Installation view of 100 LIGHTS presented by Friends & Associates on display from the 15th to the 18th of May, located at 2 Wreckyn Street, North Melbourne, as part of Melbourne Design Week 2025 | Photography by Sean Fennessy
These five shows put lighting front-and-centre at Melbourne Design Week, where enduring design sits comfortably alongside the experimental.
Light is more than a functional necessity, it can be sculptural and poetic. From retrospective showcases to collaborative experiments, this year’s standout exhibitions reveal the evolving language of light in contemporary design. Across hand-blown glass, delicate porcelain, and finely engineered forms, each offers a chance to experience how Australian designers are shaping space through illumination.
100 LIGHTS
Now in its thirteenth iteration, Friends & Associates presents 100 LIGHTS—a mammoth group show bringing together more than 110 Australian designers, studios and practices. Each participant was invited to contribute a singular vision of lighting design, collectively forming a kaleidoscopic portrait of Australian creativity.
From material-driven experimentation to sculptural expression, the works span diverse disciplines and scales. Held in Melbourne’s historic Meat Market, the exhibition invites viewers to explore light as a medium for design, storytelling and atmosphere.
Installation view of 100 LIGHTS presented by Friends & Associates on display from the 15th of May until the 18th of May, located at 2 Wreckyn St, Meat Market Stables as part of Melbourne Design Week 2025 | Photography by Sean Fennessy
Installation view of the 20 years of Volker Haug Studio exhibition on display from the 15th to the 17th of May as part of Melbourne Design Week 2025 | Photography by Pier Carthew
20 Years of Volker Haug Studio
In a rare retrospective, Volker Haug Studio reflects on two decades of design with a curated exhibition of past works, gathered from private collections across Australia. Known for its distinctive balance of craft, wit and restraint, the studio’s lighting designs have long challenged conventional typologies.
This showcase traces the evolution of the practice—from early experiments to recent refinements—offering an intimate view into a studio that continues to shape the future of Australian lighting design.
Installation view of the 20 years of Volker Haug Studio exhibition on display from the 15th to the 17th of May as part of Melbourne Design Week 2025 | Photography by Pier Carthew
Designer Jordan Fleming unveils the Tuppa collection, in collaboration with Objects for Thought | Photography by Michael Pham
Designer Jordan Fleming unveils the Tuppa collection, in collaboration with Objects for Thought | Photography by Michael Pham
TUPPA by Jordan Fleming for Objects for Thought
Designer Jordan Fleming unveils Tuppa, a new lighting collection for Objects for Thought. Realised in hand-blown glass with brass and stainless steel accents, the pendants reflect a refined play of form, colour and tension. Developed in collaboration with renowned glass artist Ruth Allen, the pieces celebrate both the fragility and strength of the medium. With a quiet elegance and sculptural presence, Tuppa signals a new direction for Objects for Thought, one that champions the voices of emerging Australian talent.
A Decade of Articolo Studios
Marking ten years of practice, Articolo Studios opens its newly refurbished flagship showroom to present three new collections. Founded by Nicci Kavals, the studio is recognised for its refined sensibility, fusing sophisticated engineering with poetic forms.
The pieces on show exemplify Articolo’s enduring focus on artisanal quality and atmospheric light, each design meticulously crafted to evoke mood and elegance. This exhibition captures a decade of quiet mastery and the studio’s contribution to contemporary lighting and object design.
Articolo founder and design director Nicci Kavals | Photography courtesy of Articolo Studios
Installation view of Alchemy of Light presented by Sarah Tracton and Sofitel Melbourne on Collins | Photography courtesy of Sarah Tracton
Installation view of Alchemy of Light presented by Sarah Tracton and Sofitel Melbourne on Collins | Photography courtesy of Sarah Tracton
Alchemy of Light by Sarah Tracton
Sarah Tracton’s Alchemy of Light transforms the Sofitel lobby into a luminous field of porcelain. Each handcrafted light is shaped by fire and repaired through Kintsugi—a Japanese method of embracing imperfection. The outcome highlights a poetic collision of fragility, resilience and light.
The exhibition also debuts a portable, rechargeable porcelain light that doubles as a serving tray, developed with technical collaborator Dr Ian Watkins. Seamlessly merging art, design and sustainability, Tracton’s work offers a radical rethinking of functional lighting.