Designer Nicola Lloyd was awarded the top 2011 Queensland Premier's Design Awards last night.

Queensland Arts Minister Rachel Nolan announced that Nicola Lloyd of Lloyd Grey Design was the winner of the Smart State Design Fellow for 2011.

"This $40,000 award recognises an individual who has significantly contributed to developing a design culture within Queensland and Ms Lloyd certainly typifies this award," Nolan said.

Image: designweekbrisbane

"Ms Lloyd has a long-standing commitment to fostering design thinking in Queensland through her business, as a lecturer at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, and as a member of several professional organisations including the Design Institute of Australia, Australian Graphic Design Association and Australian Marketing Institute.

"The Smart State Design Fellow is an advocate and champion for design in Queensland, undertaking speaking engagements across the state for 12 months, and also becoming a member of the Queensland Design Council, the State Government's design advisory group.

"The second and final award, the $10,000 Emerging Design Leader acknowledges the rising talent of the design sector and goes to Brisbane-based urban and regional planner Yen Trinh.

"Ms Trinh has been part of projects that include designing landscapes, furniture, exhibitions and graphic design across Australia, as well as in Toronto and New York among other international destinations.

"She is a passionate advocate for design as an agent for social change and is strongly involved in many programs focused on rethinking everyday experiences through innovative design.

"The Emerging Design Leader Award winner is required to pursue professional development opportunities with their travel bursary, usually by attending international design events and festivals."

Earlier, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh had announced the seven leading designers shortlisted for the 2011 Queensland Premier's Design Awards.

Bligh said the awards, now in their second year, are the richest design awards in Australia.

"They recognise individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the sector through their understanding of great community design and design thinking.

Nolan congratulated all shortlisted nominees and thanked the judges and partners of the 2011 awards including, the Indesign Group, publishers of Indesign and Habitus magazines, DQ and online journal Indesignlive; Architecture Media's Artichoke magazine; ABC Radio National; the State Library of Queensland; and Queensland winery Sirromet.

The Design Awards are a key initiative of the Queensland Design Strategy 2020 and are an part of the Government's commitment to growing the design sector and improving community understanding of, and value for, good design and design thinking.

For more information on the awards visit: www.arts.qld.gov.au/qdpa

Shortlist: Emerging Design Leader

Jamie Perrow

Jamie runs his own diverse and multi-disciplinary design practice, Jamie Perrow Design Studio, as well as working on high profile Queensland, national and international projects as a Design Manager at Urban Art Projects (UAP). Jamie designed the 40 metre water fountain in Brisbane's China Town Mall. He has also held leading roles on national and international projects such as the Indigenous Wing at the National Gallery of Australia, public art sculptures for the Shanghai World Expo 2010 and the KAUST project in Saudi Arabia. With strengths in public art and design, Jamie is a committed advocate for the potential of design to enliven public spaces, evoke feelings, provide meaning and create a sense of community.

Yen Trinh (winner)

Yen has developed a diverse and global portfolio of design projects and practice since graduating with qualifications in urban and regional planning. From making places and cities, Yen has also been part of projects that include designing landscapes, furniture, exhibitions and graphic design. Yen is a passionate advocate for design as an agent for social change. Inspired by her international experiences, Yen has brought to Brisbane opportunities for rethinking everyday experiences through the prism of design thinking. An example is Yen's role initiating Brisbane PARK(ing) Day in 2008. This event is designed to raise awareness about the core interests of urban design including public space and sustainability.

Shortlist: Smart State Design Fellow

Ari Athans

Ari founded Ari Jewellery, Brisbane's only dedicated jewellery gallery and workshop, in 2004, releasing two ranges each year as well as crafting one-off, handmade commissions to a clientele of private, corporate and government clients. Ari's early interest in geology continues to creatively inform her design practice where metals and gemstones are transformed into unique objects of meaning and value. Ari's entrepreneurial approach to her creative practice provides young designers in Queensland with a successful model of a designer/maker conceptualising, creating, exhibiting and selling in the one place. Ari is a generous mentor and advocate for Queensland design, offering an internship each year and regularly collaborating with artists, architects and other design professionals.

Tanja Hall

Tanja is Director and founder of JOLT, a Brisbane-based visual communication design studio and is a long-standing member of the Australian Graphic Design Association (AGDA). In addition to growing her design practice, Tanja is currently serving her fourth year as President of AGDA Queensland and is also serving on the AGDA National Council. Through this voluntary contribution Tanja has had the opportunity to foster and inspire ethical and excellent standards within the design community and to advocate and promote good design to the wider public. Tanja championed the successful bid to host OPTIMISM: Icongrada Design Week in Brisbane in 2010 which attracted 1800 local, interstate and international visitors and showcased leading international themes, thinking and trends within the communications design sector.

Nicola Lloyd (winner)

Nicola arrived in Queensland in 1987 drawn north by the opportunity to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team co-designing three pavilions for World Expo '88. She also worked as the project designer on key projects such as branding Sanctuary Cove, Brisbane Hilton and Cairns Hilton. In 1993 Nicola co-founded Lloyd Grey Design which has since grown to become a leading, integrated branding and communications consultancy with a diverse portfolio of dedicated clients. Nicola has a long-standing commitment to fostering design thinking in Queensland. She is as an active member of several professional organisations where she shares her knowledge, experience and passion for design thinking with students, businesses and working design practitioners.

Kevin O'Brien

Kevin O'Brien established his architectural practice Kevin O'Brien Architects in 2006 with the aim of developing the Aboriginal concept of Country as a source of inspiration for an architectural process - tempering his architectural training with his Indigenous cultural heritage. Country permeates all aspects of his professional and academic design practice, from designing joinery to delivering unique architectural outcomes. Kevin is a committed advocate for design thinking. As an Adjunct Professor at the Queensland University of Technology, he initiated a School of Design Torres Strait Studio in 2009, and in 2010 led a project where 10 landscape architecture students worked with the Hammond Island community to develop projects and an ongoing relationship. Kevin regularly speaks about design and Country throughout Australia and internationally.

Robert Riddel

Robert's firm, Riddel Architects, has for 30 years pursued an interest in locally produced design, particularly the history of architectural design in Queensland, which he has worked to identify and preserve. His work on high profile buildings such as the Customs House, UQ Law School and National Australia Bank at 308 Queen Street, demonstrates his commitment to celebrating and respecting the best from those who preceded us, which in turn informs his current design practice. Robert says more than aesthetics, the adaptive reuse of significant established buildings not only preserves cultural significance but has positive implications for sustainability. Robert is an Adjunct Professor in the Architecture faculty of the University of Queensland and has served several organisations such as The National Trust of Queensland, the Queensland Heritage Council, the Board for Urban Places and the Australian Institute of Architects, among others.

David Wheeldon

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