Soft is a deviation from its counterpart HARD, offering a sanctuary of ethereal and delicate works and experiences. Situated within an existing residential dwelling on the lands of the Kulin Nation, the soft apartment is transformed into a curated gallery of works offering a sensory experience of space, uniquely curated each day. This exhibition is a tribute to the tender aspects of life, those moments of quiet reflection and the subtleties that often go unnoticed in our fast-paced world. Soft is designed and curated to remind us of the importance of embracing softness in our lives, of finding beauty in the understated, and of the power of vulnerability.

presented in collaboration with NGV and Creative Victoria.

HARD showcases the world queer people want, which is one of inclusivity and resourcefulness. Creating new works, each participant designs around the availability of found objects, often found from hard rubbish, to create a range of design outcomes.

This is the third and final iteration of HARD. Having showcased resourcefulness from queer designers from Melbourne and Australia, this installament includes international participation.

Presented in collaboration with NGV and Creative Victoria.

Overlay presents visions of a new Australian heritage through the eyes of architects, interior and object designers. The work presented is a fresh interpretation of an Australian heritage aesthetic from the inside out investigating how we may more authentically reflect our climate and context.

Presented in collaboration with NGV and Creative Victoria.

Liminal Dreams is an exhibition of Australian artists and designers considering the concept of liminality and straddling the space between the dream state and real state to contemplate the world that they want and how we might transition to this. On show are a collection of design objects that respond to Liminal Dreams with designs emblematic of each contributors practice. Throughout the exhibition Origine’s collection of furniture, lighting, rugs and objects, sourced from around the world remain on show.

Presented in collaboration with NGV and Creative Victoria.

In its second year, HARD invites exhibitors to incorporate found materials into new works, using their surroundings as inspiration. The event showcases queer creatives from across Australia and celebrates queer sexuality and identity in tandem with the Australian ritual of sneaking out after dark to scour the streets for hard, hard rubbish. The unspoken acceptance of these covert kerbside movements mirrors the queer experience of growing up in Australia. Both involve a search for identity and a desire to create something from nothing.

In a world where we encounter a shortage of resources and ever changing social conditions, the lifespan of design must be reinvestigated and expanded to consider a wider range of materials and fabrication techniques. ‘Availability’ aims to connect designers with traditional technologies to engage with and consider the environmental impact of every project. How might we employ new approaches to fabrication with consideration to life-cycle, future functionality and environmental footprint? Why mine something native and diminishing when we can reuse, reappropriate and reconfigure pre–existing components, materials and systems?

‘Availability’ invites designers to respond to the theme by designing and fabricating a chair. Adapting proprietary components, reinventing existing systems and exploring ‘off-the-shelf’ materials, emphasis is placed upon on how available materials can be reimagined and used in inventive ways. The brief calls for low-tech assembly of high-tech material or vice versa, recycled, waste, bio and readily available materials requiring minimal intervention and customisation.