Session 2.03
Tracks
Track 3
| Thursday, June 18, 2026 |
| 12:05 PM - 1:05 PM |
| McNamara Room |
Overview
Designing futures: interior design pathways and practical ideas for senior design classrooms
Details
This session is suitable for: All
Speaker
Sophie Vuilleumier
Griffith University
Designing Futures: Interior Design Pathways and Practical Ideas for Senior Design Classrooms
Presentation description
In this one-hour session, two interior design educators from Griffith University unpack the realities, opportunities, and evolving future of interior design as a career path for senior school students studying Design.
This presentation will demystify and unpack the full scope of contemporary interior design practice beyond perceptions and assumptions. We will introduce the breadth of interior design practice and look ahead to the major forces shaping this industry, including technological shifts, sustainability, accessibility, and changing client expectations and user experience.
We will discuss how these trends are reshaping both the job market and the skills that future designers will need and connect these directly to the QCAA Design 2025 syllabus objectives of problem framing, ideation, prototyping and communication.
Teachers will gain a clear overview of interior design pathways, from tertiary study to emerging specialisations, and learn how to help students understand the breadth of careers available in this industry. Using relevant case studies, we will highlight how interior designers respond to complex, real‑world design problems and the deeply impactful aspects of the discipline.
A core focus of the session will be classroom application. We will share practical, classroom‑ready interior design task ideas that map clearly onto Units 1–4, including stakeholder‑centred exercises, human‑centred spatial tasks and sustainable interior redesign briefs that can be delivered with existing school resources. We will also introduce accessible, low‑ or no‑cost digital tools suitable for senior students to explore spatial layouts and communicate design concepts visually, without turning the session into a software sales pitch.
This session aims to energise, inform, and equip teachers to guide interested students towards relevant Griffith University programs and nurture the next wave of creative, thoughtful, and future‑ready interior designers.
This presentation will demystify and unpack the full scope of contemporary interior design practice beyond perceptions and assumptions. We will introduce the breadth of interior design practice and look ahead to the major forces shaping this industry, including technological shifts, sustainability, accessibility, and changing client expectations and user experience.
We will discuss how these trends are reshaping both the job market and the skills that future designers will need and connect these directly to the QCAA Design 2025 syllabus objectives of problem framing, ideation, prototyping and communication.
Teachers will gain a clear overview of interior design pathways, from tertiary study to emerging specialisations, and learn how to help students understand the breadth of careers available in this industry. Using relevant case studies, we will highlight how interior designers respond to complex, real‑world design problems and the deeply impactful aspects of the discipline.
A core focus of the session will be classroom application. We will share practical, classroom‑ready interior design task ideas that map clearly onto Units 1–4, including stakeholder‑centred exercises, human‑centred spatial tasks and sustainable interior redesign briefs that can be delivered with existing school resources. We will also introduce accessible, low‑ or no‑cost digital tools suitable for senior students to explore spatial layouts and communicate design concepts visually, without turning the session into a software sales pitch.
This session aims to energise, inform, and equip teachers to guide interested students towards relevant Griffith University programs and nurture the next wave of creative, thoughtful, and future‑ready interior designers.
Biography
Sophie Barfod Vuilleumier (née Dye) is an Interior Designer, and PhD candidate at Griffith University's Queensland College of Art and Design (QCAD) in Brisbane, Australia. Her research investigates ‘Flood Responsive Interior Design: Transitions for residential interior design’. Using a transition design framework, Sophie works to engage with communities and stakeholders to create adaptable, sustainable and regenerative interior designs for spaces that flood, aiming to support a broader transition towards resilience in the face of the climate crisis.
Scott Bagnell
Queensland College of Art and Design, Griffith University
Co-presenter
Biography
Scott Bagnell is a seasoned design educator and creative professional with 25 years of experience in higher education and the design industry. His expertise spans interior design, visual communication design, and interaction design, complemented by extensive industry experience in retail, hospitality, and commercial interior design. A former President and Director of the Design Institute of Australia's Queensland Branch, Scott is committed to advancing the design industry and education in Australia and has even showcased his creativity as a top 9 finalist on MasterChef Australia.
With 25 years of design industry experience as a transdisciplinary designer Scott has worked in design sectors including interior & retail design, hospitality design, food service and experience design, visual communication design, branding, web design, event design and management and theatrical set design.
