Year video, Flack describes Middle Park Residence as being “truly Flacked” – an invented verb that has come to represent his studio and his vision as a designer.

Like an elegant stage set, layered with confidence and vigour, Middle Park Residence’s colour story is rich and multidimensional, filled with so many interesting and often contradictory materials, objects, colours, textures, furniture and art.

It is a masterful example of how colour can be used to create mood and drama without sacrificing form and texture – earning it both the IDEA 2020 Colour and Residential Decoration awards.

In 2021, the IDEA Residential Decoration award has been renamed and reclassified to better reflect the role interior designers play in projects in which they have no input in the architecture.

Flack was instrumental in bringing about this reclassification. He spoke to ADR recently about the need for Australia to better recognise interior architecture and interior design.

The new Residential – Interior Curation category seeks to highlight how residential interiors are curated to enhance the experience of inhabitation.

“The idea of what interior architecture is needs to move away from decoration perceptions and more into holistic design outcomes that use the full force of architectural language,” Flack says.

“Interior designers and interior architects can change the face of things, and have changed the face of the design industry. The idea we select cushions is quickly evaporating.”

Similar to the way in which a gallery curator designs their exhibition to best accentuate the installation and provide a seamless user experience, so too does the interior designer work to ensure their spaces celebrate the interior architecture and bring joy to the clients who inhabit them daily.

Find out more about the new Residential – Interior Curation category on the IDEA website.

As for what Flack will be looking for as a judge of IDEA 2021, he encourages designers to be true to themselves.

“I’m always look for passion. I’m always looking for something original and I think having a voice is very important.”

Enter IDEA 2021 now

Enter IDEA 2021 before 2 May to save $90! Click here to start work on your submission. Don’t worry if you can’t finish it by this Sunday. You can log back in and edit your entry as many times as you like after submission.

For more details, visit our how to enter page. You can also subscribe to our newsletters to receive regular updates on IDEA 2021.

Photography: Anson Smart.