Networking by design

Suzanne Lazaroo

19 November 2019: From space-saving chairs that scored for innovation, aesthetics and practicality to barbecues as good-looking as they were functional, designs and concepts from students of the University of Canberra’s School of Design and the Built Environment wowed an appreciative audience at last week’s Design Program Industry Awards.

Equal parts awards ceremony, exhibition and final project, the event saw students and industry representatives meeting and mingling, as they viewed portfolios and projects from this year’s graduating students.

“It was a great opportunity for the students to have one-on-one conversations with industry professionals, to make connections and get feedback on their own work,” said Lecturer in Design Mikaela Danvers, one of the main event organisers.

“At the same time, it was a chance to see everyone’s work displayed together for the first time, and celebrate getting their degrees, with peers from their own discipline.”

This is the first year that the School is holding the awards independently from the larger FADX, the Faculty of Arts and Design’s Student Graduate Exhibition.

“We did this in order to streamline the awards, so that students and industry professionals could have that time together,” Ms Danvers said. “We had very encouraging feedback from industry, as to the quality of the work on display.”

While Bachelor of Industrial Design students designed functional objects like the stools and barbecues, Bachelor of Graphic Design students brought in takeaway designs like business cards, in addition to their displayed portfolios.

Most of the awards were based on students’ overall portfolios. One exception was the Best Design Product category, which went to David Mennie for his sleek barbecue prototype.

The three winners of the CraftACT Design Emerging Contemporaries award were Katie Mcauliffe,
George Shvili and Oliver Chiswell. Each will have exhibit opportunities with the organisation next year, as part of the award.

Industry feedback aside, the students had many reasons to be proud of themselves in getting the event together, Ms Danvers said. “They basically had to work in a 42-person project group, and it was great to see the way they pulled together at the eleventh hour!”

Sponsors for the Design Awards included Oath + Stone, ROJO Customs, Cre8ive, Giraffe, Oxide interactive, Transit Graphics, wan0.net, Bytes + Colours, CraftACT, Capital Brewing Co., Artforme and Keep Co.

Full list of Design Program Industry Awards 2019

All exhibition portfolios will be on display in the larger FADX Student Graduate Exhibition, on at the UC Refectory, 19 to 20 November 2019.

Click here for more details.