Huu Phi Mai

Communication Design

Phi Mai is a Melbourne-based business marketer and graphic designer. Partnering with businesses and social organizations, she believes that design is everything and everywhere around us and is the best method of getting your message out there.

Phi was born with a natural inquisitiveness and curiosity. Enamoured with the act of creation she would use any medium to express her imagination. Whether it was doodling within textbooks or models out of paper mache - exploring the bounds of creativity.

As she grew, Phi's passion for design only intensified. She pursued formal education in graphic design and marketing, where she honed her skills and expanded her knowledge. Her academic journey was complemented by hands-on experience, as she worked on diverse projects that ranged from branding for local startups to designing impactful campaigns for non-profits. This blend of formal training and practical application allowed Phi to develop a unique perspective on how design can drive business success and social change. Today, she continues to innovate and inspire, using her expertise to help her clients navigate the ever-evolving design landscape. Phi's work is a testament to her belief that thoughtful design is not just an aesthetic choice, but a strategic tool for effective communication and engagement.

2021 RBGV Annual Report

I was tasked with creating a sustainable and visually cohesive design for the Royal Botanic
Gardens Victoria’s 2021 report.

Through a paper cutout aesthetic to complement the RBGV’s whimsical and beautiful gardens, I
have created a coherent design that effectively communicates RBGV’s mission, and
strengthens stakeholder relationships, all while fostering public trust, and continued support for
the organization.

Sprigly Salad Bars

For this trendy salad restaurant in Melbourne’s CBD, Phi created a distinct brand identity that
highlights Sprigly’s use of locally grown surplus produce and commitment to reducing food
waste through this, appealing to health-conscious consumers.

Retro Danglers

A leading toy manufacturer specializing in collectible merchandise asked to create a packaging
design for their upcoming retro keychain toy line
Drawing inspiration from vintage and nostalgic technology Phi developed a design concept that
seamlessly blended nostalgia with contemporary appeal, featuring playful illustrations of famous
devices of yesteryear

Classic Reboot - Dante’s Inferno

Reimagining Dante’s Inferno using marbled red textures, sliced text, and unique symbols for
each layer. To bring Dante’s Divine Comedy to life. Combined with textured paper, this creates a
multi-sensory, immersive literary experience.

Lighten Up Illustration

Initially, a way to refine her illustration style, this project evolved into a series of digital greeting
cards characterized by soft, rounded shapes and vibrant colours, exuding warmth and joy.

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.