Dq 56 preview mag

The Change Issue.

Design Quarterly explores how the business of design tackles change.

Living Edge Designpreneur Sebastian Wrong Apato Dyson RMIT Design Hub Orgatec Germany 2014 Issue 56 Summer 2015

Editorial

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inside word

t’s a brand new year for DQ and a brand new year for design.

Looking at this issue, you might be thinking “hey, that doesn’t look like last issue! Where has that section gone? What have they done with A, B or C?” – and you would be right. Yes, things look a little different, both visually and editorially. It should come as no surprise then, that I chose to explore the theme of ‘change’ for the first issue of 2015. In the last few years – and particularly in the last three months – change has been a fairly busy factor in our professional lives. Strategies change, systems get replaced, offices move and agility is the only way to stay fresh and keep your head above water in an industry that demands constant change.

In the most immediate and obvious sense, you’ll notice that not only has DQ undergone an ever-so-slight cosmetic makeover, but also that the editorial curation has shifted; where you can expect all of the same dialogue and opinion, just placed and grouped in an alternative way. From what was five sections, we’ve narrowed it down to a cool three, where the content has been absorbed and re-distributed to the remaining sections to create a richer, fuller analysis of the business of design.

Change for change’s sake is seldom a good idea. So you’ll be happy to know that these changes weren’t arrived at lightly. Over the course of my time here at DQ (verging on the two-year mark now) I have gotten to know the personality of the brand. What it means to me. What it means to you. And I’ve discovered that the content we produce in this publication is entirely driven by industry activity – and how it changes. We are a reflection of what is happening out there in the big, wide design world. We are not fixed, just as the industry itself is not fixed.

The new and (hopefully) improved DQ aims to be more conversational, more discourse-driven, less ‘bitsy’ and more focused on how changes in the global and local markets are impacting on your business in design.

We live in a world that’s constantly changing: new initiatives, new work modalities, new technology improvements, new ways to stay ahead of the competition, new everything!

All this comes together to force continuing transformations to the way you conduct your business and life. Changes can be big or small. They can be personal or professional, intimate or systemwide, emotional or rational. But one thing is common: you feel anxious and frightened by the very idea of it. Change is inevitable, but where do you begin? Who can help you face it? And how and when do you make sure you accomplish your change goals?

The adoption of new ideas and techniques does not occur naturally, but results from hard work, trial and error. In this issue of DQ, we will address areas including; how and why are designers and specifyers adapting new practices to meet market needs?

How and why are businesses looking to change their methods of communication to create a dialogue with their market? What is the result of a brand changing its environment – both physically and philosophically? How can business leaders most efficiently execute change management in their organisation? And what can the design industry learn about change from cognitive science and change psychology?

These are the questions we want to answer, and hopefully in the process we will derail the anxiety compounded by change at a time when we as an industry need it most. Enjoy the issue! +

Words by Sophia Watson

DQ Editor Sophia Watson, dq@indesign.com.au

Melbourne Editor Alice Blackwood, Alice@indesign.com.au

CEO / Publisher Raj Nandan, raj@indesign.com.au

Senior Designer Alex Buccheri, alex@indesign.com.au

Online Editor Tess Ritchie, tess@indesign.com.au

PA to Publisher/subscriptions Elizabeth Davy-Hou, liz@indesign.com.au

Junior Designer James McLaughlin, james@indesign.com.au

Contributing Writers Alice Blackwood, Annie Reid, Ben Morgan, Byron George, Carly Barrett, David Granger, Elana Castle, Leanne Amodeo, Lorenzo Logi, Marg Hearn, Nicky Lobo, Tess Ritchie

Sales Director Marie Jakubowicz, marie@indesign.com.au

Junior Designer / Ad traffic Kelsie Barley, kelsie@indesign.com.au Contributing Designer Emma Duval Consulting Creative Director Christopher Holt, HOLT Design

Design Intern Gemma Stoner

Financial Director Kavita Lala, kavita@indesign.com.au Accounts Gabrielle Regan, gabrielle@indesign.com.au Vivia Felice, vivia@indesign.com.au

Production Manager Sophie Mead, sophie@indesign.com.au indesignlive.com/dq

Events and Marketing Tegan Schwarz, tegan@indesign.com.au Angie Boustred, angie@indesign.com.au Online Radu Enache, radu@indesign.com.au Ramith Verdheneni, ramith@indesign.com.au Ryan Sumners, ryan@indesign.com.au Advertising Enquiries Marigold Banta (61 2) 9368 0150 marigold@indesign.com.au

Editorial

BEHIND THE SCENES On the cover ‘ TIME FOR CHANGE’

by Living Edge for their new showroom experience at The Woolstores Alexandria, project designed by Woods Bagot.

