What do you think when the words “designed in Melbourne” are bandied about town? The rest of the world is about to find out as Ian Wong, Industrial designer of 35 years and Director of Monash University’s Masters of Industrial Design leads a collection of 64 iconic designs thrusting Melbourne pieces onto the world stage at Milan’s World Expo.

The city of Melbourne in collaboration with MADA – Monash University’s Faculty of Art Design and Architecture, will be showcasing local  innovations onto a global stage, through the premiere of the exhibit; “BlackBOX: Design and Innovation in Melbourne” which is to be held as part of Expo in Citta in conjunction with the World Expo in Milan.

Over 284 design businesses call Melbourne home, this exhibition is set to “demonstrate the success of our design sector of over 150 years, and features designs that have been successfully commercialised on a global scale” says Councillor Kevin Louey, Chair of Council’s Economic Development committee. This exhibition will celebrate “64 industrial and product design innovations from Melbourne that have changed lives across the globe.”

Famous Melbourne designs to be included will be the Blackbox flight recorder invented by Dr David Warren, the first ever barista standard Keep Cup, the Sherrin football and locally made bag company Crumpler, their now quintessentially Melbourne designs originated when ‘a Melbourne bloke couldn’t find a bag that let him cycle home with a slab of beer on his back.’

BlackBOX is the only Australian presence in Milan for the World Expo expected to attract 29 million visitors over six months. BlackBOX will be showcasing as part of the Fabbrica del Vapore,