Exceptional Design Studios

Park + Associates. Photography: Derek Swalwell

Whether the practice is large or small and whatever their chosen genre of work, each entrant in The Design Studio is a consummate achiever.

Throughout our region the variety of studios within the architecture and design community is almost limitless. The shortlisted practices in The Design Studio in this year’s INDE.Awards differ in size and make up, offering and output, structure and process but the continuum is exemplary work enhanced but collaboration and connectivity both in the studio and outside with other creatives.

Each studio in this category is a leader, sure of itself and its power to produce outstanding projects for a client that will enhance the reputation of the studio.

Russell & George. Photography: Sean Fennessy

To create the very best in design is uppermost in the minds of all the practitioners in The Design Studio, as it is for the supporter of the category, Woven Image. Since its establishment in 1987, Woven Image has been at the forefront of design providing commercial textiles and acoustic finishes for walls, ceilings and space dividing for the interior. As the company looks to the future through innovative products, so too do those shortlisted for The Design Studio as they represent their own particular practice models developed through experience and over time.

Alan Heath, Sales Manager, Woven Image perused The Design Studio shortlist and commented, “The design studios that are represented in the INDE.Awards are all exceptional practitioners. We can see that design is alive and well in our region and that connection and collaboration are foremost. All the shortlist practices are responding to their local and indeed a global environment but it’s obvious that collectively they are providing great design for their clients and community.

Christopher Boots Studio. Photography: Guy Lavoipierre

So many of the practices are design leaders in their country and throughout our region and each is to be congratulated for the work they produce, Heath, observed, “The inspiration that comes from the shortlist is the variation of designs and the differences between the material use in the architecture. The shortlist and their projects oscillate from hard concrete and glass through to timber and earthy tones and the use of monochrome is fabulous as is the multi-colour school in India.”

Asked if there were particular practices that stood out from the group, Heath mentioned three practices in particular. “Standouts for me were Russell & George. There is a fantastic look and feel to their designs and the material ceiling and the multi-coloured baffles in retail projects are just wonderful. Another stand out is Christopher Boots for his lighting that utilises crystals that are fantastically intricate. And, of course Alexander & Co, who designed the newly renovated Harbord Hotel in Freshwater – which is our local!

Alexander &CO. Photography: Anson Smart

Now we know the shortlist, the next event will be the announcement of the winners in Sydney on 5 August at the INDE.Awards gala and Heath commented, “I’m looking forward to face-to-face networking and celebrating the amazing achievements of the A & D community throughout the Indo-Pacific region, both to make up for last year and in celebration of this year.”