Livingedge.com.au Creative concept Christopher Holt, HOLT Design Holtdesign.com.au COVER Illustration Alex Buccheri cargocollective.com/bucci Behind the scenes Photography Kelsie Barley + Gemma Stoner

Corrections

indesignlive.com/dq /DESIGNQUARTERLY @TWEETDQ designquarterly

In issue #55, pg. 99, design firm Super Tectonics should have been credited as partnering with Stylecraft for ‘The Project’ during Indesign: The Event Melbourne 2014. In ‘On The Move’, pg. 17, caption 04 should include that Abbey Magalad has spent the last 16 years with Chris Connell as Project Manager for MAP International, and will bring that exceptional experience to the wider Great Dane team.

Design Quarterly (DQ) is a wholly owned Australian publication, which is designed and published quarterly in Australia. DQ is available through subscription, at major newsagencies and bookshops nationally. Subscriptions – never miss an issue by subscribing online at indesignlive.com, faxing us at (61 2) 9368 0289, or emailing subscriptions@indesign.com.au. Design Quarterly is a quarterly publication fed by who is doing what in the design industry, championing the personality behind design. It aims to promote and create the next generation of design as well as supporting those designers who are more established. The editor accepts submissions from writers/photographers/illustrators for editorial consideration. We encourage those working in the design industry to submit news and announcements, so we can keep readers abreast of your new developments. Editorial submissions should be made out to the editor dq@indesign.com.au. Any digital images should be supplied by email, downloadable link, or on CD at 300dpi, minimum 20cm wide. Please also supply full contact details and captions with images. Contributions are submitted at the sender’s risk, and DQ cannot accept any loss or damage. Please retain duplicates of text and images. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any other means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise. The publishers assume no responsibility for errors or omissions or any consequences of reliance on this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, the publisher or the publication. Magazine Stock Our printer is Environmental Management System ISO14001:2004 accredited. Printing inks are vegetable based. Paper is environmentally friendly ECF (elemental chlorine free) and recyclable. Printed in Singapore. Published under licence by Indesign Publishing Pty Ltd ABN 96 101 789 262 Head Office, SYDNEY Level 1, 50 Marshall Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 | (61 2) 9368 0150, (61 2) 9368 0289 (fax) | info@indesign.com.au | indesignlive.com MELBOURNE Suite 11, Level 1, 95 Victoria Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065 SINGAPORE 4 Leng Kee Road, #06-08 SIS Building, Singapore 159088 | (+65) 6475 5228, (+65) 6475 5238 (fax) HONG KONG Unit 12, 21st Floor, Wayson Commercial Building, 28 Connaught Road West, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong | indesignlive.hk indesignlive.com/dq

Contents

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Industry

influencers

NEWSFLASH // SHOWROOMS DEBRIEF – CAN YOU LEARN CREATIVITY? DIGITAL BUSINESS + METRICS A Perfect 10 – TEMPERATURE DESIGN

SEBASTIAN WRONG WRONG FOR HAY GAVIN HARRIS FUTURESPACE TIM HAYMES HAYMES PAINT ANDREW MAYNARD + mark austin ANDREW MAYNARD ARCHITECTS

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PROFILE SUSANNA BILARDO + JUDD CRUSH // ENOKI Daniel To and Emma Aiston // DANIEL EMMA SYDNEY LIVING MUSEUMS KATE STOKES // COCO FLIP ON THE MOVE 5 MINS WITH... JEFF MOREHEN, FJMT BYRON GEORGE ON CHANGE

In-depth

CHANGE IN WHAT WAYS CAN ‘CHANGE’ IMPACT ON the business of design?

