Zander Morris

Industrial Design

Having a perpetual drive to understand the complexities of our interconnected world, I am fascinated in the ways that industrial design weaves itself daily through the fabric of our lives. Whether it be as seemingly insignificant as the lacing patterns of our shoes, or as crucial as the medical equipment we are dependent upon in crisis, I am drawn magnetically to finding ways in which industrial design can be deployed at a fundamental level across all industries and disciplines. I enjoy seeking inspiration from often seemingly disconnected bodies of knowledge and applying it as tangibly as possible, striving to consider the role a product plays far beyond just its immediate use context.

As a species facing a slew of growingly catastrophic environmental challenges, I am driven to find ways in which good design can not only mitigate further ecological damage, but regenerate the social, economic, end environmental contexts in which it is deployed.

I am thrilled by the process of continuous learning and look forward to continuing to practice design to the best of my ability in our rapidly evolving world!

Coolearth

Building on the proven properties of terracotta pot-in-pot systems, Coolearth bridges the technological gap between existing powered and unpowered coolers. Through the use of low-technology manufacturing methods and materials, Coolearth provides low-cost, temperature-sensitive medication storage for people living in developing, arid-climate rural regions.

Exo

A 2-in-1 shop vacuum + blower platform designed with disassembly at its core, granting instantaneous access to its internal componentry through an innovative buckle system. Access, repair, and retrofit, free from the barriers of planned obsolescence.

Rey

Designed for About Space, Rey is a customisable acoustic-dampening lighting system crafted to fit elegantly into both commercial and residential interiors. Featuring a laser-cut felt shade, consumers are given the freedom to create a sophisticated statement piece tailored directly to their aesthetic preferences.

Sjena

A children’s furnishing piece designed to promote parent-child play through the medium of shadow puppetry. A playful interpretation of contemporary children’s lighting design, Sjena seamlessly deepens the narratives of unstructured play by turning the walls of any environment into canvas accessible at the flick of a switch.

Tuckerbox

Designed for Country Road, Tuckerbox provides dog owners with a tasteful way to feed their pet on the go. A celebration of the materials core to the Australian Identity, Tuckerbox is composed of a nesting stainless steel food container and bowl, enveloped by a hand-crafted leather sling for ease of transport.

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.