Behind the scenes with: Melanie Porrins from Woods Bagot
Introducing…
Melanie Porrins // Woods Bagot
When I finally sat down to think about who I should interview first, it ended up being such an easy pick. Melanie Porrins is an absolute legend and someone who took me under their wing when I first started out in the industry.
I had the privilege of working alongside Mel at Woods Bagot in Perth for several years. Over that time, I witnessed how hardworking and determined Mel is to ensure her clients get the best outcome. Her dedication, work ethic, design visions, personality and leadership have earned Mel the role of Associate Principal. It’s also no surprise that Mel is now the Interior Design Sector leader for Woods Bagot Perth.
I’m not biased when I say that Mel is a gigantic superstar. She is a genuinely beautiful person [inside and out] and a fantastic leader and mentor to her team. I’m so grateful that I still get to call Mel a friend and watch her kick goal after goal.
So please, sit back and enjoy my interview with Mel.
Question time
What is your role at Woods Bagot and how long have you been with the practice?
I have been with Woods Bagot for over 12 years. I am an Associate Principal, and the Workplace Interior Design Sector Leader for Perth.
Can you share with us a bit about yourself, such as your background, where you grew up, and what influenced you to choose interior design as a career?
I am a “Perthie” through and through! Born and raised here, north of the river girl. Growing up I was always conscious of beautiful interior spaces and how they made me feel but I didn’t grow up thinking I was going to be an interior designer! It’s something that became a possibility well after high school. Immediately after graduating, I started an arts degree and did helpful units like philosophy and Italian studies - which I was loosely interested in - but at the time was symptomatic of me not really knowing what I wanted to do with myself. After a dismal year of uni (because my heart wasn’t really in it) I deferred and took off traveling for a year – upon my return I worked a few years in admin, and then decided to enrol in Curtin’s Interior Architecture Course. I think there are quite a few people in our industry who like me who have either started or done whole other degrees and had other careers before landing in ID world. For me, I needed that time to really understand that what I wanted to do with my life needed to be something that I’d happily get out of bed for everyday – something that I would have satisfaction and pride in, as well as commit to. After some research and talking to people I found Curtin’s course and thought it offered such a wide variety of career options, I just decided to go for it.
For me, I found it helpful having worked a full time job and travelled before starting Interior Architecture. It was a really intense course, like on day one the lecture theatre was full, and by the end of the week that number had almost halved! They didn’t hold back and it was hard work - for me personally I probably would have struggled coming straight from school had I not already had some exposure to managing myself, working with other people and time management skills because I’d been out in the ‘real world’. I found the course quite collaborative and being able to work on your own and within a team is essential to be successful in the course, which also sets you up for the nature of working in our industry which is highly collaborative. Simply put, I think everything we do revolves around people and relationships, whether that is with a client, a supplier a consultant or a colleague.
Where was your first design role? How did you get the position and what was the application process?
My first official design role, post-graduation was actually with Woods Bagot. I had done work experience throughout my studies with various small firms, and my first real full-time gig came through a uni friend who was already working there. It was an entry for a grad position, I had to apply and had an interview with my portfolio (shout out to Taylor Robinson in my last year of uni who did a student portfolio review with me which I never forgot, it was really useful). I used to walk past the W-B studio on King Street and thought it was just a beautiful space and how amazing would it be to work there! Getting an opportunity for my first job through a uni mate at a place that I was in awe of was my first realization at how powerful your network can be in connecting you with opportunities.
Can you remember how you felt when you first started that role? Did you feel prepared after your studies?
No! Ha ha. I had no idea about some of the more practical elements that I’d need (separate from the very conceptual nature of the Interior Architecture course, which has also evolved over time from when I did the course). W-B primarily used Autocad then and I had a crash course in x-refing, scheduling, time management related to fees which I admit I was quite clueless about. Most of the things I was doing were very practical to begin with, I think I spent the first-year documenting washrooms! But again, having worked in a full-time role for a few years before uni, that life experience I felt helped me in many ways. I spent time working with a team and understanding my role within that team, my role was really to support, what I was doing was one piece of a much larger picture. It took many years for me to even start a project from scratch or get involved in the early conceptual work. I think that is a common misconception from graduates that you will go straight into designing really exciting projects from the beginning. I think the first few years are spent being a supporting player, learning and soaking everything up that you can.