PARTIES + EVENTS Adele bates ORGATEC, GERMANY 2014 the textile company zenith BRISBANE EUROLUCE MELBOURNE THE TANDEM PROJECT Q+A

indesignlive.com/dq

Showroom Strategy How are Australian design businesses responding to the changing needs of the retail market?

James Richardson, Adelaide After many years of a showroom with no profile or exposure, James Richardson had outgrown its Adelaide location. The idea was to have a modern and interactive showroom with an aspirational product range to showcase the vast product the brand wanted to project to the A&D market.

“We wanted to have something different,” says national sales manager Brett Guest, “so with the commissioning of local Graffiti company Milkcrate Culture and design firm UNO, we came up with an idea for a local icon theme incorporating some popout-the-wall art.”

With the launch of their new showroom, James Richardson now has the ability to have a far stronger client-to-product strategy, the result of which will have increased traffic from their target market. This will be a destination for A&D in the region, essential to any Adelaide specifiers and clients looking for product inspiration. jamesrichardson.com.au // (61 8) 8211 8966

Great Dane, Sydney + Melbourne Great Dane and McCartney Design have worked in partnership over the past seven years in evolving the Great Dane brand, most recently in the re-development of the new Great Dane Sydney and Melbourne showrooms. McCartney Design was commissioned to address the Great Dane brand identity in both showrooms, which have been redesigned to reflect the evolution.

“Our product has always reflected luxury, classic Scandinavian design, and our identity has evolved to reflect that same aesthetic. This showroom is a true reflection of the future of our business. It’s a unique retail proposition which pushes the boundaries of what people think a retail space can be, creating the perfect home for Scandinavian luxury design,” says Great Dane owner Anton Assaard.

CDK Stone, Sydney + Melbourne In what was an intensive interstate effort, CDK Stone recently reimagined both its Sydney and Melbourne showrooms; offering its sales staff a perfectly situated facility to meet with designers and architects, as well as a highly-branded space in which to showcase their products to passing trade and stone hunters doing the rounds of the Richmond and Alexandria design hubs.

The Melbourne showroom design was entrusted to long-standing and respected client MIM Design and interior architect Aaron Wooster. The Sydney showroom on the other hand, is a shared space between CDK Stone and Thinkdzine. Designed by Tracy Stern, Dean Welsh and Angelo Musumeci, the process involved countless hours of research to establish the right imported brands, lots of searching for the best location and site, then the synergy of the CDK alignment…. Not to mention a few trips to Italy.

greatdanefurniture.com // (61 2) 9699 7677 // 61 3 9417 5599

cdkstone.com.au // (61 2) 9822 5155 // (61 3) 8552 6000

indesignlive.com/dq

INdustry

Catapult, Sydney

Eurolinx, Sydney In Late 2013 when the Eurolinx Group acquired the De Dietrich brand, the decision was made that the showroom space within the Sydney head office would allocate room to the luxury French brand.

Design house, Cool Edie’s, were commissioned with the task of creating a showroom space that united the ILVE and De Dietrich brands in perfect harmony, without having to completely demolish the current showroom as it stood.

The process was executed in three stages: new flooring, bring De Dietrich to the front of the showroom in the allocated space, then update key

elements and style pieces within the spaciouslyallocated ILVE space. The challenge here, was keeping the showroom open and operational whilst renovations were happening, given that closing the showroom was not an option. “We now have what we believe is a permanent home for the De Dietrich brand at Eurolinx,” says Eurolinx managing director Jamey Colbert, “and this now allows us to consolidate and showcase two of the worlds most premium cooking brands within the one showroom.” eurolinx.com.au // 1300 694 583

Less than a year after Leigh Johnson and Aaron Zorzo founded the company, Catapult Design had collected quite a stable of designers and the need for a showroom became very apparent. Directors Johnson and Zorzo undertook the task of securing the current space, conceptualising and designing the interior and fitout, and completing the vast majority of the work—with a little help from family and friends.

