DIA Hall of Fame – Mark Armstrong
Mark Armstrong was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) Hall of Fame last week in Sydney.
Industrial designer Mark Armstrong is Founding Principal of Blue Sky, a leading Australian design consultancy. His commitment to design quality and innovation has resulted in a raft of Australian design awards and European IF Design awards for lighting and consumer products. Mark’s formation of a joint venture with Philips Electronics over a five-year period during the 90s, provided access to new technologies to both Blue Sky and their clients. Key commissions have included: the design of the Olympic Torch for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney; the design of new trains for EDI Rail for the Sydney network; the design of a new check in system for Qantas; and the design of next generation products for Cochlear, which amped up the product aesthetically and functionally. Mark has also directed design programs for high volume products including: whitegoods, lighting systems, garden car products and medical equipment. In addition to his involvement in creating a body of work that has showcased Australian design capabilities on a global scale, Mark has given generously of his time to shape and strengthen his profession. He served as Vice President of the Design Institute of Australia (DIA) NSW (1995-96) and as a member of various advisory boards and committees including: RMIT’s Industrial Design course Advisory Board (1997-98); UTS Course Advisory Board (2010-2011); the Deans Advisory Board University of NSW Industrial Design Department; Object Gallery Steering Committee (2011-2012); and as advisory consultant to the United Nations Philippines Government – Product Design and Development Centre of the Philippines. In other professional appointments, Mark was engaged as Monash University’s Practice Professor, Industrial Design Eva and Marc Besen International Research Chair in Design in 2012 and Design Mentor for the NSW Government Design Integration Pilot Program in 2013. Always striving to raise the bar, Mark’s collaborative work with RMIT Centre for Design has also been at the leading edge of environmental design. The Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame recognises the achievements of Mark Armstrong.
The citations and images are reproduced, with permission, from the DIA Hall of Fame website .
