Friday 20 November 2015

MADA Graduation Show / Project Galada - A litter capture barrier for waterways

Last night was the graduation show opening night. What a night to remember, So many emerging designers, artists and architects about to step into the real world. It makes for an electric atmosphere full of fresh ideas, energy and determination to create and shape the future. 

I must say that being apart of the Industrial design crew to graduate this year is such an amazing feeling. And I wouldn't have done it any other way. My fellow designers have done such a great job considering the tough year we all had to punch out so much work but at such a high quality level. And I think that comes down to the way we worked in studio and outside it to provide feedback and help to each other. Bouncing ideas of each other and really deconstructing the design intent, objectives and direction was something we all did. I think everyone has had some contribution or influence on each and everyone's project.

 So here's my project -


Insitu Barrier set-up
Project Galada is an adaptable litter capture barrier designed to trap and contain floating litter.
The increasing pollution in Melbourne’s water environments is drastically effecting the health and quality of its water.
 

Inspired by bike chains the modular pods link together and incorporate cylindrical planter pots that provide a buoyant eco-system for endemic aquatic plants to provide bio-filtration for the Yarra River. Capturing and collecting litter accumulating on water surfaces will help preserve and improve the health, biodiversity and quality of Melbourne’s waterways for the future.

Connector Link Versatility


The square toothed Connector link allows an angle to be chosen providing the direction for the next link. The barrier can be constructed to suit its surroundings.


Bio-filtration

Root stocks from the endemic aquatic sedges and rushes keep temperatures low, increase oxygen levels, reduce risk of algal blooms and soak up excess nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen which are then converted to growth. 


 
Litter Gate - Closed

 
Litter Gate - Open




The Yarra River is an estuary therefore downstream and upstream flows need to be accounted for. The flap is opened by downstream flow letting in litter. Upstream flow pushes the flap closed keeping litter inside the barrier.


It was also a great experience to have the project supported by Yarra Link - The Yarra Link Project is a non-profit group dedicated to renewal of indigenous vegetation. For more information about this initiative go to - https://www.yarra.link/

Massive thanks to especially Frank and Meg for their continual support throughout the year.


You can also find my project at :

http://artdes.monash.edu/gradshow2015/#!/design/industrial-design/rowan-turnham.html



Thursday 5 November 2015

Project Galada - Update








So not long to go now. One week and a half to go until everything is due. 

I've been busy preparing for the exhibition along with all the standard folio requirements, presentation content and general organisation of everything else. Actually I don't think I can call it a folio anymore. This time round its called a Critical Justification and entails everything that has been done to date. I'm immensely proud of it, it was sent off to printing last week and I should get it it by the end of this week. Its a large book, actually the largest I've ever done - 320 pages. 

The weekend of the 14th - 15th Novemeber is the Bump-In for the exhibition and also Monday. So I'm aiming to have everything done before then.  


 The opening night for the MADA Grad show is:

When: 19th November
Time: Open from 6pm
Where: Building G, Caulfield Campus - Monash University 

I'll post proper details in the coming week or so for the exhibition.


Until then here are some progress shots of exhibition prep and construction. Also imagery from the Yarra River installation will be put up soon!


Barrier Props getting their first coat of paint

Machining slot in circular base for the litter gate

Litter gate water flow paddle arm

Just put the chrome dome nuts onto the links!


 

Alberto Alessi in Melbourne


 
Alberto Alessi - New York Times (Photo - Steve Legato)




Today I'll be heading into the city to listen to CEO and President Alberto Alessi. He will be sharing his experiences about the design world and everything else that comes with being apart of such an iconic brand.

Alessi was founded in 1921 and started as a workshop for processing brass and nickel sheet metal. Such humble beginnings where the artisan had full control and an eye for detail. The transformation and evolution of Alessi in nearly a century has been huge. They now manage and facilitate design from all over the world but still have close ties with their traditions and cultural values. I look forward to hearing from Alberto about his perception on design and everything else that surrounds it. 

"A true design work must move people, convey emotions, bring back memories, surprise, and go against ..."  - Alberto Alessi



Public Lecture Details (Sold Out)
 

Alberto Alessi - Public Lecture 
12.30-2.00pm
Thursday November 5th 2015
Deakin Edge - Federation Square
Melbourne, Australia
 

Monday 28 September 2015

Project Galada - A litter capture barrier for waterways

Over the past year I have been doing my Honours year for my Bachelor of Industrial Design at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. I'm excited to reveal my project after keeping it concealed for quite some time until it was well refined and tested.

This project brings together my love for making, nature and design. 

