students display their work at DesignEx 2008

Interior Design

With "green" and "sustainability" the latest buzzwords in the design and construction industries, the Whitehouse Institute of Design, Australia is doing its part to increase the "green" design expertise and experience of the future generation of Interior Designers.

In affiliation with DMG World Media, Interior Design students were given the opportunity to design an environmentally sustainable bookshop to be featured at the prestigious DesignEx in April 2008.

Students were presented with a design brief that encompassed a number of essentials, including new sustainable building materials (Xanita-Xboard, Abet Laminati-Tefor, and Forbo-Artolem), the lifecycle of the stand and ease of construction. The design also had to be functional to hold 500-1000 books. With so many elements to consider, students had to use all of their creativity and design skill to top the field.

A team of four second year Interior Design students, Jariya Akaramahesak, Jonathan Fleming, Joanne Ibrahim and Laura O'Sullivan, were awarded the prize of their design being constructed and displayed.

The design explored the functional constraints of weight, security, and the specifics of each product as well as drawing people to the store aesthetically with form, color, texture and light. Perforated, patterned apertures allowed light to filter through, creating light and shade throughout the store's interior. Bookshelves were derived from the idea of stacking books within a shelf and designed as modules that could be easily demountable and flat packed. For ease of construction and strength, panels fitted together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and the construction involved minimal fixings and no adhesives.

- Adele Winteridge (Interior Design Lecturer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Styling and Creative Direction 

This year for DesignEx the Styling and Creative Direction department was asked to create a stage performance for the ‘Changing Trends Feature’ focusing on changing trends within lifestyle. The show was called ‘Changing Rooms’ and revolved around  the idea of constantly redesigning and redecorating three separate rooms each day themed beach, country and city.

The Event stirred up quite a crowd as the Programme Coordinator of the Whitehouse Styling Department, Peter Dwyer, compared the event on the microphone while the third year Bachelor of Design Styling students, created unique style directions within the rooms. Themes ranged from Country classics in ‘Duck Egg’ to ‘City Slick’ and ‘Beach Blues’ to name a few.

Students sourced furniture pieces from Matt Black, Sounds Like Home, carpets from Hip Home, and the latest fabrics from Hoad, Nettex, Boyac, Wilsons, J.W design, Ella and Sophia and Oliveaux. There were also fabulous paintings supplied by Interior Art Image and Smart Art Direct.

The response from the ‘Changing Trends' performances grew over the duration of the Exhibition with crowds and other exhibitors expressing interest in the products used within the individual rooms and also with the Whitehouse Design courses.

- Claire Reynolds and Peter Dwyer (Styling Design Lecturer and Programme Coordinator - Styling)