SEMINAR 02 28 July 2010
ALAN BOYD - Defending Design – Mine is a FINE REPLICA, it LOOKS more than REAL!
The imposition of Design ethics on Design professionals. Alan will discuss the current influx of furniture replicas into the Australia market and how this damages the value of design and designers.
Alan originally trained as a cabinet maker in the shipyards of Scotland subsequently became involved in the design of a diverse range of interiors, from oilrigs to retail environments through-out UK.
He moved to Asia in the 80's where he has worked in senior sales and marketing roles in the commercial furniture industry. In 2000 he was asked by Herman Miller to move to Sydney and became a Director of Herman Miller Australia in 2002.
His role was later expanded to cover the Asian region where he was deeply involved in protecting and extending the legacy of Charles and Ray Eames. He worked with the Eames Office in Los Angeles to create Eames events and exhibitions in various Cities in Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand.
He left Herman Miller in 2009 and now consults on design issues such as authenticity, sustainability, and ergonomics. His client list includes the Australian Government, Herman Miller and other companies involved in the design and furniture industry.
His latest project is in helping Australian companies in the design industry export to the US.
He speaks regularly to clients, students and the architect & design community on design, innovation and sustainability.
Alan is married with two young children and currently lives in Sydney, Australia.
Currently working for velocity partners
To view Alan's video bio click here
SHANE THOMPSON - Designers are wankers – Are you one of them?
Getting real with the dead hand of self reference and the shallowness of the stylist. Are we just purveyors of furniture catalogues of more?
Shane is Brisbane born and bred, raised in the outer suburb of Inala. He left a life of adolescent hedonistic sporting, surfing and pathetic laziness to study architecture, where he graduated from QIT in 1979. He is now a Principal of the national practice of BVN Architecture and an Adjunct Professor at UQ. He is a regular conference speaker, the recipient of over 100 state, national and international awards and his work has been widely published in Australia and overseas. He also sits on numerous boards including the Qld Industry Advisory Board, the Board for Urban Places and the Queensland College of Art Industry Advisory Board.
Shane works across the country and off shore, at all scales from furniture design, small interiors and houses to large urban mixed use and master planning projects. Recent work includes a small low budget country house at Witta and the Athletes Village in London for the 2012 Olympics. Current projects include the RNA Redevelopment in Brisbane, new student housing at Monash University in Melbourne, a farm house in Bellingen and the redevelopment of the Sheraton Noosa. Since becoming a Principal of BVN and part of a new generation of leaders in 1990, the practice has developed it's own model of an ever evolving design collective, from 28 people in Brisbane, to over 300 people across offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane working in a global market.
When not working he can be found surfing at Straddie, painting or hunting for contemporary art and strange objects.
To view Shane's video bio click here
