Graduates of the Year Awards 2023 - jury announced
DIA – Awards
• Prominent and respected jurors include Alena Smith, Csilla Csabai, Evan Reeves, Jack Flanagan, Jan-Marie Jaillei, Sally Evans, Sara Horstmann, Spiroula Stathakis and Timothy Wilkinson.
The DIA released the names of the first nine jurors invited to judge the high-profile Graduates of the Year Awards 2023 (Gotya).
Gotya is the DIA’s and the nation’s flagship program for emerging designers, created to support and celebrate exceptional Australian designers as they embark on their careers. This program is instrumental in providing tertiary institutions and design graduates with vital, real-life feedback from experienced designers and industry figures.
The prominent jurors represent a broad cross-section of Australia's design landscape and include:
• Alena Smith
With over 25 years’ experience in some of Sydney’s most prestigious interior design firms, Alena commenced Alena Smith Interior Design with the intent to create spaces with an emotional connection for her clients, to pursue a sense of well-being, through sustainable innovation, and elevate the everyday.
Alena grew up in a Sydney School house in suburban Sydney. The house was designed around an angophora tree and was made of cedar timber, glass, and clinker brick. The architectural design had a profound influence; encompassing indoor-outdoor living, modernist geometry, natural light, and proximity to nature, all values that Alena lives by and pursues in her designs today.
After several years in architectural firms, Alena sought a more direct and tactile experience through interior design. Constantly inspired by travel, nature and a love of art, Alena’s designs are inspiring and uplifting; “Alena Smith creates beautiful, inviting spaces for living” Habitus magazine.
Alena studied Architecture (B.Arch Hons) at University of New South Wales in Sydney, KTH, Stockholm; and Architecture Association in London. Her love of art has also extended to study painting and print making at the National Art School, Sydney.
Alena’s interiors have been featured in Belle, House & Garden, Habitus Magazine and EST Living.
• Csilla Csabai
‘Csilla is a Senior Interior Designer who has taken on the additional roles of the Perth Studio Practice Manager and Woods Bagot’s Global Technical Leader for Documentation and Specification.
Csilla has received her Qualification at MOME Budapest and built her understanding on the history of craftsmanship and detailing exhibited in complex European Architecture and Interior Design.
She has shown a deep interest in the ‘why, how and what?’ aspects of the delivery of the Perth studio’s submissions, including some incredible International Award winning projects. The intricacies of translating a concept into a tangible 3-dimensional structure fascinates her.
Her objective is to provide well educated, sustainable design solutions and uphold the Perth Studio high quality standards.
Csilla tutors Interior Design at Curtin University, participates in Thesis and mid year reviews, mentors through the Design Institute of Australia and mentors high school students to achieve their career goals via The Smiths Family and plays a role in the inhouse mentoring of young talents.
The history of drawing/drafting and motorcycle riding are her current interests.
• Evan Reeves
Evan is a Director with over 20 years of experience in interior and architectural design. Evan studied sculpture, 3D design and, later, interior design, before working for several renowned studios, including Bates Smart and Geyer. He has led numerous award-winning projects of varying scope and complexity, from local wine bars and boutique hotels to large scale workplace, for clients including Curtin University, Nike and Woodside.
Evan then travelled to work within a number of prestigious studios in London, Dublin, Singapore and Melbourne before deciding to start Design Theory with his wife Lisa in 2013. Together they combined this experience of large-firm know-how with a specialist focus to create what is now one of WA’s pre-immanent, award-winning design practices.
• Jack Flanagan
Informing Jack’s work is the exploration of the concepts of attachment and permanence and the relationships that families and individuals forge with treasured objects, that become the recorder and keeper of shared stories.
Jack embraces ancient and traditional techniques and materials like bronze and aluminium sand casting, turned metals and timbers and the creation of unique colours and wood stains, as well as the latest manufacturing technology and materials for industrial scale.
His work is consistently selected by curators for exhibition around Australia and has been selected to exhibit at the London Design Festival on three separate occasions.Most recently was awarded the Robert Juniper Award for the Arts and was runner-up Best Australian Designer at Denfair.
• Jan-Marie Jaillei
Jan-Marie is Darwin’s leading interior designer of approachable luxury. With an adept sense of style, underpinned by deep industry knowledge and trust, and Drawing upon 20 years of global design experience, Jan-Marie leads a signature process to deliver soulful spaces that reflect her client’s distinct interests and values. Developing her design education internationally, she has studied Interior Architecture at the prestigious London-based Inchbald School of Design and also holds a Diploma of Architectural Feng Shui from the renowned New York Institute of Art.
As a trusted design leader and the current deputy chair of the DIA SA/NT branch (Design Institute of Australia). Jan-Marie has a passion for creating authentic outcomes that exude warmth, quality and integrity.
• Sally Evans
Leading the creative and strategic direction of Graphic Design and Product Development at Nexus Designs, Sally and her award winning team pursue design through multidisciplinary practice.
Collaborating across disciplines, industries and applications Sally looks to build a strong vision for every project whether it’s a national product audit, identity campaign, signage and wayfinding, branding strategy, product development or surface design – ensuring our team are challenged to produce design solutions that meet and exceed client expectations. With a career now spanning three decades in the Melbourne design industry she values authentic story-telling that delivers work with impact and integrity. Core contributions include design strategy, product analysis, audit and research, concept design, art direction and project management with a strong focus on all aspects of visual language and audience perception. An advocate for the improvement of our built environment and an active participant in the design industry who mentors emerging designers Sally is a specialist in the synthesis of ideas with a definitive skill in making the complex concise.
Recent industry awards include a Dezeen Awards Longlisting, Fedrigoni Top Award and Transform Silver Award for the 2019 PGH Bricks Styles Campaign, AGDA and Victorian Premiers Design Award Finalist commendations for Carlton Learning Precinct and Natralis Product Launch in 2021 and 2022 respectively along with career commendations for Book Design, Print Packaging, and various Branding and Identity projects.
Sally is a Member of the Design Institute Australia, was a 2022 Judge in Visual Communication for the DIA GOTYA Awards and a Guest Speaker for the BlueScope COLORBOND Compass Colour Refresh Launch in 2022.
• Sara Horstmann
Sara is the Founder and Creative Director of multi-disciplinary Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture practice Das Studio. Combining degrees in both Architecture and Product Innovation from the University of South Australia, Sara has worked across large and small practice for the past 13 years, delivering award winning projects throughout Australia within the residential, hospitality and accommodation sectors.
• Spiroula Stathakis
Spiroula is an interior designer with 12 years experience in the world of design and construction having worked within various companies and environments prior to starting her own firm, FOS Collective, to ensure a well rounded skill set.
Spiroula, throughout her career, has worked with Good Guys, Freedom Kitchens, The Block, Reno Rumble, Deadline Designs, Co-Living space, UKO, Mercure Hotels, Metro Martin Place, Crown Casino (Barangaroo), and Education NSW.
Having gained extensive experience within the manufacturing and construction side of the industry, managing the design, development and production of spaces and joinery, Stathakis for FOS has travelled to China to review production as well project management from concept through to execution.
• Timothy Wilkinson
Timothy is an ardent enthusiast of design and innovation and has a love of tactile experiences and human-object interaction. His diverse portfolio includes bespoke playgrounds, urban furniture, household products for mass production, and commercial lighting. He has also provided design services in a consulting capacity, helping clients launch their products into the global market.
Timothy draws on a unique combination of technical, creative, and high-pressure hands-on experience to deliver high-quality outcomes un unexpected ways, and is constantly exploring his innate curiosity for design.