Interior design specialist Sonja Duric joins the board of Australian design practice Hames Sharley as a director. Duric brings over 20 years of experience in workplace strategy, interior design, concept design, project coordination and focus group facilitation to her new role.
With the addition of ten new workplace interiors specialists, Hames Sharley has bolstered its team in Victoria to meet the growing demand for interiors and workplace projects along the East Coast of Australia. In addition to Duric, the new hires include Kate McCann, Michael Edwards and Ian Piggott as associate directors; Pavel Ornelas and Suzi Wedd as associates; Alex Macdonald, Tracy Lo and Kylie Lord as interior designers; and Dion Wee as a graphic designer.
Victorian studio leader, Elise Miles Simonovski said the expanded interiors team strengthens Hames Sharley’s offering not just in Victoria but also across the country, with the firm operating studios in all capital cities.
“We are thrilled to have such an experienced, like-minded group join the Hames Sharley family – a move that further reinforces our approach to having a truly diverse and multidisciplinary firm. The team has collectively forged its reputation as a forward-thinking and highly creative group of professionals. They bring an approach strongly aligned with the Hames Sharley design methodology of using research as a base to create and deliver contextual, authentic design solutions, executed beautifully and intelligently.”
Welcoming Duric to the board, Hames Sharley managing director Caillin Howard said, “Sonja brings a recognised capability for facilitating a galvanised consensus among diverse stakeholders, which she has developed across her career in the industry. She is a passionate designer with a keen interest in quality of life in the workplace, and a steadfast advocate for diversity and inclusivity.”
Duric said the team is incredibly pleased to have found a new home at Hames Sharley.
“Our team is truly collaborative and fiercely loyal. We’ve worked together for many years and continue to do so because our strengths and weaknesses balance each other out – the sum of us is greater than our parts. The time had come for us to find a new practice where design culture, kindness, respect, and common shared values are celebrated – and this is exactly what we’ve found at Hames Sharley.
“Our passion is doing what we love in an inclusive and creative way. We are also passionate about research, evidence-based design, and being at the forefront of innovation with both of those; something which is also a core value at Hames Sharley. Together, people’s well-being and responsible designing are key to our approach; unearthing a brief, understanding the complexities of diversity within our community and connecting a design outcome to evidence are our focus.
“We look forward to working with our new Hames Sharley family and to the many exciting projects ahead.”
