The Design Institute of Australia (DIA) has revealed the five visionary designers who were inducted into the DIA Design Hall of Fame for 2025, with the event held at the NGV’s Garden Restaurant. This prestigious induction honors an exceptional body of work and a profound commitment to advancing the Australian design landscape.
Representing the pinnacle of industry recognition, this year’s inductees hail from the industrial, interior, and graphic design disciplines. These leaders will be officially celebrated and inducted at a special ceremony in early 2026, marking their lasting impact on the profession.
The DIA Design Hall of Fame 2025 Inductees are:
Dr Carolyn Briggs, design educator
N’arwee’t Dr Carolyn Briggs AM is a highly respected Boon Wurrung Elder, cultural leader, and spatial design collaborator whose lifelong contribution has significantly influenced Australian design thinking. Her practice merges Indigenous knowledge systems, language reclamation, and spatial storytelling to advance both cultural revitalisation and contemporary design discourse.
Paul Charlwood, industrial designer
Paul Charlwood is an influential industrial designer in practice, education and advocacy. He founded Charlwood Design in 1993, and his achievements include the design of the 2006 Commonwealth Games baton, the inaugural Victorian Premier’s Prize for Industrial Design, and he has served as DIA’s Victorian President and National Director.
Paul Huxtable, industrial designer
Paul Huxtable has made a significant contribution to industrial and engineering design, product development, design export, and design business development in Australia during a career spanning five decades.
Geraldine Maher, interior designer
Geraldine Maher is a prominent interior designer based in Melbourne and the founder of Maher Design, with a career spanning several decades and including director-level positions, significant justice-related projects, professional memberships, and industry leadership roles.
Cal Swann, graphic designer
Cal Swann is a distinguished design academic and typographer with a career spanning over fifty years, notably impacting graphic design education in both the UK and Australia.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