“The showroom has already added exposure and traffic,” said Johnson. “Not only for our business, but for the designers we represent. The opportunity for clients or potential customers to come in and see and touch the products they’re interested in is truly invaluable. And having a physical location gives us so much more of a presence—we’re no longer hidden behind a URL, you can visit us, chat to us. It makes us that much more real,” added Zorzo. “And the ability to get that instant feedback on new ideas or concepts is also really valuable. This showroom is the first step of what will be a long journey, but it’s an incredibly important one.” catapultdesign.net.au // (61 2) 8001 6646

Own World, Sydney “To us, location is everything,” says OWN WORLD founder & director Peter Quintal-Norris. “We opted to forego space and stay on the edge of the CBD to encourage visitation by the A&D community and their clients. We base our business on relationships, interaction and sociability. We wanted it to be easy for a designer to jump in a taxi to come and see us.

We felt that if we followed the trend of moving to the city’s newer, outer design precincts, people may feel it’s a burden to leave their desks (and find parking!).

Whilst we only have 125m2 space, we make it our mission to keep the studio fresh by regularly rotating product from our large warehouse near the airport.

We won’t let size limit our showcase.” The A&D market are time poor – everybody is pushed and

under the pump. Showroom visits are becoming less frequent, with designers being more desk-bound, relying heavily on clear web information and product being delivered to them for trial. “Our goal is to always act responsively,” says Quintal-Norris, “so if a designer wants to view a product in the flesh, we don’t hesitate to jump in one of our vehicles and get it to them asap.” The space - designed by Sydneybased architect Hans Freymadl, reinforces the current trend of encompassing residential elements into corporate and hospitality environments, but also the time-poor industry. ownworld.com.au // (61) 402 000 855

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Spec’tacular

The specifier must-haves this quarter

01 QIE PENDANT

08 Capri Multi Oak & Lounge

Design & Brand / Bentu Supplier / Meizai meizai.com.au (61 3) 9279 2888

Design & Brand / Busk+Hertzog Supplier / Interstudio interstudio.com.au 1300 785 199

02 SUPERKINK ARM CHAIR

09 Circa Pendant Light

Design & Brand / Blå Station Supplier / Chairbiz chairbiz.com (61 2) 8399 1300

Design / Pablo Studio Brand / Pablo Designs Supplier / Own World ownworld.com.au (61 2) 9358 1155

03 HOODIE workpod Design, Brand & Supplier / Koskela koskela.com.au (61 2) 9280 0999 04 LINFA BASIN MIXER Design &Brand / Linfa Supplier / Parisi parisi.com.au (61 2) 9559 3666 05 Nerd bar stool Design / David Geckeler Brand / Muuto Supplier / Living Edge livingedge.com.au 1300 132 154 06 Modular Lounge

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Design, Brand & Supplier / Prototype Commercial Furniture prototype.net.au 1300 799 376 07 XF WORKSTATION SYSTEM 06

Design, Brand & Supplier / Xchange xchange-design.ch 61 4 2317 5233

indesignlive.com/dq

10 SERIE UP 2000 UPJ (JUNIOR) ARMCHAIR Design / Gaetano Pesce Brand / B&B Italia Supplier / Space Furniture spacefurniture.com.au (61 2) 8339 7588 11 Monza Dining Table Design / Henrik Pedersen Brand & Supplier / BoConcept boconcept.com.au (61 2) 9437 0066 12 HAI LOUNGECHAIR Design / Luca Nichetto Brand / Hem Supplier / DISTRICT district.com.au (61 8) 9388 1855 13 South SL Chair Design / Jason Bird Brand & Supplier / Luxxbox luxxbox.com (61 7) 3257 2822

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GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE A recent collaboration between Italian design-duo Erika Zorzi and Matteo Sangalli of Mathery, and Melbournebased Dale Hardiman of LAB DE STU and Dowel Jones fame, presents an interesting ‘how-to’ case for mastering collaboration dynamics.

How did the partnership eventuate and progress?

Erika + Matteo: When we first arrived in Melbourne we didn’t know anyone and we didn’t know much about the amazing city that Melbourne is. We started meeting lots of interesting people, Dale [Hardiman] was one of the first we approached. We knew that we had to do something together, and because of time constraints at the beginning we tried to force it, but then it just started working on the HI Hangers project in a very natural and constructive way, once we’d broken the ice between laughs – and lots of coffee.

How was the process different from working with two other designers compared to working as a solo designer?

Dale: I’ve tended to work on more collaborative projects recently then individual ones – this is a result of wanting to learn more from others. This year alone I’ve produced five new products and one exhibition through collaborations, and haven’t actually produced any new solo work since February 2013.

