Latest news with #MelbourneDesignWeek
Tatler Asia
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
Where to go and what to do on the final day of Melbourne Design Week
Exhibition: 'The Kinetics of Thought: Tactile Sculpture and Contemporary Wood Design' As part of Melbourne Design Week, artist Wanda Gillespie unveils her two-day exhibition, 'The Kinetics of Thought', set within the atmospheric Mural Hall at Abbotsford Convent. A contemplative woodcarver, Gillespie's practice lies at the intersection of the tangible and the metaphysical. Her work invites quiet introspection, reflecting on the systems through which we define, measure and seek meaning. See more: The first Art Basel Awards recognise 6 Asian talents This exhibition features intricately carved abacus sculptures and a reimagined Newton's Cradle—no longer a tool of physics but a ceremonial object, infused with spiritual weight. Developed during her residency with the Victorian Woodworkers' Association, Gillespie's pieces challenge the ways we assign value, and the ecological toll of choices we scarcely notice. Prayer beads appear throughout, not merely for counting, but as conduits for inner contemplation. These are poetic artefacts—meditative, symbolic, and attuned to the unseen forces that quietly shape our world. Event information Time: 13:00 – 17:00 (UTC+10) Location: Mural Hall, Abbotsford Convent, Saint Heliers Street, Abbotsford VIC, Australia Exhibition: 'Made By Robots' Above The 'Made By Robots' exhibition was conceptualised by students from the Melbourne School of Design, and brought to life by Michael Park in collaboration with the Robotics Lab at MSD The Made By Robots exhibition unveils a striking prototype—an off-centre habitat conceived especially for native bees and insects. Assembled on-site using salvaged wood and robotic assistance, the structure opens up fresh possibilities for architecture and urban design, moving away from conventions that serve only human needs. This project imagines a more generous future, one where biodiversity is not an afterthought but part of the blueprint. Set within the evolving Fishermans Bend precinct, a post-industrial landscape undergoing redevelopment, Made By Robots proposes a web of small-scale living environments for other species, linking into 'bio-corridors' that meander through the city. The exhibition is the result of the Digital Fabrication Elective at the Melbourne School of Design (MSD), University of Melbourne. Designed by students and realised by Michael Park in collaboration with MSD's Robotics Lab, the project was supported by FB IDEAs, the Creative Futures Fund (MSD), and Vaughan Constructions. Event informationTime: 12:00 – 00:00 (UTC+10) Location: 884 Lorimer Street, Port Melbourne VIC, Australia Exhibition: 'Threads of Connection (To Self)' Threads of Connection (To Self) is an immersive fibre art installation exploring the quiet complexities of growth, resilience and selfhood. Inspired by artist Kasia Dudkiewicz's personal journey, and presented under her label, Knotted By Hand, the exhibition transforms fibre into more than just medium. It becomes a path to healing, reflection and inner strength. Delicate yet deeply expressive, the handwoven works trace an emotional arc from fragmentation to coherence, from uncertainty to clarity. Through textured landscapes of yarn and knotted forms, the pieces evoke movement and metamorphosis. Here, the process of growing up is not linear but layered, filled with imperfect beauty. Alongside the exhibition, visitors can observe a live demonstration by Dudkiewicz, whose work is both intuitive and technically assured. A large-scale community tapestry, created collaboratively throughout the design week, invites the public to take part—each knot marking a shared moment, a quiet act of connection. The work concludes today. Event information Time: 10:00 – 16:00 (UTC+10) Location: M+Co Living Showroom, 13 Roper Street, Moorabbin VIC, Australia Exhibition: 'Offcuts' Making its debut at Melbourne Design Week, Offcuts by Made Studio reimagines the overlooked. Here, fragments of discarded oak become sculptural statements, works that challenge the idea of waste and celebrate the beauty of what remains. Created by artist brothers Garrett and Alex Lark, the pieces stem from the surplus of the studio's production process. Each offcut, once dismissed, is given a new life, transformed into objects that blur the line between furniture and art. Offcuts is not just a design showcase; it is a meditation on impermanence, regeneration, and our relationship with the material world. Event informationTime: 11:00 – 16:00 (UTC+10) Location: Made Studio, 175 Rose Street, Fitzroy VIC, Australia Read more: When interior design turns private jets into flying galleries Exhibition: 'Carrying Loud' Carrying is no longer merely a gesture or a function, it becomes a design statement in Carrying Loud. In this inventive exhibition, bags are just the beginning. From cranes to shelves, hands to unseen forces, the idea of 'carrying' expands into unexpected forms. Playful yet thoughtful, the project poses a question: if we reframe the act of carrying through a design lens, what might it become? With support from the Alpaka brand, the exhibition bridges concept and commerce, offering insight into production methods, access to international networks and a space where ideas might take tangible form. Event information Time: 10:00 – 16:00 (UTC+10) Location: Alpaka Labs, 28 Wharf Street, Docklands VIC, Australia Credits Images: Melbourne Design Week
