Design Your Life with Vince Frost

Latest Episodes:

Designing integrated architecture with Daniel Goldberg Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

Landing a job at the London architecture firm you idolise right out of college is a good sign for any young architect, particularly one from another country. Landing the Great Court at the British Museum as your first project is another. Any architect starting out with these two achievements under their belt would wonder, ‘Where to from here?’

Daniel Goldberg is known for his progressive approach to designing from the inside out, with a focus on spatial theory and anthropology. His childhood interests of art and the technical aspects of how things are built have evolved into a wildly successful architectural career focused on the psychology of the way people want to live.

As Founder and Principal at State of Craft – the multi-disciplinary global design studio famous for their integrated approach to architecture and interiors – he’s worked on some incredible projects including The Shard residences in London and One Sydney Harbour. He’s won the John Barrett Award, was nominated Young Engineer of the Year in 1999 and has had his work published in leading design magazines around the world including Wallpaper, Detail and Architectural Digest.

Listen in as Vince and Daniel discuss what he learnt in his formative years working for Sir Norman Foster, why designing a yacht is akin to designing a small world, and Edward Hall’s 1960s science of proxemics spatial psychology theory.

https://www.stateofcraft.co.uk/

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Designing a decade in Afghanistan with Andrew Quilty Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

After inheriting a Nikon F3 camera from his photographer uncle in his teens, Andrew Quilty set about casually documenting life. Later, when he was studying photography in the day, and working in a bottle shop at night, a regular took an interest in his work. He turned out to be a photo editor at the Fairfax media company; this was a time when Australia newspapers were punching above their weight on a global stage. Fate had set the wheels in motion for a life and career Quilty never could have imagined.

Today, Quilty is a multi-award-winning photojournalist whose work has been published by The New York Times, BBC News and TIME Magazine - and garnered accolades worldwide. He’s won a World Press Photo Contest award, a Pictures of the Year International award, a Sony World Photography award and six Walkley Awards, including the Gold Walkley, the highest honour in Australian journalism.

On a two-week assignment in 2013 to shoot the Afghani cricket team he fell in love with Afghanistan and spent the next eight years living in and documenting the wartime country and its people. He’s travelled to two thirds of the country’s 34 provinces and produced two books on his time there. The first ‘August in Kabul’ is a novel about America’s last days of occupation, and the second ‘This is Afghanistan’ is a visual record designed in by Vince Frost with Wing Lau. Both books are published by The University of Melbourne - ‘This is Afghanistan’ will be released this month.

Listen in as Vince and Andrew discuss; the ethics of beautifying death and tragedy, how recently media have become fair game in war zones, and the story behind his harrowing Walkely Award Winning photograph and article ‘The Man on the Operating Table’.

Buy 'This is Afghanistan' - https://www.mup.com.au/books/this-is-afghanistan-hardback

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Designing ideas to life with Ant Donovan Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Not many kids dream of designing a billboard one day. It was at age 11, when he picked up his first commission from the printer (business cards for his equally entrepreneurial teenage brother), that he realised he was hooked on design. Soon after, a school careers night opened his eyes to commercial art, and his future was set. Some would call it a singular talent for designing original ideas. If you ask him, it’s down to hard work and luck.

Ant Donovan is a multi-award-winning creative who has attracted widespread attention throughout his career. As Partner & Group Creative Director at Frost*collective, he’s helped some of the world’s biggest brands find people-centred solutions to difficult problems. Ant has had a huge impact in the design space over the past two-plus decades globally. And if you're Australian, there’s a very slim chance you haven’t been impacted by his work.

Ant's career in design has taken him on an amazing journey, from flying in a helicopter above the most populated city in the world to riding a hovercraft in the remote wilderness of Australia’s outback. His first ‘real’ job was as Art Director at the critically acclaimed photography and culture bible, Black+White magazine. Since then, he’s worked with a diverse range of organisations and industries; from large-scale corporations, tourism bodies and retail giants, to iconic cultural institutions, not for profits and one-person start-ups. His passion and relentless drive to make work that matters is what gets him out of bed.

Listen in as Vince and Ant discuss designing layouts for David Bailey, Rankin and Testino aged 22, what drawing an entire typeface by hand with a Rotring pen can teach you about design, and how to find original ideas in today’s oversaturated world.

https://www.frostcollective.com.au/

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Designing a career in the arts with Kym Elphinstone Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

The Australian art scene has dramatically evolved over the past decade. A place that was once seen as belonging to wealthy collectors has opened up to absolutely anyone who is interested and inspired. ‘Front page news’, once dedicated to sport, has recognised the important place of art in our everyday lives.

Kym Elphinstone is the Founder and CEO of Articulate, Australia’s leading communications consultancy for culture and the arts. She’s represented many of Australia’s biggest cultural institutions including the National Gallery of Australia, Carriageworks and the Powerhouse Museum through to more than 12 temporary public art projects for John Kaldor as well as grass-roots festivals and art fairs platforming emerging artists. She’s had a major impact on the profile of the arts in this country.

She cites her background in law as a formative experience but one that didn’t offer the creativity she yearned for. In London in the early 2000s, she realised she needed to pursue her first love: the arts. After moving to Sydney, she soon took up a role at the MCA, and a few years later found herself starting her own business with the Biennale of Sydney as her first client.

Listen in as Vince and Kym discuss the difference between art and design, why it’s important to only work with people and on projects you believe in, and public art as placemaking.

https://articulatepr.com.au/

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Designing diversity in Architecture with Paul Monaghan Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

Architects are often drawn to designing buildings that are iconic because they’re incredibly sculptural or different. But it’s designing what he calls ‘Everyday Buildings’, and making them better, that makes this one tick. His firm believes it’s these background buildings that often make cities special.

