Designing on The Edge

Industrial Design graduate Brad Stebbing has taken out the 2008 student prize at The Edge, a design and innovation element of the Australian International Furniture Fair. He won the coveted award for his Melee Modular Pendant Lamp (shown below), made from sustainable plywood and featuring a collection of little wooden men.

As a teenager, Brad undertook a traditional cabinet-making course in London where he built up his portfolio of work. This helped him gain admission to the UTS Industrial Design degree, which he completed last year. During his studies, he won the 2006 Cormack Packaging Innovation Award for his innovative child-safe lid concept and was invited to create lighting fixtures for the annual end-of-year design show at UTS.

After graduation, the accolades kept flowing: in 2007, Brad reached the top three finalists of the Breville Young Designer Award and the top 10 of the Qantas Spirit of Youth Award.

An ambitious designer, 24-year-old Brad sought a wide variety of work experience during his degree, working in design consultancies, furniture design, set design, prototyping facilities, high end stationary and injection moulded packaging. He has now started to design and produce his own products, while offering his design services throughout Sydney on a contract basis.

Each Melee is made to order and laser cut in Sydney. At the moment, a large Melee costs about $800 but Brad plans to release a more affordable version in recycled polypropylene later in the year. For more information, visit www.bradstebbing.com