Continuing our series celebrating Women of Influence in Architecture and Interior Design, Australian Design Review spotlights the unparalleled work of Fiona Lynch. 

Fiona Lynch’s eponymous studio was founded in 2013 and has since worked on a range of residential, retail, office, hospitality, institutional and hotel projects.

Incorporating architectural and interior design services, Lynch’s atmospheric creations embody a spirited minimalism with a keen emphasis on custom joinery, furniture and lighting design.

Over the years, Lynch has won and been shortlisted for Australian Design Review’s IDEA in multiple categories. Most recently she was shortlisted for the prestigious IDEA Designer of the Year 2023 and won the ​​Object – Furniture & Lighting – Professional award for IDEA 2022. 

Her winning project Workshop x Future Archive was inspired by the studio’s commitment to working with local artisans and exploring sustainability through materiality. It uses reclaimed Oregon timber and developed pigment created from waste materials, which were then used to create a custom fabric.

Speaking to Australian Design Review she said: “I was surprised and delighted when we won – to be recognised as a multidisciplinary designer and studio for a project that is to a degree experimental and one we truly believe in was really special.”

Lynch has always been a stalwart of support for new designers entering the industry. Her advice to those wishing to follow in her footsteps? 

“Visit open studios, see exhibitions, hit galleries, plus furniture and lighting stores,” she says. “Connect at live events like exhibition openings too. You never know who’ll you meet and what could evolve. And travel! Also, turn a blind eye to design trends. Now’s the time in your career to experiment with both materials and making. And think green – we’re on the cusp of incredible sustainable design initiatives. That’s where a full spectrum of ingenuity is spinning now. It’s something I promote on my online platform, Future Archive, on my website.”

Looking back on over a decade of design she notes her proudest achievement. 

“I founded Work Shop in 2019, which showcases experimental design, artworks and objects in my studio annex during Melbourne Design Week,” Lynch says. “It attempts to blur the perceived hierarchy of visual art over design, often exhibiting what I refer to as ‘functional art’. 

“It also allows designers (including those in my team) to test ideas before proceeding into full production and leads to some amazing collaborations with artists and artisans (from ceramicists and glassblowers to sculptors and metalworkers) for some of our domestic and commercial projects, which is the real kicker.”

For the month of March, in recognition of International Women’s Day, Australian Design Review will be shining a spotlight on Women of Influence in Architecture and Interior Design. While we pride ourselves on championing women, those who identify as women, and others from underrepresented groups at all times, we believe it’s necessary to recognise the achievements of individuals who have risen to the top, despite social or industry-related imbalances. As well as bringing you profiles and project features that celebrate the work of game changing, innovative women, we’ll also lean into the very real, yet rarely discussed realities of working in an industry that still holds onto traditional modes of working that aren’t always inclusive or supportive. It’s our privilege this month to bring you profiles and features that celebrate the unique skills and talents that women bring to the Architecture and Interior Design industry. We congratulate each and every female member of the Australian design community for the important contribution they make.