On Thursday 8 August, the Australian design community came together at ForestOne’s Melbourne showroom for the inaugural IDEA Emerging Designer of the Year presentation event. 

As is the case with all firsts, the sense of anticipation and excitement in the room was palpable. Would all 120 RSVPs attend? Would there be enough food? Would the presentations go smoothly, without any technical difficulties? As ForestOne’s immersive and beautifully designed showroom began to fill with designers, architects and supporters, who were greeted on arrival with their choice of drinks from the bar and some of the best canapes at any event so far, these initial worries faded away. 

Everyone was clearly excited to be gathered together, not just for the fantastic hospitality, but to celebrate and be inspired by the exceptionally talented designers who were presenting their IDEA entries in front of a live audience, including IDEA jury chair Clare Cousins. 

The inaugural event jitters of the Australian Design Review team were surely nothing compared to the feelings of nervousness that each of the seven Emerging Designers were experiencing. As one designer commented, it was a little like a university crit, in front of unfamiliar faces. 

ForestOne’s national business development manager John Dalla Via kicked off the formal part of the evening with an acknowledgement of Country and a heartfelt, encouraging welcome, noting yet another first —  this was ForestOne’s first year sponsoring the IDEA Emerging Designer of the Year category. As Australia’s largest independent distributor of ethically sourced building materials, there is no better sponsor for a category that celebrates the rising stars and future of Australian design.

Managing editor of Australian Design Review Jessica Agoston Cleary, then laid out the ‘rules’ for the evening. Each designer was given eight minutes to present their project. At the six minute mark, Alvin Wu, Australian Design Review’s event manager would ring a bell. And with that, the presentations got underway. 

Presenting first was Anna Wu of Sydney-based AWA studio. Wu introduced the audience to AWA Studio’s design ethos of personalised creativity to uncover moments of delight, before presenting her design for the Chinatown Country Club retail space, cafe, photography studio and apartment. While Wu may have been, by her own admission, very, very nervous, she spoke with an ease and grace that was reflected in the elegance of her design.

While a multi-functional space, the Chinatown Country Club retail space effortlessly combined the incongruous worlds of high-end fashion and the familiarity of a local club through the use of a pared-back material palette, playful geometric forms and a highly considered floorplan that guided visitors from one zone to the next. 

Following Wu was Josh Kyle from McCluskey Studio. Jumping in at the eleventh hour to present on behalf of Kate McCluskey Kyle, who was unfortunately unwell, Kyle presented Garden House. An exquisite renovation to a heritage Victorian family home in Melbourne, Garden House expresses everything that McCluskey Studio is becoming known for — thoughtful and harmonious integration of heritage moments with contemporary style to create a modern Australian design vernacular that reflects the past, present and future. 

Next was Georgina Karavasil Papargiris from Karavasil Architects. The studio was founded by Karavasil Papargiris and her sister Vicki Karavasil, who both spent many years working in large practices in different typologies. Combining these experiences, together with their creative vision, Karavasil Architects projects bridge the gap between residential and commercial, infusing each with elements of the other to create richly layered, functional spaces that exude style. 

Rounding out the first group of presentations was Linda Jilina from SE DÉA. Founded in Bondi, SE DÉA’s approach to architecture and interior design is intuitive and intentional, resulting in stylishly layered homes that respond to clients’ needs at the same time as opening up the almost limitless possibilities of interior design. Discussing SE DÉA’s entry to IDEA, a residential renovation which began as a quick internal facelift and evolved into a multi-year redevelopment, Jilina shared how the client was initially adamant that they hated black. By the end of the project, however, a custom-designed black stained timber table had become their favourite feature in the home. 

Having been taken on an inspiring journey into four outstanding projects, everyone took a short break to refill their glasses and digest the great design stories they’d just seen and heard. Meanwhile, the ADR team ironed out a minor technical glitch — a flat battery on a projector remote — before ushering guests back to their seats to hear from the final three designers. 

Hady Anboussi from Sydney-based Some Studio began the second half of the presentations. After talking through Some’s investigation-based process, which enables them to push beyond the boundaries of residential design, Anboussi presented Clements. The reimagined Californian bungalow was designed for a couple who wanted to reimagine the way they lived since their children had moved out of home. Clement’s is a lyrical narrative of making the most of life and living in quiet luxury, told through place-inspired materials and bespoke design elements.

The sixth emerging designer to present was Louise Liu from Studio Liu. Also based in Sydney, Studio Liu is a boutique interior design studio founded by Liu upon her return to Sydney after many years working in interior design in Hong Kong. Liu’s global influence resonates through her approach to design. As she described it, she sees her role as an interior designer as giving her clients an opportunity to indulge their inherent curiosity and express their identity through the symbiotic relationship between environment and inhabitant. The result is projects that are truly unique and individual while carrying a signature Liu style of meticulous attention to detail and unconventional, unexpected moments. 

Last but not least was Benjamin Jay Shand from Studio Shand. As a sculptor and architect, Shand’s projects straddle the realms of art, object and design. Regardless of whether he’s designing a complex multi-purpose studio and workshop space in a former Italian Pizzeria, as seen in Buon Gusto, or a large-scale public sculpture exploring materiality and form, as demonstrated in multiple iterations of Sydney’s Sculpture by the Sea, Shand’s projects distil the core essence of the thing to uncover novel modes of expression within the context of the built environment. 

With the formal presentations complete, all seven emerging designers breathed a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, the audience gave a huge round of applause, and almost in chorus, began talking about the challenge ahead for the IDEA jury.

The Interior Design Excellence Awards, IDEA, are presented by Australian Design Review and Niche Media, with the support of our sponsors: ForestOne, Crafted Hardwoods, Cult, Halliday + Baillie, Krost, Laufen, Miele, MillerKnoll, Neolith, and Zenith. 

We look forward to welcoming the A&D community to our next event — Designer of the Year, at the Cult showroom in Perth. Register to attend now. The winners of Emerging Designer of the Year, and Designer of the Year, as well as all the other IDEA categories, will be revealed at the IDEA Gala, 29 November, at the Forum in Melbourne. Gala tickets are on sale now.