Competition: Supporting the next generation of Australian designers
The pandemic may already feel like a distant memory, but it had many lessons for the way we live — some with long standing impact.
For designers, architects and builders, one of the biggest takeaways was the value of supporting Australian design and manufacturing. With supply chains severely compromised, extending delivery times from a few weeks to several months, those who could design and make high quality furniture, flooring and lighting on Australian shores found themselves in high demand. And it was not just delivery times that were driving renewed interest in Australian design and manufacturing. Superior products designed for local conditions, as well as the ability to customise products to suit each clients’ needs showed the market for Australian products is significant, particularly at the upper end of the residential market where the desire to ‘connect’ directly with makers continues to grow.
It’s long overdue recognition for a sector dominated by imports, even at the highest end of the residential sector.
THE NEXT GENERATION
The long-term success of Australian design and manufacturing depends on supporting the next emerging generation of designers, which is why Kanebridge Quarterly magazine has partnered with Australia’s Next Top Designer this year, offering a cash prize of $10,000 to the winner for the first time.
Launched in 2022 by Design Show Australia, Australia’s Next Top Designers was created to shine a spotlight on emerging designers, makers and creatives with breakthrough products and concepts shaping the future of design.
Editor in chief of Kanebridge Quarterly, Robyn Willis, says the prize provides opportunity for emerging designers to develop prototypes, invest in marketing or further their education, formally or through travel experiences.
“It’s genuinely exciting for Kanebridge Quarterly to be partnering with Australia’s Next Top Designer this year,” she says. “The awards offer a platform for the next generation of emerging designers to showcase their work to industry while the prize is a practical pathway to help them on their way to the next stage of their career.”
DESIGN TITLE WITH A DIFFERENCE
Kanebridge Quarterly magazine is a seasonal title distributed across Australia focusing on the three pillars of Property, Money and Living. Aimed at a curated, engaged audience, it’s a beautiful publication, low on jargon but high on information about everything to make your residential design project successful.
Each year it dedicates an issue to all things Australian made. Stories about Australian designers, innovators, thought leaders, destinations and more highlight the depth and breadth of local talent in a beautifully packaged publication designed to have a long shelf life.
As part of its collaboration with Australia’s Next Top Designer, Kanebridge Quarterly magazine is running editorial spreads in its Winter 2024 edition to coincide with the show, followed by a focus on the category winners in the Spring 2024 issue.
“It’s part of our ongoing commitment to stand with industry and bring the work of local designers, makers and innovators to a wider audience thirsty for practical ways to integrate quality furniture and lighting into their residential spaces.
We’re delighted to be a part of The Design Show and Australia’s Next Top Designer.”
Learn more about Australia’s Next Top Designer Awards and apply to enter at designshow.com.au/antd. Submissions close Thursday, 4 April 2024.
Stay above the noise and ahead of the crowd with Australia’s best advice and inspiration on property, investing and residential design in Kanebridge Quarterly magazine.