Paul Monaghan, who co-founded the incredibly successful architecture practice Allford Hall Monaghan Morris in 1989, is an internationally acclaimed architect whose work is focused on redefining the built environment. He’s the Liverpool City Region’s first Design Champion, advises government on how to promote high-quality design for cities and is a generous educator and speaker. He’s also committed to helping young and disadvantaged architects get a foot in the door.

Listen in as Vince and Paul discuss; growing up in 60s Liverpool with his dad’s set squares in the living room when The Beatles were still around, the power of being able to sketch an architectural idea by hand, and the incredible task of working on the UKs House of Commons.

https://www.ahmm.co.uk/

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Designing healthy buildings with Jeff Provan Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

Warehouse living gained popularity in the 60s and 70s in major urban centres, particularly New York. Industrial buildings were empty, and artists loved their affordability and vast open layouts. But it wasn’t until the 80s that Australia caught on.

Jeff Provan co-founded Neometro, Melbourne’s long-standing design-focused and socially led development group in 1985. He is an active and integral figure in Melbourne’s design community with a raft of accolades for his approach to design, construction and sustainable development.

Jeff’s ongoing commitment to creating homes that make people happy, connect them with their local community, and improve health and wellbeing has a huge ongoing impact on how people live in the city. And his philosophy for creating places that will stand the test of time and be loved by the people who live in them is summarised in The Framework For Healthy Buildings, which will be published in October.

Listen in as Vince and Jeff discuss the eternal appeal of warehouse living, designing buildings for people to love, and the elements needed to create a truly healthy place to live.

https://neometro.com.au/

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Designing transformational change with Stephanie Bown Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

Whether we realise it or not, when we’re at work we’re promoting ourselves every day through our personal brands. The way we position ourselves professionally does impact our success. As a freelancer or as someone working within an organisation, this applies to everyone from entry level roles right through to CEOs. Entrepreneurs perhaps have the biggest challenge of all in this space.

Stephanie Bown is a neuropsychologist and leadership expert who incredibly knew she wanted to help people thrive from just 15 years old, in part thanks to the advice of a psychologist uncle. She is focused on inspiring leaders to fully turn up themselves to enable individual and collective success. For Stephanie, it’s all about the pivotal moments that tie us together and those that break us.

Listen in as Vince and Stephanie discuss creating thriving communities at work, what we can all learn from athletes and why it mostly boils down to, ‘just be more you’.

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Designing sound for brands with Dan Higson & Nick West Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

Music is emotional, and sound is a powerful tool for tuning in to feelings and memories. Music helps us recall people, places and experiences. A song can take us back to a time in our lives we may not have thought of for years or even decades.

Dan Higson and Nick West know this better than most and are leading the way when it comes to creating memorable and emotive sonic branding and music strategy for brands with their globally awarded sound studio, Smith & Western.

Dan began his career trying to be a pop star in 80s London. He even made it onto Top of the Pops, the iconic British music chart TV show. Around the same time, Nick was in Japan, going to music festivals in the mountains on weekends. Later he paid his way busking with a didgeridoo while learning how to write music in his basement.

Listen in as Vince, Dan and Nick discuss the science behind making music and sounds, why you can’t copywrite chord progressions or drum patterns, and how AI is impacting their industry.

https://smithandwestern.com.au/

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Designing with shadows with Dion Horstmans May 29, 2023

Show notes

Resilience isn’t always a quality that’s obvious to the people who display it. Often, resilience is survival. It’s resilience combined with a positive outlook, can-do attitude, tenacious nature and sense of community that have helped Dion Horstmans reach a place in his life where he’s able to do what he loves for a living. And it’s not a position he takes for granted.

Today, the artist’s work is displayed in private and public spaces across the world. ‘Supersonic’ – a massive sculpture made up of over 100 pieces of bright yellow tubular steel welded together into the landmark entrance of Melbourne’s Collin’s Square – is seen by millions of people every day.

Growing up between New Zealand and the Cook Islands, things weren’t always so golden. With a single mum living on welfare and violence as a theme, Hortsmans spent his childhood turning to art as a place he could go to be in control, a place of safety. After burning out in the film industry - he was making props and models for blockbusters films like Star Wars, Mission Impossible and Moulin Rouge - he decided to try and make a career of art. It wasn’t long before he received a life-changing phone call.

Listen in as Vince and Dion discuss cutting his teeth working with tools in the film industry, thinking at age 15 he wouldn’t make it to 21, and doing everything from working as a doorman to sweeping the floors of an abattoir.

https://dionhorstmans.com/

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Designing what buildings do with Quino Holland May 15, 2023

Show notes

Buildings pose a huge problem when it comes to carbon, and the architects of today with a conscience are grappling with the environmental debt of the buildings they design.

Quino Holland, Director at Fieldwork, is tackling the issue with an environmentally conscious sensitivity that also considers how buildings can foster community to improve the lives of the people who live in and around them.

The award-winning architect credits his childhood growing up in a Peruvian mountain village at the gateway to Machu Picchu in the late 80s with his interest in archaeology and the past. But his sights are very firmly set on using his architecture practice to improve necessary and important community infrastructure and decarbonise construction for the future.

Listen in as Vince and Quino discuss community-led development, winning the award-winning Collingwood Yards project as a fledgeling architecture practice and adaptive reuse.

https://www.fieldworkprojects.com.au/

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