After much anticipation, (inside) Interior Design Review magazine has announced the winners of its prestigious 2015 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) on Friday 20 November.

Now in its thirteenth year, IDEA showcases the best of Australian product and interior design. The awards program receives hundreds of submissions from around the country each year and is recognised as the Australia’s premium independent awards program.

2014 IDEA Overall category winner and this year’s jury panel member, Patrick Kennedy of Kennedy Nolan addresses the IDEA 2015 audience

The 2015 IDEA winners and nominees were honoured with a stellar reception at this year’s IDEA Gala Party. Held in front of the striking backdrop of Melbourne Museum’s living rainforest, it was a night to remember for the luminaries of the Australian interior design and architecture scene.

The esteemed 2015 IDEA jury included Adam Goodrum, Jan O’Connor, Sarah-Jane Pyke, Patrick Kennedy, Rachel Luchetti, Rob Backhouse and Sue Fenton, as well as (inside) magazine’s editors Jan Henderson and Gillian Serisier.

Overall and Public Space winners John Wardle Architects with Ross Evans of Miele

This year’s highly coveted Overall Winner is the Melbourne School of Design at the University of Melbourne, by John Wardle Architects with NADAAA. Part wonder, part utility, the building engages with students as a functional place of learning, while posing extraordinary architectural conundrums for the students to consider.

Designer of the Year winners Jackson Clements Burrows Architects with Chris Correll from Cult

The recipient of the 2015 Designer of the Year award is Melbourne-based architecture and design practice Jackson Clements Burrows (JCB). The breadth of work completed by the practice this year is indeed diverse and includes projects shortlisted in multiple IDEA categories – single residential, multi residential, public space and workplace over and under 1000sqm. This year, JCB Architects also won the Residential Multi category for their project, Upper House. Naming the practice Designer of the Year, IDEA acknowledges the team’s important contribution to the design landscape of our country.

CEO of Woods Bagot and IDEA 2015 Gold Medal winner Nik Karalis with Tim Jordan of Bathe

Taking home the Gold Medal this year is Nik Karalis, CEO of Woods Bagot. With a background in interior design, architect Karalis has contributed prolifically to the company’s portfolio and culture during his twenty-two years with Woods Bagot. His work ranges from master planning to civic and commercial buildings and intimate interiors. The internationally acclaimed practitioner has won many awards, and IDEA celebrates his inspiring career with this year’s Gold Medal.

Karoline De Mendonça’s competition winning Miele installation

Overall sponsor of IDEA, Miele, held a competition alongside IDEA in support of emerging Australian talent. The brief was to design an installation incorporating a Miele product and expressing the brand’s philosophy of ‘Immer Besser’ or ‘Forever Better’. The winning designer was given $4000 to build their installation, which was displayed at the Melbourne Museum during the 2015 IDEA Gala Party.

The competition was won by Karoline De Mendonça, from Sydney-based practice Those Architects, who took home the $1000 prize money from Miele.

2015 IDEA winners

 EVENT

Mark Simpson and Damien Mulvihill of DesignOffice with Carlo Pagoda from Academy of Design

DesignOffice’s Pop Down Bar. Photography by Peter Bennetts

Winner: DesignOffice – Pop Down Bar
Highly Commended: Edwards Moore – the lightloft
Highly Commended: mcleodstudio – Hospital for Broken Things

HOSPITALITY

ACME&CO with Gavin Williams from Space

ACME&CO’s Archie Rose Distilling Co.Photography by Murray Fredericks

Winner: ACME&CO – Archie Rose Distilling Co.
Highly Commended: DesignOffice – Filter
Highly Commended: Studio You Me – The Kettle Black

 INTERNATIONAL

A member of Christopher Boots’ team accepts the award on his behalf from Phil Brenton of Maximum

Christopher Boots – Hermès Vitrine D’Artiste. Photography by Lauren Coleman

Winner: Christopher Boots – Hermès Vitrine D’Artiste

Hecker Guthrie with Phil Brenton from Maximum

Hecker Guthrie – Gia. Photography by Oetomo Foto

Winner: Hecker Guthrie – Gia
Highly Commended: Travis Walton Architecture – BO$$ MAN

OBJECT

Studio Henry Wilson’s A Joint Stretch. Photography by Jonathan Chambers

Winner: Studio Henry Wilson – A-Joint Stretch
Highly Commended: REDUXR – O’Lamp
Highly Commended: daast – Big Foot Dining Table

PUBLIC SPACE

John Wardle Architects with NADAAA – Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne. Photography by Peter Bennetts

Winner: John Wardle Architects with NADAAA – Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne
Highly Commended: McBride Charles Ryan – PEGS Middle Girls
Highly Commended: Woods Bagot – Nan Tien Institute and Cultural Centre

RESIDENTIAL DECORATION

The talented team at Arent&Pyke, including directors Sarah-Jane Pyke and Juliette Arent with Mark Sandilands from Rogerseller

Arent&Pyke – Figtree House. Photography by Felix Forest

Winner: Arent&Pyke – Figtree House
Highly Commended: Amber Road – Cronulla Residence
Highly Commended: Whiting Architects – The Strand

RESIDENTIAL MULTI

Jackson Clements Burrows – Upper House. Photography by Shannon McGrath

Winner: Jackson Clements Burrows – Upper House
Highly Commended: Hecker Guthrie – Elwood House
Highly Commended: Wood Marsh Architecture – Domain Road Apartments

RESIDENTIAL SINGLE

The team from MAKE Architecture with Tanya Rive of Halliday & Ballie

MAKE Architecture – Local House. Photography by Peter Bennetts

Winner: MAKE Architecture – Local House
Highly Commended: Smart Design Studio – Orama
Highly Commended: CO-AP Architects – Balmoral House

RETAIL

Adele Troeger of Koichi Takada with Kim Harper from Royal Oak Floors 

PAYCE with Koichi Takada Architects and Turner – East Village. Photography by Tom Ferguson

Winner: PAYCE with Koichi Takada Architects and Turner – East Village
Highly Commended: Fiona Lynch Office – habbot
Highly Commended: Woods Bagot – Living Edge Showroom

WORKPLACE OVER 1000SQM

The team at HASSELL with Peter Byrnes from Workspace

Photography by Peter Bennetts

Winner: HASSELL – Medibank Workplace
Highly Commended: arnoldlane – Breville
Highly Commended: Bower Architecture – ACU Institutes at Spring Street

WORKPLACE UNDER 1000SQM

Tony Chenchow with Sarah Pattison from Stylecraft

Winner: Chenchow Little – Bresic Whitney Hunters Hill
Highly Commended: Jackson Clements Burrows – The Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation
Highly Commended: Studiobird with Mark Richardson – Hydronaut

OVERALL WINNER

MSD interior. Photo by Sean Fennessy

Winner: John Wardle Architects with NADAAA – Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne

SUSTAINABILITY

Winner: HASSELL – Medibank Workplace

EMERGING DESIGNER

Photography by Murray Fredericks

Winner: ACME&CO

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

The Arbory by JCB Architects. Photo by John Gollings

Winner: Jackson Clements Burrows

EDITORS’ MEDAL

Winner: Adam Goodrum

GOLD MEDAL

Winner: Nik Karalis

Please visit www.idea-awards.com.au to see the full list of winners and their work.

Event photography by Michelle Williams. Above image: IDEA winners received these exemplary trophies custom made by Axolotl.