Melbourne Indesign returns in 2016, this time with a fresh concept that celebrates the local design community and brings the industry together to converse, collaborate, create and innovate.

Indesign: The Event has been held annually in design centres across the Asia Pacific for over a decade. In every city, the event is distinguished by a coming together of boutique commercial design houses, international and regional, and leading creative figures from the architecture and design industry. 

This year, Melbourne Indesign will feature a day of industry talks within showrooms and architecture tours within key Melbourne design precincts on Friday, 12 August. The following day (Saturday, 13 August) will see a series of intimate events, showroom locations and pop-up spaces across Richmond and Collingwood.

Here are a few of our favourite events on the Friday:

LIVELIFE: THE ICONIC BRICK VENEER AS OUR SUBURBAN HERITAGE

10.30 – 11.30am

Arthur G, 618 Church Street, Richmond

Explore Australia’s architectural and design identity with Shelley Penn (City of Melbourne), Paul Roser (National Trust Victoria) and Tim Ross (comedian and design identity).

What architecture and design is worth protecting? How will Australian identity evolve going forward? How important is a creating or maintaining an architectural identity? What responsibility should architects and designers have in the story of Australian identity?

The Iconic Brick Veneer as Our Suburban Heritage will be moderated by Alice Blackwood (Indesign Magazine).



WORKLIFE: ARE WE FED UP WITH FAME?

11.30am – 12.30pm

Urban Edge, 17 – 21 Swan Street, Richmond

Is celebrity still a valuable currency in the business of design? Do so-called starchitects use this celebrity to safeguard themselves from criticism? What does it say about the business of design that so much fame and celebrity status is given to those designs that channel a sense of avant-garde or novelty?

Speakers Adele Bates (Adele Bates Design), Anthony Bologna (Trout Creative) and Alexander Loterszatin (Derlot) will delve into these questions at Are We Fed Up with Fame?. The talk will be moderated by Sophia Watson (Editor of Indesign Magazine).



AAA SHORT BLACK TALK: ARCHITECTS IN THEIR SPACE – IAN MCDOUGALL

12.30 – 2pm

Shrine of Remembrance – Auditorium, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne

Ian McDougall, a founding director of ARM Architecture, will talk about the design of his firm’s additions to the Shrine of Remembrance in Kings Domain. 

The Shrine of Remembrance was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war. ARM Architecture designed additions to the existing structure in the form of four sunken zigzag-shaped courtyards, linking an under croft housing the Galleries of Remembrance, Visitor’s Centre, offices, theatre and associated back-of-house spaces.



WORKLIFE: THE WAR FOR TALENT

1.30 – 2.30pm

Café Culture + Insitu, 77 Cromwell Street, Collingwood

Join Heidi Smith (Gray Puksand), James Grose (BVN), Kellie Payne (Bates Smart), Sue Fenton (Woods Bagot) as they discuss creating and fostering talent.

How do you foster a sense of community in a working environment? How do you create somewhere that makes the best new and developing talent in any given field want to work there? What are the key elements that the latest generation of talent is looking for in a contemporary workplace?

The War for Talent will be moderated by Max Thomson (Spitfire Council).



WORKLIFE: WHO HIRED THE PROJECT MANAGER?

4 – 5pm

District, 20 Russell Street, Melbourne

They coordinate the work of the design team and numerous consultants, and manage communication with the client, so why are project managers perceived as the villain of the design process? Who Hired the Project Manager? will shine a positive light on this misunderstood role. 

The panel will feature Byron George (Russell & George), Ingrid Bakker (Hassell), Kylie Caruana (Rothelowman) and Shannon Peach (Milieu) – moderated by Max Thomson (Spitfire Council).