Carr Graduate Interior Designer Lauren Roberts has been named VIC/TAS Graduate of the Year and Place – Higher Education category winner at the Design Institute of Australia’s (DIA) Graduates of the Year Awards (GOTYAs).

First established in 2003, the GOTYAs are the DIA’s flagship program designed to support and celebrate Australia’s most promising emerging designers. Tertiary institutions nominate their top graduates across two qualification levels – Higher Education or Vocational – in four categories: Place, Use, Interact, and Convey. Finalists are assessed by a panel of judges on their transferable workplace skills and potential impact on the Australian design industry.

Roberts’ award-winning project, Eden Community Centre, was completed during her studies at Swinburne University of Technology, and explores ways to strengthen social connections among women to combat loneliness. The adaptive reuse of a former church as a community hub aims to create a warm and comfortable environment while preserving the building’s integrity.

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The winning project reflects the Place category’s focus on spaces where people live, work, and play, celebrating interior design that demonstrates a thoughtful resolution of spatial planning, structural integration, and traffic flow.

“My research on loneliness guided me to include two main objectives for my design. Firstly, to create a welcoming and homely environment that encourages women to return and stay longer. This was achieved through comfortable, residential-scale interiors, an uplifting colour palette, and quiet moments for women to take a break from social spaces. I also wanted to create a space that fosters intergenerational connections,” shares Roberts.

The jury comments: “Lauren demonstrates a mature and empathetic design voice with exceptional passion for accessible design and social responsibility, creating deeply considered and clearly articulated concepts that showcase sophisticated material specification, strong spatial storytelling, and innovative sustainable strategies that position her as a thoughtful and impactful emerging professional.”

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