The Vital Signs Alternative Futures team attended the Victorian Premier’s Design Awards ceremony on 22 November to support A+B’s students Julie Pham, Tom Barker, Blake Sipek, Jarrod Argent and Jack Hirini for their amazing visions of Geelong 2050 and 2100. We were all in admiration that they were included in the very high calibre of design thinking and innovation gathered underneath Glenn Murcutt’s stunning 2019 M Pavilion, hosted by Creative Victoria and Good Design Australia.
A significant achievement that Julie, Tom, Blake, Jarrod and Jack were finalists in the most number of categories out of all the entrants for the 2019 Awards. The ‘best in category’ finalists were amazing and all were either, market ready or built designs, with Peter Elliot taking out the Premier’s Award for the extension to Victoria’s Parliament House.
The 2050 and 2100 concepts are visionary ideas and were developed to help stimulate a collaborative sense of challenge and opportunity, to flick thinking toward the hope of inspiring the next generation of young designers to help create positive change for an adaptive future. Given the breadth of recognition that the project received, we can confidently say that the team achieved its objective, and is indeed a resounding success.
It is thrilling to see Deakin Archiecture and Built Environment students recognised as members of an amazing group of creative thinkers from across Victoria. To have “Vital Signs Alternative Futures” announced and profiled four times during the evening, in three professional categories and one student category, was an amazing promotion for Deakin University, the City of Greater Geelong, The Geelong Gallery and The Geelong Library and Heritage Centre.
“This year’s Victorian Premier’s Design Award shows how important Design can be to a future where quality design thinking is at the heart of all we do. The winners demonstrate the power and impact of design across all industries and parts of life.” – Martin Foley. Minister for Creative Industries