The Advertiser
20-05-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Designers find the beauty in much-maligned plane trees
Love them or hate them, it turns out the ubiquitous London plane tree has an exceptionally beautiful wood grain. That's according to craftsman Andy Ward, who has repurposed timber from an inner-city Melbourne tree for a Design Week exhibition. "People just can't believe how beautiful the material is. It's a shock. They just wouldn't expect the wood to look that way," he said. From furniture to knives, a vase and even pencils, the exhibition at vintage and design shop Ma House Supply Store shows the timber has potential. The exhibition is titled Goodbye London Plane, and the wood for the project came from a street tree that was being cut down and would otherwise have been woodchipped. But Revival Projects - a Collingwood workshop that specialises in saving materials for sustainable building - managed to collect the timber instead. Ma House proprietor and curator Ben Mooney bought the timber and gave half a dozen craftspeople an equal share to work with. "We got the scrappy bits of the tree to be honest, the remnants. So even the scrappy bits are worth something," he said. Ward constructed a backlit partition featuring a cut out circle. The piece shows off the wave of the wood grain by day, and has an "eclipse effect" as light shines through the hole when it gets dark. The hardy London plane tree grows in cities worldwide. In Melbourne, for example, mass planting during the 1980s and 1990s created a CBD monoculture dominated by the species. While plane trees provide shade, they release spores that can cause irritation and allergies, and their roots destroy footpaths and underground infrastructure. The City of Melbourne plans to reduce the dominance of the species over time, to less than 20 per cent of trees in the CBD. "If that's to go ahead, we should be using the material, because it's really beautiful stuff and easy to work with," said Ward. Goodbye London Plane is on at Ma House Supply Store from Wednesday until Sunday as part of Melbourne Design Week. Love them or hate them, it turns out the ubiquitous London plane tree has an exceptionally beautiful wood grain. That's according to craftsman Andy Ward, who has repurposed timber from an inner-city Melbourne tree for a Design Week exhibition. "People just can't believe how beautiful the material is. It's a shock. They just wouldn't expect the wood to look that way," he said. From furniture to knives, a vase and even pencils, the exhibition at vintage and design shop Ma House Supply Store shows the timber has potential. The exhibition is titled Goodbye London Plane, and the wood for the project came from a street tree that was being cut down and would otherwise have been woodchipped. But Revival Projects - a Collingwood workshop that specialises in saving materials for sustainable building - managed to collect the timber instead. Ma House proprietor and curator Ben Mooney bought the timber and gave half a dozen craftspeople an equal share to work with. "We got the scrappy bits of the tree to be honest, the remnants. So even the scrappy bits are worth something," he said. Ward constructed a backlit partition featuring a cut out circle. The piece shows off the wave of the wood grain by day, and has an "eclipse effect" as light shines through the hole when it gets dark. The hardy London plane tree grows in cities worldwide. In Melbourne, for example, mass planting during the 1980s and 1990s created a CBD monoculture dominated by the species. While plane trees provide shade, they release spores that can cause irritation and allergies, and their roots destroy footpaths and underground infrastructure. The City of Melbourne plans to reduce the dominance of the species over time, to less than 20 per cent of trees in the CBD. "If that's to go ahead, we should be using the material, because it's really beautiful stuff and easy to work with," said Ward. Goodbye London Plane is on at Ma House Supply Store from Wednesday until Sunday as part of Melbourne Design Week. Love them or hate them, it turns out the ubiquitous London plane tree has an exceptionally beautiful wood grain. That's according to craftsman Andy Ward, who has repurposed timber from an inner-city Melbourne tree for a Design Week exhibition. "People just can't believe how beautiful the material is. It's a shock. They just wouldn't expect the wood to look that way," he said. From furniture to knives, a vase and even pencils, the exhibition at vintage and design shop Ma House Supply Store shows the timber has potential. The exhibition is titled Goodbye London Plane, and the wood for the project came from a street tree that was being cut down and would otherwise have been woodchipped. But Revival Projects - a Collingwood workshop that specialises in saving materials for sustainable building - managed to collect the timber