Even then it takes time and experience to really hone your design skills and thinking to a project, as well as managing the more practical elements like time and budget. And then from there, realizing what your strengths and weaknesses are, and what you naturally enjoy doing more. I’m still learning every day.
What does your typical work day look like [right from the moment you wake up]?
What I really like about what I do is that every day looks quite different, that is what keeps things interesting, and me interested! I really try hard to get a full 8 hours sleep every night, I am next to useless if I have not slept well. Coffee, a walk with my dog and some peaceful time before starting my working day is so important to me as I get older. I oversee several projects, and it’s essential to spend time with the project teams to help guide projects along. My mornings usually consist of meetings with clients, managing our ID resources and the health of our projects. I also have a role in winning work for our studio, so I will usually allocate time writing bids and fees and meeting with people to find and secure more work. I’ll spend time on site, observing our projects that are under construction. I try to keep my afternoons for more focused work, but it varies so much! I try to leave the studio at a reasonable time, and my most recent aim is to keep my evenings for myself without work if I can avoid it.
Photo by Dave Deves
I'm sure it's tricky to pick, but can you highlight a project you're particularly proud of and share a little on why it holds special significance to you?
There are many that I have felt very proud of and learned so much from, but one that comes to mind is the Central Park Tower refurbishment. We had such a great client, who really valued our design thinking and supported our team to make some big moves. It was one of those projects that as it came to life on site our team started getting really excited, we knew it was going to be really good, but the outcome surpassed our expectations and the impact it has had on the building, tenants and the surrounding precinct has brought a lot of satisfaction to me personally, that I had a hand in that in something I feel very proud of.
If you feel comfortable, it would be incredibly insightful to understand what are some of the biggest challenges you have had to overcome as a designer over the years?
Time management and not taking on too much. I was such a people pleaser and tended to take on a lot of things, but I’d also take a long-time mulling things over or overthinking things – I’d procrastinate a lot. Over time I have been forced (for my own mental health and sanity!) to put proper boundaries in place for myself and work as efficiently as I can to make sure I’m doing what I need to do during the day, without the need to work after hours, because that is my rest time and I need it. There are always things to do in our line of work and the trick is to know what is really truly a priority and what can wait. Also sharing the load more – realizing that not everything falls on your shoulders and to share a problem or burden, rather than sitting on it. There might be another way of thinking about it that will help.
What do you find most fulfilling about your career?
I love the variety of what I do, there is something different each day. I am constantly learning new things and meeting new people, as well as nurturing relationships and friendships that have come about from being around for so long! I’ve been in this industry for almost 18 years, and I am a true believer in the value of building relationships, as well as the power of good design that adds real value to people.
Advice for aspiring designers
What's one piece of advice you wish you had received earlier in your design career?
There are so many! Share the load. You cannot or should not do it all. Ask for help when you need it.
Be proactive in seeking out knowledge and opportunities, don’t wait for them to come to you. E.g. if you want to know something, just ask even if you think it’s a silly question, and if you want to learn something take the steps to do it. No-one will offer things to you on a silver platter.
What are some essential skills that you think every designer should possess?
People skills, time management skills and genuine care for design and positive outcomes.
Best piece of advice you can give to job seekers who are currently applying for roles?
Get involved in your industry, build connections where you can, give back when you can and be realistic about what you expect from your job.
What is the biggest or most frequent mistake you see applicants make with their job applications?
Telling me they lead projects and manage teams when they are only a few years out of uni.
Leave a question for the next designer
Hmmm – depends on who it is. My longwinded thought is something around:
“How do you think the role of the Interior Designers has changed over time, and where do you see it headed in the future?”
E.g. Things are very different to when I graduated and started working. We are now on the cusp of a sustainable revolution, where every project must have serious consideration, we have ESG principles and Diversity and Inclusion, as well as AI coming. How do you see this affecting designers in the future?