Student Finalist Featured in Grand Designs Australia Magazine

Congratulations Neluka on all your achievements! Can you tell us a bit about the competition?

The brief was to design three spaces for a realistic project, the Fire & Ice Boutique Hotel that was proposed to be built in Wollongong, New South Wales.

The designs were for the reception area, a typical bedroom, and the pool bar/break room area. 

 

Grand Designs Australia MagazineGrand Designs Australia Magazine featuring iscd student Neluka Jayasuriya

 

Tell us about your entry and the process you went through to develop it.

My design objective was to communicate the emotions one would experience when one encounters ice and fire. This was coupled with historical relevance and the landscape of the Wollongong area. My aim was to channel these experiences through the materials, colours, shapes, and space, whilst having a connection to the area and the past of Wollongong. 

What was it like to be featured in Grand Designs Australia Magazine? 

It was beyond my imagination! I didn’t expect it at all! 

What was your background before studying with us? And how did studying with ISCD prepare you for what you are doing now?

I had a background in architecture from overseas prior to my studying a Diploma of Interior Design at ISCD. As I had a break after migrating to Australia, studying at ISCD gave me the confidence and reassurance to follow my intuition. I also shaped my knowledge about soft furnishings, fabrics and so much about colour, that also helps me in my current interior design work.

 

Interior Design Mood Board, SketchUp and Plan

 

Where do you get your inspiration from? 

The surroundings, circumstances, past, and its connection to the site.

I try to find what is it that is unique in a particular project, and then use that to either connect it to its surroundings, owners or its past. 

Anything else that you would like to add about design and what it means to you?

Design should connect with the user in a way that makes a positive impact and resonates. It should uplift one’s spirit and create a great impact. It needs to be current and facilitate the needs of the user. Hence the aspiration is to create spaces that do just that.