Over the next 6 weeks my project will come alive with the barrier in construction right now. I'll be busy making, making and more making. Since finishing high school in 2008 I have gained a Diploma in Furniture Design and Technology at RMIT. Also for quite some time I worked along side my belated father (Kevin Turnham) a builder by trade as a casual job, learning so many hands on skills that have made me such a better designer and maker to this day. For the past 2 years I have been doing Horticulture work, my love for being outdoors is endless and I have directed my new knowledge of plants into this project. Its been a big year, here is Project Galada. Stay tuned for more information about the project in the coming weeks.







Project Galada is an adaptable litter capture barrier designed to trap and contain floating litter. The increasing pollution in Melbourne’s water environments is drastically effecting the health and quality of its water. 

Inspired by bike chains the modular pods link together and incorporate cylindrical planter pots that provide a buoyant eco-system for endemic aquatic plants to provide bio-filtration for the Yarra River. Capturing and collecting litter accumulating on water surfaces will help preserve and improve the health, biodiversity and quality of Melbourne’s waterways for the future.


http://amassdesign.com/project-galada/

Monday 10 August 2015

Temple & Webster + Sydney Visit

With Matt Harding and Myself being nominated for the Temple and Webster Emerging Designer award, we were invited to the launch night at China Heights Gallery, Surrey Hills. I went along to represent both of us. 

It was a great night, especially to meet all the designers that were nominated. A big shout out to Daast for winning the award and Nicholas Fuller for winning the peoples choice award.

My girlfriend and I decided to make a long weekend of it and we stayed in Bondi for 5 days. Here's some pictures from our stay in Sydney!

Temple and Webster Emerging Designer Launch Night


 
Steph's excited about the Powerhouse museum!


UTS - Frank Gehry - Curvacious and fluid like!

Central Park - More buildings should have vertical gardens like this

The array of mirrors directs light down inside

More real plants, makes such a positive impact...

Came across this vertical canvas pouch garden

Can't not take a photo of Sydney Harbour + Opera



It was awesome to check out Sydney again, always finding something new and different there.

Thursday 30 July 2015

The Turnhams and their new Laundry



How do I even describe this project, I think the word persistence would be the one word that sums up this home project.  We started this laundry renovation back in July, 2013. When I say we, that includes my late father (Kevin), Mum (Erica) and Twin brother (Callan). The existing laundry then was a very worn, weathered and old set-up. The tiles continued in from the kitchen, vinyl tiles with repetitive motifs which are only good for dirt catchment. While the washing machine stood on a huge cold slab of concrete with a second-hand red mat cut to fit around it. Basically the laundry had character and lots of it.

Now two years later, along with a lot of stop and starting. I have finished the laundry. This was my last university break and I took it as a personal mission to finish the laundry that we started so long ago. I'm not one to leave things undone. 

I won't list everything that got in the way of the project. I could just say life did. But I might just state a long contributing factor. My father had cancer and battled it for 3years. During this time he had ups and a tonne of downs. Luckily when we started this project, he was in quite a good place. Unfortunately after fighting it for so long, it got the better of him. We stuck by his side through all of it, we basically had a mini-hospital set up at home. So for 2 weeks straight I made it my goal to finish the laundry before my fathers 1 year anniversary and I made it. I was proud. And I was also very grateful to my girlfriend Stephanie Tan, thank you so much for helping me with the grouting, tiling and painting. And I can't forget my brother Callan, cheers for helping with the painting. Mum, I hope this laundry lasts long into your senior years.

This laundry is another tribute to my dad, Kevin Arthur Turnham.


Below are some progress photos of the renovation. Hope you enjoy another Turnham Project.


This stump, I had to wait 6mths to put in because of excess water from a water leak....

Floor Joyce and stump fixed in place ready for yellow-tongue floor

Cement sheeting is nailed down ready for tiling

Tiling the floor area was a rewarding job!


Here are some proper photos of the details of the laundry. My favourite part is the Mahogany Gum bench top that I custom made. 



Mahogany Gum Bench Top

Grouting on the floor looks great Steph!

Washing machine only just fitted in once cement sheet and tiles were put in....


Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the imagery and the words. I must now focus my efforts on my final semester of university. I will be posting soon my project and its features, so keep an eye out!


   

Tuesday 14 July 2015

Temple & Webster Emerging Designer Award 2015






Matthew Harding and myself after exhibiting our Exo lights in Milan this year at Salone Satellite were recognised by Temple & Webster for our lights and other design projects. Our Exo series will be on display at the launch night this Thursday in Sydney.

We are amongst 9 other designers/studios who have been selected.Very exciting to be apart of I must say!

Our fellow designers are listed: Stephen Roy, Nicholas Fuller, Alison Jackson, Jack Frost, Andrew Southwood-Jones and Alexander Kashin of DAAST; Kenny Yong-soo Son of StudioKyss; Elliot Gorham of Noddy Boffin; Chris Gilbert, Chris Haddad and Josh FitzGerald of Archier Studio and Hugh Altschwager of Inkster Maken.

