Jocelyn Chiew is the Director of City Design at the City of Melbourne where she leads a multidisciplinary team of 50 staff. She is passionate about the expanded practice of design and how this can lead to more inclusive, sustainable and nurturing built outcomes for the city. Jocelyn is a Nationally Elected Councillor at the Australian Institute of Architects and a member of the Victorian Government Architect’s Victorian Design Review Panel. She has over 18 years’ experience in the planning, design, delivery and management of vibrant urban places.
A dress by Romance Was Born
On the value of local makers and unexpected collaborations:
I’ve been collecting Australian fashion since I graduated from university. I like to think of it as wearable and affordable art. I discovered Sydney label, Romance Was Born (RWB), in their first show at Melbourne Fashion Week. This has extended into a lifelong love for the city and finding and investing in local talent.
The most wonderful thing about RWB is their unashamed love of Australian culture. Their exuberant and original contributions stand apart from other products that are ubiquitous. Values of local, sustainable and craft are evident. Unexpected outcomes and encounters are a delightful aspect of their work.
A dress by Romance Was Born
Image: Kate Meakin
Climbing gear – RPs by Roland Pauligk
On the value of having a vision and perseverance:
Like the process of design, climbing begins with a vision – usually to get up a line (on a cliff or a mountain) in style. Climbers rely on strategy to identify achievable actions. Different climbers will climb the same route in different ways. The journey becomes a mix of trepidation, excitement and achievement. Perseverance and the ability to work through fear are key to a successful outcome.
RPs are an Australian invention, created by the late climbing pioneer, Roland Pauligk. They are a form of removable protection used to secure one’s rope to small cracks in the rock. RPs are an icon of traditional climbing, which prides itself on “leaving no trace.” I often look to the lessons of climbing to chart a way forward through monumental tasks.
Climbing gear – RPs by Roland Pauligk
Image: Kate Meakin
A graphic novel (Aya: Life in Yop City by Marguerite Abouet and Clemént Oubrerie)
On the importance of storytelling and communication:
For me, comics have always provided a way of seeing and experiencing the world. The first comic I ever received was The Phantom by Lee Falk. I later became enamoured with Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. More recently, I’ve preferred biographical works like Aya.
Graphic novels are formative to my views on storytelling and communication. They bring together drawings and words to provide diverse and immersive experiences. They have broad appeal, crossing boundaries of age, gender, culture and education. They communicate complex narratives in ways that are compelling and memorable.
A graphic novel (Aya: Life in Yop City by Marguerite Abouet and Clemént Oubrerie)
Image: Kate Meakin
A Pinarello Surprise bicycle
On the value of having “space” from design:
I became serious about cycling as a child, after injuring my patella (knee cap). It became a way to ward off chronic injury, while building independence. I was a cycle courier through university. This provided an initial sneak peak into a variety of design offices around town. Travelling by bike offers an immediate appreciation of different terrains and urban grains. My commute into work is one of my favourite parts of the day. It’s during this quiet time that I can either switch off or think clearly through issues. I often solve design problems while on my feet or bike.
I happened on the Pinarello when I was working at a bicycle shop. It was described to me as one of the last hand-built, hand-finished frames to leave the factory in Italy. It is the only bike that I’ve assembled from scratch.
A Pinarello Surprise bicycle
Image: Kate Meakin
This text is an excerpt from the catalogue for Subject/Object, an exhibition curated by AILA Cultivate that explored the intersection of everyday living and design practice. The exhibition took place from 17 March to 20 March at 514 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne as part of the 2022 Melbourne Design Week program.