instead. Ma House proprietor and curator Ben Mooney bought the timber and gave half a dozen craftspeople an equal share to work with. "We got the scrappy bits of the tree to be honest, the remnants. So even the scrappy bits are worth something," he said. Ward constructed a backlit partition featuring a cut out circle. The piece shows off the wave of the wood grain by day, and has an "eclipse effect" as light shines through the hole when it gets dark. The hardy London plane tree grows in cities worldwide. In Melbourne, for example, mass planting during the 1980s and 1990s created a CBD monoculture dominated by the species. While plane trees provide shade, they release spores that can cause irritation and allergies, and their roots destroy footpaths and underground infrastructure. The City of Melbourne plans to reduce the dominance of the species over time, to less than 20 per cent of trees in the CBD. "If that's to go ahead, we should be using the material, because it's really beautiful stuff and easy to work with," said Ward. Goodbye London Plane is on at Ma House Supply Store from Wednesday until Sunday as part of Melbourne Design Week. Love them or hate them, it turns out the ubiquitous London plane tree has an exceptionally beautiful wood grain. That's according to craftsman Andy Ward, who has repurposed timber from an inner-city Melbourne tree for a Design Week exhibition. "People just can't believe how beautiful the material is. It's a shock. They just wouldn't expect the wood to look that way," he said. From furniture to knives, a vase and even pencils, the exhibition at vintage and design shop Ma House Supply Store shows the timber has potential. The exhibition is titled Goodbye London Plane, and the wood for the project came from a street tree that was being cut down and would otherwise have been woodchipped. But Revival Projects - a Collingwood workshop that specialises in saving materials for sustainable building - managed to collect the timber instead. Ma House proprietor and curator Ben Mooney bought the timber and gave half a dozen craftspeople an equal share to work with. "We got the scrappy bits of the tree to be honest, the remnants. So even the scrappy bits are worth something," he said. Ward constructed a backlit partition featuring a cut out circle. The piece shows off the wave of the wood grain by day, and has an "eclipse effect" as light shines through the hole when it gets dark. The hardy London plane tree grows in cities worldwide. In Melbourne, for example, mass planting during the 1980s and 1990s created a CBD monoculture dominated by the species. While plane trees provide shade, they release spores that can cause irritation and allergies, and their roots destroy footpaths and underground infrastructure. The City of Melbourne plans to reduce the dominance of the species over time, to less than 20 per cent of trees in the CBD. "If that's to go ahead, we should be using the material, because it's really beautiful stuff and easy to work with," said Ward. Goodbye London Plane is on at Ma House Supply Store from Wednesday until Sunday as part of Melbourne Design Week.
Perth Now
19-05-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Designers find the beauty in much-maligned plane trees
Love them or hate them, it turns out the ubiquitous London plane tree has an exceptionally beautiful wood grain. That's according to craftsman Andy Ward, who has repurposed timber from an inner-city Melbourne tree for a Design Week exhibition. "People just can't believe how beautiful the material is. It's a shock. They just wouldn't expect the wood to look that way," he said. From furniture to knives, a vase and even pencils, the exhibition at vintage and design shop Ma House Supply Store shows the timber has potential. The exhibition is titled Goodbye London Plane, and the wood for the project came from a street tree that was being cut down and would otherwise have been woodchipped. But Revival Projects - a Collingwood workshop that specialises in saving materials for sustainable building - managed to collect the timber instead. Ma House proprietor and curator Ben Mooney bought the timber and gave half a dozen craftspeople an equal share to work with. "We got the scrappy bits of the tree to be honest, the remnants. So even the scrappy bits are worth something," he said. Ward constructed a backlit partition featuring a cut out circle. The piece shows off the wave of the wood grain by day, and has an "eclipse effect" as light shines through the hole when it gets dark. The hardy London plane tree grows in cities worldwide. In Melbourne, for example, mass planting during the 1980s and 1990s created a CBD monoculture dominated by the species. While plane trees provide shade, they release spores that can cause irritation and allergies, and their roots destroy footpaths and underground infrastructure. The City of Melbourne plans to reduce the dominance of the species over time, to less than 20 per cent of trees in the CBD. "If that's to go ahead, we should be using the material, because it's really beautiful stuff and easy to work with," said Ward. Goodbye London Plane is on at Ma House Supply Store from Wednesday until Sunday as part of Melbourne Design Week.