Matteo and Erika are not only incredible designers, but are incredible at making things happen in a short period of time.

I’ve spoken to designers who work 100 per cent by themselves, and they say it can be quite a lonely process, and sometimes you can get stuck on a single element that could have been resolved in no time with someone else’s eyes.

I’m lucky in the sense that I have LAB DE STU (three designers) and Dowel Jones (two designers) and

my studio is located in Ash Allen’s factory, so I’m never far away from a designer I trust.

Even from the first meeting with Matteo and Erika over a year ago, I knew I could trust their judgment on everything, I believed in the work they were doing, and this meant between the three of us we could make snap decisions with complete trust in each other that what we were doing was only going to make it better.

What did you learn from the experience overall?

Dale: One thing I’ve learnt from Mathery with HI HANGERS was how the photoshoot of the project or product really has the power of communication in this industry.

I also learnt that a designer really can be whatever they need to be, outside of their core specialty. When Matteo and Erika first arrived in Australia, they only knew a little bit of english – but they also weren’t professional photographers or film makers (the design photography was shot and styled by Erika and Matteo in Dale’s kitchen). When we study design, we learn design fundamentals; how to design products; and we learn informally about other areas like graphic work, and even web design so we’re able to have our content on the internet to share with others.

Usually when we have photos taken of our final products, we have deep etched images, but don’t learn how to take the photos ourselves, meaning we don’t have a huge amount of control.

The HI HANGER photos, as we ran short of time, were taken in my kitchen, on a Saturday and Sunday

by Erika and Matteo. Because we had this freedom and this time, we were able to control the entire language of the photoshoot and how we would communicate this product – as the product itself is something for aesthetic consumption – and needed to be represented in this way. + Interview by Sophia Watson

dale-hardiman.com // hello@dale-hardiman.com mathery.it // hello@mathery.it

This page / Matteo Sangalli, Erika Zorzi of Mathery and Dale Hardiman of LAB DE STU and Dowel Jones for their collaborative project ‘HI Hangers’ product, Photo: Erika Zorzi and Matteo Sangalli

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INdustry

This page / ‘Intrude’ luminous inflatable bunny installation, created by Amanda Parer, Launceston, presented by Junction Arts Festival in association with Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery

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THE ART OF BUSINESS What can small businesses in design gain from experiential events?

n 1997, Bilbao, Spain, reinvented itself by opening Bilbao Guggenheim; in the UK the Wunderbar Festival has played a major role in the prosperity of Newcastle. In Tasmania, we hear of the new ‘golden age’ Hobart has been enjoying since the opening of MONA in 2011. As festival director of Junction Arts, Natalie De Vito, reminds us, “For decades, developing cultural capital has supported regional development and rejuvenated cities in economic decline.” In Australia, we’re seeing it more and more – Renew Newcastle, Underbelly, Anywhere Festival – just to name a few.

So what is it about experiential initiatives that councils and businesses are now recognising as important for a region or precinct? The potential long-term impact they have culturally, socially and economically? And what can small businesses in the design industry learn from their example?

“The world is changing,” says De Vito. “More and more audiences and visitors want personal experiences, access to people, places and things.”

In Launceston, Northern Tasmania, Junction Arts Festival – borne out of the 2010 Regional Arts Australia Conference when Events Tasmania and the local council “recognised that Launceston and Northern Tasmania did not have an artsfocused event and could support one,” – does just that. The festival is committed to commissioning and producing new live arts and site-specific performances, giving people access to places that locals and visitors would never have the opportunity to experience, and inviting audiences to take an active part in creating or realising the work. Here, Junction Arts satisfies those audience demands.

But it also satisfies the council’s local goals.

As Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten explains, Tasmania’s City Heart Project is: “essentially about revitalising infrastructure, but also about finding creative uses for under-utilised public spaces.

[Junction Arts] brings a selection of these [empty] spaces to life, attracting people to the region.”

Holding unlikely performances in unconventional locations, including heritage-listed buildings, rooftops and empty shops, is what makes Junction special; it is also where the challenge comes in, mostly around compliance. Despite that, Junction just had its most successful year, seeing “a dramatic increase in awareness, interest and engagement by the local community and visitors to Tasmania to attend the Festival”. This increase is not the only reason to host the festival though. “Our challenge is always to change attitude of ‘no, you can’t do that’, to ‘how can you do that?’,” says De Vito.

