Michael Smith

Communication Design (Honours)

Michael is a Communication Design Honours graduate at Swinburne University of Technology. He possesses a multitude of specialist skills and knowledge in such areas as typography, publication and document design, branding and photography. Michael began his design career working at an agricultural real estate agency, Smith Agri International, as the team graphic designer before segueing into a 12-month placement at Swinburne's student-led inhouse design studio, the Bureau Studio. At the Bureau, Michael gained valuable experience working on a broad range of projects for internal and external clients. Here Michael further developed and expanded on his design skills and knowledge while working with a tightknit multidisciplinary team. Beyond this, the highly responsible nature of his position at the student-led studio saw Michael further develop his professional skills as he managed numerous projects concurrently, while maintaining regular communication with clients and other relevant stakeholders. Michael’s 12-month contract was extended by an additional 12 months as he worked casually with the Bureau team formatting a series of documents for the World Health Organisation.

During his time at Swinburne, Michael was a part of the GradX 2019 and GradX 2020 committees alongside other Bureau employees and Swinburne students. The GradX 2020 committee received a merit in the AGDA awards. Michael also received recognition from the United Nations when his design was selected to communicate information around the world on how to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the future, Michael aspires to continue developing his skills and knowledge, both in design and professional practice.

Invisible Cities Exhibition Catalogue (ISTD Student Assessment Scheme)

Avoid Touching Your Face (United Nations Global Call Out To Creatives)

Tim Winton Book Cover Redesign

FHAD Folder

A Stumble Down Sydney Road

Acknowledgement of Country

The School of Design and Architecture respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and knowledge-keepers of the lands, waters and sky that surround us, where we work, learn, create, communicate and make place. We recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded and this always was and will always be Wurundjeri Country. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who continue to make a better world through design.

We extend our acknowledgement to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, alumni, real-life clients, and knowledge keepers, who have contributed to our own education diversity and growth. We will continue to ensure that staff and students respectfully honour ancestral connection to Country and Place in everything that they do.

We are dedicated to the notion of design to make a better world and we acknowledge that making tools, shaping place, sharing stories, making meaning, wayfinding and collaborating have long been and continue to be both central and integral to First Peoples' cultures. We recognize that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ cultural contributions have continued relevance to design practice and commit to: reconciling ancestries of design and contemporary practice as well as pursuing culturally and professionally appropriate ways to engage with a diverse population of colleagues, industries and clients. In a time of treaty-making and voice we understand that there are overlaps between caring for Country and the sustainable production of goods, services, experiences, products and buildings.

Guided by the principles of respect, reconciliation, and reciprocity we undertake to indigenising and decolonising design practice by dismantling colonial structures and challenging biases that have marginalised Indigenous voices and design.

As students of SoDA you will be given opportunities to both engage with and educate yourself in Indigenous creative practices and cultural protocols through a lens of inclusivity, diversity, respect, mutual understanding, inter-cultural dialogue in all aspects of design practice. Indigenous people have been telling stories, making tools, and connecting to Country through visual media, placemaking and place marking for more than 60,000 years and these practices are part of an ongoing, evolving and live tradition.