Saved by design

Anthony Radford | Bendigo Weekly | 08-Jul-2011 3.38

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Bianka Loria
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Until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn’t heard of graphic interior design.

Bianka Loria put me out of my misery (she got a mention a couple of weeks ago, an organiser of the upcoming Analogue 2 Digital art competition).
We met randomly in Chancery Lane, as she was photographing for her blog.
We got chatting when the conversation turned to design – her passion, and the subject of her studies at Latrobe Uni.
“Graphic Interior Design?” I stopped her midway through a sentence, not quite sure if I had heard right.
Had Bianka just said that she was hoping to work as a Graphic-Interior-Designer? I spelled out the words slowly, like Mr Spock in an old episode of Star Trek, running an unfamiliar term through that rigid Vulcan brain of his.
“Illogical Captain. It doesn’t exist.”
A relatively recent phenomenon, GID does exist. It’s the organisation of physical space – and the movement of people within it – using strategically placed images, instead of structures.
Bianka, 25, explained using a train station in Copenhagen as an example.
The architects used giant letters on the station’s walls to gain people’s attention, and to regulate their movement.
By drawing attention to eye-catching, meaningful words (that is, information), placed in certain areas of the building, physically, people are also drawn to them.
The graphics manipulate commuters into interacting with them and the space, not barriers or walkways. Genius.
“It’s the bridge between being in a space, and actually being part of that space,” she explained further.
Born and bred in Bendigo, Bianka first studied Interior Design at Box Hill Institute after graduating from BSSC.
She soon moved into graphic design, when she became aware of “a new market of graphic interior designers popping up.”
It’s a train she definitely wanted to get on – and quite possibly drive as well.
It didn’t take long for her to see the possibilities for Bendigo, her aim one day being to take over a local building like the disused Gillies Factory on Myrtle Street.
“It’d be an awesome gallery space, flexible enough to be used by any kind of artist,” she said.
“But I’m not quite sure Bendigo is ready for that yet – Bendigo needs to come out of its shell regarding change.
“The vast majority of Bendigo are traditionalists, with fear of the unknown.
“It needs to come to the realisation that the young people of Bendigo are not influenced by tradition! We’re influenced by the modern world.”
She also recognises a groundswell of young designers in need of support. The Grapho Allegiance now boasts 60 members.
It was started in 2010 by a group of La Trobe University Bendigo grapho students, to offer “a sense of community” to the differing year levels.
“It’s a forum to meet new and like-minded people, and give them every opportunity to help sell themselves to the industry,” Bianka said.
It’s a role she relishes.
While the Grapho Allegiance is still in-house, Bianka hopes one day “to make the club open to the public, so it can become a service that helps young Graphic Designers find their feet”.
Sounds like a plan.. And a good one. To quote Spock again, “logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end”.
Find the Grapho Allegiance Group on Facebook.
b.Entertained

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