Mikaela Buccella

I am a graduating student in interior architecture at Swinburne university of technology with a passion for design and interiors. I enjoy all aspects of the design process from the initial concept development to the final realisation of a project. I priorities how a space is interacted with through thinking out side of the box when it comes to human ergonomics and our relationship with our built environment. I aim to create unique experiences in my works that are functional and yet aesthetically pleasing. I come from a European background where togetherness is highly valued. I also aim to facilitate this quality in my works by giving people places to gather, connect and share experiences.

A more personal detail about me includes a love for health and fitness which truly came to life in my Capstone project which allowed my two biggest passions to coincide. Longevity Living isn't just a project for me but one that defines me as a designer and a person.

On the back end of my degree I have taken great interest in rendering software's and enjoy pushing my capabilities in them to create realistic yet creative results. I hope to specialise in this area once I graduate.

Museum of the Handmade - Main Gallery Space - Interior Render

This project was created with light being the focal point as specific light needs to be used in gallery spaces to highlight the art. However, light was also manipulated through the building's facade to create light dancing across the rooms. You can see this demonstrated through the sunlight hitting the floor and walls in circular repetition.

Capstone: Longevity Living - Atrium Render

Longevity Living was created through the Capstone project. The project intentions was to create spaces that allow busy inner suburb residents to breathe in there busy schedules. Longevity Living is about focusing on key principles of mental clarity, community, nature, nutrition and movement to support healthy ageing,

Bush Dwelling - Office Render

Bush Dwelling was created with the site as the center focus as it invites it's surrounding in through floor to ceiling windows allowing the trees to become part of the interior space. Here we see picture the study area that looks out to the peaceful bush views.

Bush Dwelling - Bathroom Render

The render depicted showcases Bush Dwelling's master ensuite situated on the second floor. The use of complimentary texture and finishes creates interest in the space. The reflectiveness of the tiles allows the light to fully light the space.

Capstone: Longevity Living - Wellness Centre Render

This render is from the project Longevity Living highlighting the amenities on the ground floor of the wellness center. Every material and element in intentional to create a sense of calm, from the timber facade exposed by the glass to the warm tones in the tile.

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.