Design Institute of Australia

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Gerald Easden

Gerald Easden graduated from Wycombe Technical Institute in Furniture and Interior Design in 1950, and worked in the Drawing Offices of ’Ercol’ & ’Parker Knoll’ from 1950 -1957, less two years National Service in the RAF.

He came to Australia in 1957 and worked in the Design Studio of ’Radio Corporation P/L - Astor. From 1958 -1961 employed as the designer for ’Reliance Furniture P/L, winning 2 Good Design awards from the Victorian Guild of Furniture Manufacturers in 1960. From 1961 - 1962 employed as an Interior Designer in the ’Victorian Public Works Department’, designing furniture and interiors for Government Offices, Courts, Hostels etc. From 1962 - 1963 employed as an Interior Designer in the Design Studio of the ’Commonwealth Department of Works’, designed interiors and furniture for cabins and public spaces of the ’Empress of Australia’ liner, designed furniture for the ’Reserve Bank of Australia, airports in Melbourne and Sydney and Government offices.

In 1963 was appointed Assistant University Designer at ’The Australian National University’ in Canberra, designing furniture and interiors for University buildings, Department of Forestry, Halls of Residence, designing graphics for University publications and catalogues of exhibitions. Part time lecturer in charge of Interior Design at Canberra Tech.

In 1968 in Melbourne, began his own design consultancy in Interior, Furniture, Exhibition and Graphic Design. Designed interiors for retail and duty free stores and interiors and furniture for restaurants, hotels, motels, offices and domestic clients. Designed exhibition stands, domestic and commercial furniture for local companies such as ’Module’, ’Fler’, ’Ausgum’ and ’Aristoc’. Designed graphics for retail stores, stationary for manufacturers and office companies.

Winning over 20 Good Design Awards. Awarded Best of the Best for outdoor furniture in 2002 & 2003 at the Sydney International Furniture Show. Awarded ’Modern Icon’ status of ’Australian Furniture’ by the Australian Furniture Association in 2013.

Elected as an ’Associate’ member of the ’Industrial Design Institute of Australia’ in 1961. Elected as a ’Fellow’ member of the ’Design Institute of Australia’ in 1997. Awarded ’DIA Gold Citation’ from ’Design Institute of Australia’ in 2002.