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Young blood: Brittany Pearce of Woods Bagot

Young blood: Brittany Pearce of Woods Bagot

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“Commencing professional interior design practice at Woods Bagot while still a student, Brittany Pearce contributes to the workplace sector, starting with a sophisticated biomimicry concept for a major project, now nearing completion. Three years later she has a ream of projects. The recipient of several design awards and a travel scholarship at age 25, Pearce plays an important role in inspiring the next generation of young designers.” – Sue Fenton, senior associate at Woods Bagot.

Brittany Pearce

Brittany Pearce is leading the charge of the next generation of talented interior designers.

ON THE OPPORTUNITY
At this early stage of my career, I believe taking as many opportunities that present themselves to me as possible is beneficial to my development as a designer. By participating in things such as competitions and exhibitions, I am able to gain skills and experiences that I may not have gained in a professional setting. It also provides a lot exposure to many people and media outlets, which I believe is important for a young interior designer establishing a place in the industry.

Hall & Wilcox office fitout, Rialto, Melbourne, 2013.

Hall & Wilcox office fitout, Rialto, Melbourne, 2013. Photo by Shannon McGrath.

ON THE VISION
Having a sense of self-belief isn’t something you gain overnight. It’s an action that you need to practise over time. The hardest part about taking risks or ‘backing yourself ’ is taking the first step and making that decision to have a go. Anything beyond that is easy. The more decisions like this that you make, the better you become at making them and taking opportunities when they arise. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy; if you believe you are good at something you’ll inevitably become that and even more. Confidence goes a long way in this industry, but it’s equally as vital to stay humble too.

Jemena office fitout, Melbourne, 2014.

Jemena office fitout, Melbourne, 2014. Photo by Shannon McGrath.

ON KNOWING YOURSELF
One of the hardest things about being a young designer is the self-doubt or having that feeling of being a ‘fraud’. The best way I know to overcome this is being honest with yourself, knowing both your strengths and weaknesses. Identifying what I am good at is equally as important as knowing what I lack. This allows me to develop confidence in myself and gives me the opportunity to surround myself with people who can fill in my weaknesses and for me to learn from them.

Workshop in Shanghai for Penumbra, the winning design of Haworth's 'Celebrating great design' competition.

Workshop in Shanghai for Penumbra, the winning design of Haworth’s ‘Celebrating great design’ competition. Photo by Brittany Pearce.

ON TEAMWORK
All of the things I have done, I have done with other people. I think it’s the only way to guarantee success and good outcomes. As an individual, your abilities can only go a certain distance. Collaborating with people who have different levels of experience enables me to learn and develop; I’m sure it goes both ways too. It all comes back to knowing your weaknesses and strengths – having the awareness of what I need to work on allows me to identify people who can teach me different things. It’s also all about building relationships. I know the friendships I have formed at this stage of my career will last me for a long time still, which for me is one of the most important things about working in this industry.

Lead image, Fiat Chrysler HQ, Port Melbourne, 2013 design competition, Monash University. Photo by Peter Bennetts.

woodsbagot.com

Brittany Pearce was nominated by Sue Fenton for MEZZANINE‘s Top 20 under 40, which was published in issue #7. Subscribe to MEZZANINE at shop.niche.com.au or digitally through Zinio.

Read about the international style of Henry Wilson, another nominee in the Top 20 under 40.

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