DISTRICT BRASSERIE SYDNEY - PAUL KELLY DESIGN

Chifley Tower is one of the tallest buildings in Sydney, but it’s the lower-ground level that’s captured our attention. It’s the location of the new District Brasserie, a 200-seat restaurant designed by Paul Kelly. The food is fabulous and so is the interior – it includes custom-made brass pendants and wall lights by ISM Objects!

We are great admirers of Paul Kelly Design. As a specialist hospitality design studio, it has created the beautiful interiors of more than 300 venues across Australia and Asia, including high-profile projects such as The Ivanhoe Manly, Sokyo at The Star, The Oaks and The Bourbon. We were very happy to contribute a series of custom pendant lighting for its latest venture.

District Brasserie includes a bistro and a bakery that serves wonderful French pastries. Chef Mark Knox (formerly of BLACK, Public Dining) has created a classic fine dining menu for the bistro that caters to the business lunch crowd. The food is complemented by an elegant interior that features mid-century inspired leather furniture, distressed walls, aged brass highlights and a striking polished green marble bar.

Lighting is a crucial element of hospitality design. We’ve worked with a number of Australian designers to produce lighting designs that add a special dimension to some of the country’s finest restaurants and bars.

It was a pleasure working with Paul Kelly Design on custom lighting for the District Brasserie. It’s the perfect place to linger for a long business lunch.

VICTORIAN PREMIER'S DESIGN AWARD

We are strong supporters of local design at ISM Objects and it’s always great to see outstanding designs recognised through initiatives like the Premier’s Design Awards. Celina Clarke, co-founder of ISM Objects, was appointed chairperson of the awards in 2016 and we’re pleased to announce she’s back in the chair this year!

The Premier’s Design Awards were launched in 2012 to recognise and reward Victorian designers and businesses that use design in effective and sustainable ways. The awards aim to raise awareness of the importance of design in making products, services, spaces and experiences more functional, safe, efficient and attractive.

There are eight design categories – architecture, communication, digital, product, service, fashion, student design and design strategy. While the primary designer must be from Victoria, their client, or the organisation that commissioned their design, can be from anywhere in Australia or overseas.

The 2016 Design of the Year award went to the Oi Bike Bell, which has transformed the traditional clunky bell in to a beautiful, functional design object.

As chairperson, Celina is responsible for selecting and coordinating the panel of 24 international judges. This year’s jury includes Victoria Judge, head of interiors at Smart Design Studio in Sydney; Chris Wilkinson, founder and director, WilkinsonEyre Architects in the UK; Chelsia Lau, chief designer design in the strategic concepts group at Ford Motor Company in China ; and Ken Nah, professor of design management at the International Design School for Advanced Studies in South Korea.

When she took up the role of chairperson last year, Celina wanted the jury to represent diversity of thought and location and this remained a goal for her this year.

Entries have now closed and judging will soon be underway. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in November. There’s sure to be some inspiring designs.

For more information visit the Premier's Design Awards website.