And herein lies perhaps the most significant thing to take from Junction, and festivals alike: lateral, creative thinking. An experiential approach to marketing has already become evident among companies in the past few years – DOMO’s recent pop-up with Hecker Guthrie in Melbourne which transformed a showroom into an apartment, is one recent example, not to mention the success of events such as Indesign: The Event. It is the way of the future. So, in light of this, and various arts-based events offering personal and unique experiences, involve community and give them access to unlikely places, but within all of those strategies, be rigorously creative. +

Words by Tess Ritchie

junctionartsfestival.com.au // (61 3) 6331 1309

indesignlive.com/dq

“ Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.�

George Bernard Shaw indesignlive.com/dq

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ranslated as “garden” in Latin, Hortus is the brainchild of friends, Christie Petsinis and Tim Wilson of Folk Architecture and Melissa Loughnan of Utopian Slumps. The two practices forged Utopian Folk two years ago, after winning a grant from Places Victoria to develop the empty space north of Etihad Stadium.

“Community consultation revealed that people were ready to embrace the Docklands waterfront but needed a reason to do that,” said Simon Wilson, Project Victoria’s general manager - precincts urban renewal.

The small pop-up structure is designed on Harbour Esplanade’s waterfront with an 18-month shelf life, featuring a plant installation

by Utopian Slumps’s artist, Lauren Berkowitz, coffee from Seven Seeds, a range of foraged elements and key material supplies from local sponsors, including Viridian Glass.

“For Melissa, it was about taking her artists outside the gallery, and for us it was about getting art into our buildings,” Petsinis says. “We want to make places that engage with people and draw a wider audience.”

As a temporary structure, Hortus has a deliberate focus on evolving and taking shape in different forms.

The area opposite was utilised for Friday afternoon food trucks over summer, while the space itself has been used as a community engagement forum with summer plans afoot to host yoga classes.

“Beyond the project’s art and building installations, our approach was to facilitate the creation of

FERTILISING BUSINESS How are designers responding to the growing need for precinct activation? Collaborative pop-up “Hortus” in Melbourne’s Docklands is paving the way for experiential initiatives, and demonstrates how design can stimulate growth.

This Page / ‘Hortus’ pop-up in Melbourne, designed by Folk Architecture and Utopian Slumps, Photo: Peter Bennetts 43

an environment that could be utilised by community groups for various events and activities - as an informal backyard area, where people are encouraged to participate and have a sense of ownership,” Wilson says.

The experiential project also joins the City of Melbourne and Place Victoria’s second pilot, Docklands Spaces, enabling short-term, rent-free creative use of underutilised spaces.

“It’s about filling in the gaps,” Wilson says. “We are pretty happy with the way Hortus has been received and are looking forward to the next phase.”

On a larger scale, Hortus symbolises Utopian Folk’s ideals, which strongly emphasise collaboration throughout the design process to deliver projects that extend beyond architecture’s physical dimensions.

“Folk’s philosophy is to make design more accessible and engage with a broader public audience, which is why we have deliberately not named the practice after ourselves,” Petsinis says.

Working together to develop the Docklands enables them to collaborate with like-minded individuals who share a common vision to activate spaces.

“Our aim was to make this a catalyst for other things to happen in this area, and for people to come down and enjoy the space,” Petsinis says. Goal acheived. + Words by Annie Reid

folkarchitects.com // we@folkarchitects.com utopianslumps.com // (61 3) 9077 9918

indesignlive.com/dq

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A brand needs to be about something more than its products.

Melbourne newcomers and Japanese design house Apato, demonstrate why culture is as essential to their brand as the designs they carry.

CULTURAL EXPORT “I

f you cut down a 100 year old tree,” says Apato director See Yen Foo, “you should use it to make products that last a 100 years… That is something we really believe in.” We hear the same old product stories time-and-time again. We get the press releases, we see them in magazines where the colours are always varied and the price is marked clearly, but there is seldom and connection to a larger idea or belief. Other than the fact that it is beautiful, why would you specify that product?

Brand values have the ability to push a business into the stratosphere, or – down to the discount bin. They establish the basis of how your business is viewed by the market, and what users associate with your name.