We were chosen by a panel of independent contributors and influencers from the Australian design community. And that is such a great privilege to have been acknowledged by those people.

Saturday 27 June 2015

Monash University Graduation Night 2015






The first graduation I've been too. I was there to support my classmates in the year above me. Industrial Design Class of 2014. But the main support was going out to my girlfriend Stephanie Tan. What a great achievement! I'm very proud of her! And not too long I will be in the same boat graduating next year too. 

This post is quite delayed, as the graduation night was on the 20th of May. I only finished my uni semester last week. So just getting some free time to do what I want!

I think that night there were students from Industrial Design, Visual Communications, IT and Business. 

Even though I only knew a select bunch of people graduating, it was quite exciting to see and be apart of.

Good on you guys.

Peace out




 

Monday 18 May 2015

Melbourne Design Week 2015




Shipping Containers Installation - Swanston Street, Melbourne



Last week Melbourne hosted the Design week. The week was full of events across the city. I personally didn't get to go to many of them. But from what I've heard it was great!

Two of the standouts from the week would have to be agIdeas International Forum and the Den : Furniture and Design Fair.

The above picture of the shipping containers was such a great installation, I loved it! Each container had a different segment in it from interior design to product design awards and nominations.


Tuesday 21 April 2015

People of Salone Satellite 2015

Here are some pictures of the designers that were participating in Satellite 2015. We all helped each other out. Sharing ladders, tools and spare hands when needed. Good team effort I say.

Lewis Yee (Copper ID) & Rowan Turnham
Matt Harding & Max Harper
Vlad Hauber (Raw Narratives) & Matthew Harding

Vlad Hauber (Raw Narratives) & Rowan Turnham



Salone Satellite 2015


 
 Designers from Satellite 2015



The week of design in Milan has been one of shear depth. I've never experienced something so strong and contagious. The whole city everywhere I looked had something related to design going on. From a bare and blank building transformed into a Nendo exhibit to hardware stores selling droog screws in packets. Streets turned into car showrooms (Audi City Lab) to the actual fair grounds of Rho. Fiera Milano Rho is the biggest dedicated showgrounds I have ever been to. 

The set-up of the stand was a difficult one. We did not have many resources to leverage on. Being in a different country and on the other side of the world adds its pros and cons. But we did the best with what we were given. And I'm proud of that. Good 'Aussie' spirit, have a crack.

Painting the stand black

 Max Harper, Matthew Harding, Adam Lynch & Hugh Altschwager (Left to right)

Mitch Rose Painting

Exo Series reading to be hung

The mix of designers from all around the world was such a great thing to be apart of. And to get a chance to exchange ideas and converse about design was even better.



By the end of the set-up we had a stand to be proud of. It was simple but worked well to show and complement our products.

 

Melbourne Movement Stand 2015

 
Matthew Harding & Rowan Turnham - Exo Series

Saturday 11 April 2015

Melbourne Movement - Salone del Mobile 2015










Melbourne Movement is a talented mix of young Australian designers, determined to build an international reputation for cutting edge Australian design. Melbourne Movement was founded in 1999 by Kjell Grant, an accomplished designer and professor of design at RMIT University.

Fostering and promoting products by excellent young designers and informing the public, retailers and manufacturers of the value and standard of design in Australia, are the core objectives of Melbourne Movement.

Grant currently invites young designers whose work is considered challenging and innovative in a world context to exhibit with the group. Melbourne Movement actively assists designers to commercialise their products. Melbourne Movement aims to make manufacturers, retailers and consumers become aware of the value of good design, and to promote the design excellence of young Australian designers.



We are a group of 7 designers from Melbourne. Our backgrounds in design vary from studies in Furniture design, Architecture to Industrial Design. And this year we are excited to be displaying our designs in Milan. Majority of the designs are lights including pendant, floor and table orientations and a chair design.


 

 Melbourne Movement 2015




Inkster Maken

Designs: Eclipse Wall Light, Flashlight Pendant, Matchstick Lamp



Eclipse Wall Light
Flashlight Pendant
Matchstick Lamp





Dowel Jones

Designs: Mr. Merger, Mr. Dowel Jones



Mr. Merger
Mr. Dowel Jones
Mr. Dowel Jones (disassembled)





Matthew Harding + Rowan Turnham

Designs: Exo Series


Tear drop & cage design

Table orientation

Wall bracket





Max Harper

Designs: Corker series


Corker cluster
Corker in context




Mitchell Rose

Designs: Spin Chair


Spin chair

Rear view of Spin chair

























Front view of Spin chair






We would like to thank our sponsors for their support









And we would also like to thank Kjell Grant for his continuing support for Australian design and Ian Wong for coordinating this years Melbourne Movement, 2015.





For more information about the show go to Salone Del Mobile 2015