ReEvolution: A New Course Empowers Interior Designers to Make Better Choices

May 29

There’s a lack of environmental education tailored to interior designers. With demanding workloads and tight deadlines, it is almost impossible to keep on top of rapidly changing innovations, materiality, standards and targets.

This is where Circular Design Thinking (CDT) comes in. We’re launching a new intensive course called ‘Select & Source: A ReEvolution’ to give interior designers the knowledge, practical tools and community they need to make real change.

Redefining design for a new era.

CDT is a dedicated team of sustainable design and environmental experts who consult to the furniture, textile and interiors industry. We’re on a mission to change the way Australian designers, manufacturers and retailers think, with the goal of driving a true shift in behavioural thinking from linear to circular. In short, we’re leading an industrial ReEvolution.

Learn how to ‘Select & Source: A ReEvolution’ in your projects.

Our new three-day, in-person intensive course is the first of its kind in Australia. It is highly experiential and purpose-built for interior designers to make a positive environmental impact through project selections.

Your teacher will be Karie Soehardi, founder of Circular Design Thinking (CDT), an experienced designer and indefatigable activist for sustainable design. Karie has worked in the design industry for over twenty years, as a commercial product designer and buyer for major brands. Running her own furnishing business for ten years, clientele included Coco Republic, Lend Lease, Sydney Living Museums and many residential customers.

Karie has seen first-hand the environmental damage that blindly following old linear models is doing, and has become a leading advocate for change. “I believe that educating designers is urgent,” says Karie. “What we choose today will impact generations to come.”

Each choice you make creates a ripple. Here’s how undertaking the ‘Select & Source: A ReEvolution’ course will revolutionise your design practice.

Created with interior designers in mind, we are humbled that Cult Design, Koskela and Jardan have made their spaces available to us to conduct these three day courses. In addition the Design Institute of Australia is offering CPD points for those who attend.

Learn to navigate

Knowledge is power. Get the right information to cut through greenwashing and make good choices. Decipher relevant terminology, discover fundamental Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks, and gain practical skills for interacting with suppliers and contractors. You will also explore various certifications, industry standards and best practices for the circular economy. Learn why they’re crucial and start implementing them even before they are legislated.

Learn to articulate

Assess and adjust your current design processes to align with circular design principles. Learn to eliminate waste and evaluate materials and their lifecycles. Take part in highly interactive group workshops to discuss projects and identify opportunities. Crucially, you’ll also learn how to articulate these concepts to key stakeholders and become an advocate for circular design thinking.

Get ready to activate

By the end of the course, you will be ready to design with integrity. Designers are expected to design projects with circular principles and quantify their environmental impact. You will have taken a deep dive into strategies for designing with sustainability top of mind. You will be armed with the right questions to ask suppliers and contractors, know how to maintain records of products and materials and prioritise tracking and transparency. You can also test ideas on engaging with your network of suppliers, recyclers and waste management channels.

Changemakers need community

By taking this course, designers will become part of an active movement across Australia. A month after completing the course, each designer has a one-hour online meeting with a reEvolutionist from Circular Design Thinking to discuss their learnings and practices. You will also gain access to an online designer forum with your course cohort, where you can continue to share your experiences and insights.

‘Select & Source: A ReEvolution’ is an industry-disrupting course that should not be missed by any interior designer or design firm that is serious about making change and the right selections.