And here, new kids on the block, Apato, really have their cultural values shored-up.

“Japan is already well-known for a culture of excellence in manufacturing, food and whisky – amongst other things,” explains Foo. “Naturally, this all-pervading perfectionist mentality drives

Opposite / ‘IS’ Lounge Chair, designed by Inoda+Sveje for Miyazaki Chair Factory Co. Ltd, available from Apato

Japanese furniture manufacturers to create exquisite high-end furniture pieces too.

To this end, durability is the essence of Apato. Apato and its products endeavor to achieve durability in every sense of the word; this cuts through every aspect of our business.

By consistently providing fine products that consumers demand, Apato hopes to achieve durability in its brand. In terms of design and quality, our products have been shown to be durable enough to stand the test of time. We are passionate about sourcing beautiful, timeless products that will last a lifetime. Finally, in partnership, we seek long, fruitful and durable relationships with committed current and future partners and stakeholders. This is our strongest value.”

Though they have only been active in Australia for six months (recently partnering with Group GSA as part of Indesign: The Event Melbourne 2014) Foo and the Apato team have been quick to firmly establish who they are, what they do, and what matters to them most. The selected brands carried by Apato – including Japanese heavyweights such as Nissin Furniture Crafters, Ishinomaki Laboaratory, Miyazaki Chair Company, Takumi Kohgei, Takayama and Asahikawa to name a few – have been strategically and discerningly curated to align with Apato’s emphasis on durability in every sense of the word.

Foo explains: “When selecting brands and designs, we look for

a range of variables: modern simplicity that is well-designed.

We believe that functionality is as important as beauty when it comes to design, particularly with an increasing need for furniture that is not only beautiful, but also compact and practical. Skillful use of quality and sustainable timber also emphasizes our stance on durable design materials. For example, each piece of timber used is unique in its texture and grain, thereby crafting furniture pieces each with its own distinctive individuality.”

Each of the brands under the Apato umbrella make a strong statement about their values, and what the market can expect from them. It reinforces their capability, and direction to their clients, and has already yielded positive results within what has only been a short period of time.

As shifts and changes in consumer culture continue to make waves in this industry, it is now more important than ever to show the market what your brand stands for beyond the products you house. Sure, the fabric is beautiful on that chair, and curvature of those timber legs are stunning – but what will get your market’s attention are your values, backed-up by a strong product offering demonstrating those values. And to that end, Apato demonstrates a strong, definite culture that will be quick in capturing Australia’s attention. + Words by Sophia Watson

apato.com.au // (61 3) 9912 7250

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“ For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer was ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I knew I needed to change something.”

Steve Jobs

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IN-Depth How does design, as a business, move with change?

This page / New Living Edge showroom interior sketch by Domenic Alvaro from Woods Bagot Sydney

Winston Churchill once said: “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”

And boy, he was right. We live in a world that’s constantly changing: new initiatives, new work modalities, new technology improvements, new ways to stay ahead of the competition, new everything.

indesignlive.com/dq

IN-depth

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ll of these variables come together to force continuing transformations to the way you conduct your business and your life. Changes can be big or small. They can be personal or professional, intimate or system-wide, emotional or rational. But one thing is common: you feel anxious and frightened by the very idea of it. Change is inevitable, but where do you begin? Who can help you face it? And how and when do you make sure you accomplish your change goals?

The adoption of new ideas and techniques does not occur naturally, but rather results from hard work, trial and error. A broad spectrum of skills is needed to lead to effective management of innovation and change – and there is no magic formula for success.

The adoption of new innovations involves altering human behaviour, and the acceptance of change.

There is a natural resistance to change for several reasons, and my feeling is that this is the result of its inherent ambiguity. So this is what this issue of IN-DEPTH will try to address; how and why are designers and specifyers adapting new practices to meet market needs? How and why are businesses looking to change their methods of communication to create a dialogue with their market? What is the result of a brand changing its environment – both physically and philosophically? How can business leaders most efficiently execute change management in their organisation? And what can the design industry learn about change from cognitive science and behavioural psychology?

These are the questions we want to answer, and hopefully in the process we will derail the anxiety compounded by change at a time when we as an industry need it most. + Words by Sophia Watson

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INFLUENCERS

with

Jeff Morehen, FJMT

To date, what has been your best business move?

