Ivan Harbour on Barangaroo and the long view of city-making

Interview by Timothy Alouani-Roby. Photography by Brett Boardman.

Ten years after the first phase of Barangaroo South was completed, Ivan Harbour returned to Sydney to reflect on the project’s evolution and its contested place in the city. The conversation ranged from RSHP’s philosophies of polycentric urbanism to the political realities of megaprojects, and the enduring ambition to create public spaces that feel alive at street level. It remains one of our most substantive looks at how architects grapple with the scale, timeframes and scrutiny of reshaping a city.

Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025

Eames Demetrios on continuity, innovation and the evolving legacy of Eames Office

Interview by Timothy Alouani-Roby. Photography by Peter Clarke.

Speaking during Living Edge’s 25-year celebrations, Eames Demetrios offered a rare window into the philosophy behind one of design’s most influential families. His reflections on the Shell Chair’s constant reinvention, the idea of design as ongoing refinement rather than nostalgia, and the tension between heritage and future-thinking made this interview a standout. It reframed design icons not as static artefacts but as ever-evolving works shaped by new materials, environmental imperatives and shifting cultural contexts.

Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025

Abramo Manfrotto on Venetian light, craftsmanship and contemporary reinvention

Interview by Timothy Alouani-Roby. Photography by Dedece / supplied.

During his visit with dedece, Abramo Manfrotto traced a line from childhood memories of photographic lighting to his leadership of LEUCOS. The conversation revealed a rare blend of technical mastery, entrepreneurial instinct and devotion to Venetian craft. Manfrotto spoke candidly about marrying electronics with traditional glasswork, collaborating with global designers, and revitalising a storied brand without losing its soul. It captured the delicate dance between technology and artistry that defines contemporary lighting.

Adam Markowitz on making, architecture and building a craft ecosystem

Interview by Jan Henderson. Photography by Bhavya Pansari.

Few practitioners move between architecture and furniture-making with as much fluency as Adam Markowitz. This interview illuminated his dual practice, his advocacy for Australia’s makers and his reflections on how craft can be sustained in an industry where it is often undervalued. From the INDE.Awards-winning A Cabinet of Curiosities to collaborations with glass artists and international workshops, Markowitz’s career offers a compelling model for a holistic, craft-centred design practice.

Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025

Ed Lippmann on 40 years of architecture and the ideas that shaped a career

Interview by Timothy Alouani-Roby. Photography by Brett Boardman.

Marking the launch of his monograph 40 Years of Architecture, Ed Lippmann revisited a career that spans New York modernism, seminal Sydney works and the evolution of a practice through boom, crisis and renewal. The discussion traced the influence of Marcel Breuer, the significance of 8 Chifley Square, and the enduring clarity of vision that has guided his approach. It was both a history lesson and a forward-looking meditation on what architects owe to their cities, their clients and themselves.

The post Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025 appeared first on Indesign Live: Interior Design and Architecture.

©

Related Posts

Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025
Are Wooden Diffusers Superior to Others?
If you are shopping for an essential oil diffuser, you...
Read more
Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025
This Off-Grid Cabin Floats 60 Feet Above...
In the dense forests of Wakefield, Quebec, a radical architectural...
Read more
Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025
Multi-decker caravans set in retro-futuristic world are...
We’ve seen double-story tiny homes on wheels, trailers and caravans....
Read more
HOME by Tom Adair at Metro Gallery | YellowtraceHOME by Tom Adair at Metro Gallery | Yellowtrace
Tom Adair’s Debut Solo Show HOME Opens...
‘Bushland beauty.’ Airbrush acrylic polymer and neon on dibond, acrylic...
Read more
Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025Five conversations that shaped how we thought about design in 2025
LEGO x Nike Air Force 1 is...
LEGO and Nike are back with their new themed set....
Read more
a person sits with legs extended on a coffee table while holding the fire HD 8 tablet in their hands. The display screen of the tablet shows the time, temperature, and the current song playinga person sits with legs extended on a coffee table while holding the fire HD 8 tablet in their hands. The display screen of the tablet shows the time, temperature, and the current song playing
Prime members can grab the Amazon Fire...
SAVE 58%: Amazon Prime members can get the Amazon Fire...
Read more