West Australian
19-05-2025
- General
- West Australian
Designers find the beauty in much-maligned plane trees
Love them or hate them, it turns out the ubiquitous London plane tree has an exceptionally beautiful wood grain. That's according to craftsman Andy Ward, who has repurposed timber from an inner-city Melbourne tree for a Design Week exhibition. "People just can't believe how beautiful the material is. It's a shock. They just wouldn't expect the wood to look that way," he said. From furniture to knives, a vase and even pencils, the exhibition at vintage and design shop Ma House Supply Store shows the timber has potential. The exhibition is titled Goodbye London Plane, and the wood for the project came from a street tree that was being cut down and would otherwise have been woodchipped. But Revival Projects - a Collingwood workshop that specialises in saving materials for sustainable building - managed to collect the timber instead. Ma House proprietor and curator Ben Mooney bought the timber and gave half a dozen craftspeople an equal share to work with. "We got the scrappy bits of the tree to be honest, the remnants. So even the scrappy bits are worth something," he said. Ward constructed a backlit partition featuring a cut out circle. The piece shows off the wave of the wood grain by day, and has an "eclipse effect" as light shines through the hole when it gets dark. The hardy London plane tree grows in cities worldwide. In Melbourne, for example, mass planting during the 1980s and 1990s created a CBD monoculture dominated by the species. While plane trees provide shade, they release spores that can cause irritation and allergies, and their roots destroy footpaths and underground infrastructure. The City of Melbourne plans to reduce the dominance of the species over time, to less than 20 per cent of trees in the CBD. "If that's to go ahead, we should be using the material, because it's really beautiful stuff and easy to work with," said Ward. Goodbye London Plane is on at Ma House Supply Store from Wednesday until Sunday as part of Melbourne Design Week.
The Guardian
17-05-2025
- The Guardian
Nothing to sneeze at: one of Melbourne's most-loathed trees wins a second act
Long the darlings of municipal landscaping, London plane trees line boulevards from New York to Johannesburg. In Australian cities people have lived, worked and sneezed alongside them for generations. Revered by urban planners for their good looks, impressive carbon sequestering capabilities and hardiness, the hybrid plant (made from American sycamore and oriental plane) is an optimum city tree – in measured doses. But while their verdant majesty in summer and handsome silhouettes in winter are widely admired, their reign of eye-watering, throat-scratching terror throughout spring has made them notorious. While some claim that we aren't nearly as allergic to them as we think we are, the City of Melbourne has committed to radically diversifying its urban forest in the coming years, reducing London planes' prevalence in the central business district from 63% to 20%. Since 2019 the local government has removed 449 of them. While most of the trees retired from civic duties become mulch, Andy Ward, a furniture designer and the curator of Melbourne Design Week's Goodbye London Plane, has seized the opportunity to give at least one of them a more lasting second act. Inspired by an Instagram post he saw years earlier by the inner-city timber mill Revival, Ward invited eight makers to parlay the salvaged remains of a newly sacrificed tree into stools, lighting, vases and more. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning He hopes the project will help reframe people's perspectives of these much-maligned marvels and encourage more designers and makers to find ways to immortalise these silent witnesses to the city's history, bringing them from the streets and into homes. Plane trees, he says, 'are so iconic and polarising, but no one seems to realise how beautiful the material is'. The timber is 'really forgiving' to work with and offers a 'stunning' grain; he likens its malleability to that of sycamore, while being 'slightly softer than American oak' – and a whole lot easier to work with than native hardwoods. Each piece comes from a single tree felled in Gipps Street, Collingwood. In 2022 the team at Revival began their urban timber recovery project; the following year they managed to rescue this 75-year-old behemoth from Yarra city council's chipper with just hours to spare. Rob Neville, Revival's founder, says the tree yielded more than five tonnes of usable timber which has been distributed to more than a dozen 'custodians' – from knife makers to architecture students – all charged with ensuring that the material is given the respect it deserves. 'Treating these trees as waste would have been considered insane back in the day, now it's the norm – we want to help change that,' he says. Revival is working closely with a number of councils in Melbourne to get more felled municipal trees into the hands of designers and makers. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion As a lover of the plane tree and an advocate of more sustainable practices in the design world, Ben Mooney, the owner of Ma House Supply Store in Collingwood, where the project will be shown, says he immediately saw the potential of Ward's concept. He hopes that by foregrounding reclaimed timber, the project will not only elevate the status of the London plane but also a more regenerative, respectful way of working with resources that are too often squandered. 'If this helps get the word out, it's a success.' Georgie Szymanski, a timber furniture maker based in Preston, has been crafting art deco-inspired pieces for the last five years. When Ward and Mooney reached out with the concept, she was intrigued. 'To be able to utilise this material that is otherwise just going to waste is so cool,' she says. Szymanski has created a traditional tea table from the timber. The grain, she says, is an unexpected delight. 'It's shimmery, with this freckled appearance – it's crazy how underused it is.' Having previously regarded the trees as little more than a ubiquitous irritant, Szymanski says the project has given her a new-found respect and fondness for them: 'It is 100% a timber I'd use again.' Goodbye London Plane is showing at Ma House Supply Store during Melbourne Design Week, until Sunday 25 May
