For most of 2021, we have seen new ways of living and coming together. Our public spaces and streets have changed with the inclusion of physical distancing signs, bollards and outdoor eateries. Our parks, homes, offices and schools have taken on a new meaning. And our interaction with products and services is being re-evaluated and transformed.

Designers have undoubtedly entered a new world and are being called upon to find new solutions and question our values and ethical responsibilities. What is it that makes our lives better? What makes good design?

Since its formation in 1948, the DIA has focused on design as the discipline, rather than focusing on individual disciplines within design. We felt that these times and the challenges we are all facing had presented DIA with an ideal opportunity to introduce a new approach towards design excellence to realign our values and refresh how we recognize and celebrate good design. To focus on designers and their processes. We took up the challenge, and after much thought, collaboration with designers, inspiration and planning, we created and presented the inaugural Designers Australia Awards.

In a unique reimagining of the more traditional awards, the focus for the Designers Australia Awards was not just about the result but the designers themselves, their processes and how they respond to authenticity, diversity, equality, inclusivity, community and the environment. Acknowledging the diversity, variety, and interconnected nature of design, we created three groundbreaking multidisciplinary categories that would have previously been categorized by traditional design disciplines such as industrial, interior, graphic, digital, product, environmental, textile, fashion and many more. The three categories are: Place representing the spaces we live, work, play; Use describing things we use; and Interact depicting what or who we interact with.

The Designers Australia Awards benefited from a diverse, enthusiastic jury that embraced our new awards program. The jury included new-generation designer Alessandra Baldereschi, trend forecasters Lidewij Edelkoort and Philip Fimmano, cross-disciplinary artist Nicole Monks, and QUT Design Lab expert Dr Rafael Gomez amongst others. Over seventy entries were shortlisted, all reflecting an ability by the designer in some way to make a solid contribution to a better world. Thirty-five of the shortlisted entries were presented with an Award of Merit.

Place winner, Bates Smart for Gandel Wing, Cabrini was identified for their exemplary approach to design by focusing on wellness and humancentred healthcare. They were praised for creating a partnership with nature and technology to encourage healing rather than simply treating disease. Use winner, DesignByThem for DL Range by Gibson Karlo, highlighted a successful collaboration between industrial designers Sarah Gibson and Nicholas Karlovasitis and Australian fashion designer Dion Lee. The key objective of this project was to promote cross-disciplinary design by creating a unique body of work, exploring and materiality and merging fashion and industrial design.

Monash University Department of Design, the Interact winner for HyperSext City, use design as an intersecting mediator, educational and collaborative tool giving voice to community members. The University’s XYX Lab was commended for its investigative exhibition encouraging and empowering people to comprehend and imagine complex issues together.

Multidisciplinary designer, artist, student mentor and former DIA Graduate of the Year recipient Edward Linacre took out the inaugural President’s award. Through his work with Copper Design and Mycelium Studios, he was applauded for his contribution to the profession and commitment to diversity and equality across cultures, gender and race.

The Designers Australia Awards also included the 2021 Graduate of the Year Awards presentation identifying the amazing new designers that are entering our profession. It was inspirational to see the student submissions responding to our times and instrumental in providing tertiary institutions and design graduates with vital, real-life feedback from experienced designers and industry figures. From 173 graduates across all states, the national winners were Sophie Yencken RMIT University; Gisella Candi University of Technology Sydney; Bolaji Teniola RMIT University; Joanne Odisho RMIT University; Isabelle Kleijn UNSW; Madison Chan University of Technology Sydney; and Erin McConnell Swinburne University of Technology. The Madeline Lester Award Winner was Isabelle Kleijn, UNSW.

The DIA is embracing the challenges of our times and looking forward to the future with all the opportunities presented to us. The world has come to embrace new realities. We are all sharing global challenges. Through collaboration, the DIA aims to help designers prosper by providing knowledge, thought leadership, access and inclusivity. We support our emerging and established design community, cultivate collaboration, encourage conversation and deep listening and recognise our collective commitment to Australian design and its influence on culture and society. This year, what it means to succeed as a designer was re-defined, and for this recognition, the DIA was able to gain local and international attention. Being able to offer inspiration, acknowledge Australia’s wonderful designers, and promote good design and its valuable role is our highest priority. It’s clearly the contribution we can all make to a circular design-led economy and to enhance the quality of our community life.