Without a doubt the best business move I have made is forming my long-term friendship and partnership with Richard Francis-Jones. We have a very complementary approach, shared values, work extremely well together and are great mates.

We first met in the Sydney office of Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp (MGT) and progressed with Richard Thorp to becoming the Sydney Partners of the practice.

Under our direction the practice grew, and as a result became FJMT towards the end of 2002.

Under this revised structure, the practice has gone from strength-to-strength with a long established Melbourne Studio and shortly will be re-establishing our UK studio.

Business-wise, what has been your greatest challenge?

The greatest challenge for any architectural practice is finding the circumstances and time to design projects of excellence.

Design excellence and innovation

takes time. It is always a challenge to find this within increasingly fast-tracked project programmes, despite it being well-recognised that it is the design phase where the most value for a project can be delivered.

In these increasingly frenetic times, contemporary practice faces time and cost pressures like never before. Buildings that are produced however are more complex, and often subjected to overlapped design and construction delivery processes that places incredible pressure on the architect and wider consultant team.

FJMT puts an enormous amount of care, attention and dedication into our projects, within an industry context of increased competitiveness for professional fees. Our challenge remains balancing the importance of time and cost with design excellence and quality. I like to think that our track record demonstrates we have been successful in this regard.

some projects over others. The Darling Quarter development (Commonwealth Bank Place) has certainly been an exciting development. Working closely with Lend Lease, Aspect Studios, the client and the wider consultant team, an extraordinary project was delivered. Building on what was perceived as a public park in the family entertainment heart of Darling Harbour, the project overcame and questioned the traditional paradigm of the contemporary office and workplace.

What are some of your more recent stand out projects?

INTERVIEW BY SOPHIA WATSON

It is always difficult to pick out

fjmt.com.au // (61 2) 9251 7077

What are some of the skills and qualities you would still like to acquire professionally? Enhanced organisation and time management. With the oftencompeting business and project demands and increasing overseas commitments, my time is split across a number of priorities.

Increased organisational skills would certainly help me to focus on what’s most important. +

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This page / Jeff Morehen, Managing Director FJMT based in Sydney

From things‌ little

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SWEET COLOGNe

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Indesign Soiree in Cologne, Germany for Orgatec 2014

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On Wednesday October 22, Indesign Media hosted a soiree in Cologne for clients attending Orgatec. Held at the Pullman Hotel, the night was a huge success; with over 80 of Indesign’s guests from Australia, Asia and International A&D communities gathered in Cologne last week to mark the annual Orgatec Fair. Not only a great opportunity to get together, the celebration also marked the beginning of what will be an exciting 2015 for Indesign, as they plan a major focus on Worklife. orgatec.com

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Be inspired –

by a world class lighting exhibition

Be enlightened –

by expert speakers from Australia and around the world

Be entertained –

at the spectacular Gala Dinner

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INFLUENCERS

01 Tony Russell,

Justine Montel 02 Melinda Love, James Kemp, Michael Fitzsimmons 03 Marie Jakubowicz, Mark Swanton 04 Jean Pail Delahayo, Peter Röhrig, Joe Tse 05 Aidan Mawhinney, Tony Sutton, Frank Digiorgio 06 Phil Duggin, Guests 07 David Tang, Guests, Carmen Olivella 08 Raj Nandan, Team Zenith 09 Dale Washington, Guest 10 Jean Pail Delahayo,

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Peter Röhrig, Joe Tse 11 Amanda Stanaway, Guests 12 Guest, David Lloyd, Samuel Gowland 13 Guest, Greg Walsh, Raj Nandan 14 Aidan Mawhinney, Charlie Brazier 15 Celia Quattrociocchi, Eric and Rhonda Costa 16 Kasim Ali Khan, Guest 17 Marie Jakubowicz, Joe Merlino 18 Michael Brisbane, Guest, Carmen Olivella

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See, touch and experience what is now and what is next in lighting technology at the

27-29 May 2015 at the Sydney Exhibition Centre, Glebe Island, Sydney For more information or to sign up to SPARC eNews head to Destination: SPARC at www.sparcevent.org or email: info@sparcevent.org

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