Powerhouse, in partnership with David Jones, has announced Canberra-based designer Tom Skeehan of SKEEHAN Studios as the inaugural recipient of the 2025 Australian Design Commission, a landmark three-year initiative supporting the next generation of Australian designers.
The Commission provides $50,000 annually and a nine-month creative development program, inviting one designer each year to create a prototype that responds to the future of the Australian home.
Skeehan’s winning concept, What We Keep, is a sculptural glass cabinet that explores the personal and emotional significance of the objects Australians choose to hold onto in their homes.
Designed to be appreciated as both artwork and functional furniture, the piece combines a wrapped timber frame with textured glass produced in collaboration with Canberra Glassworks and other local makers.
“The glass softens what’s inside, creating a sense of quiet and care,” Skeehan said.
“Inside, hidden compartments and moving parts invite people to interact with it — some sections slide, pivot or unfold — turning the cabinet into a discovery box.
“What We Keep is not simply a cabinet.
“It is a meditation on how we live, what we hold onto and the emotional utility of objects in the home.”
The initiative is inspired by David Jones’ 1948 exhibition 7 Designers, which encouraged Australians to embrace thoughtful and purposeful living through design.
Across its three-year span, the partnership between Powerhouse and David Jones will invest $300,000 to commission designers whose work draws from the rich David Jones archive, now part of the Powerhouse Collection and spanning nearly two centuries.
Reflecting on his selection, Skeehan said: “David Jones helped shape how Australians live with design, and Powerhouse continues to preserve and champion that legacy so being selected to collaborate with two of Australia’s most culturally significant institutions is a real honour.
“This Commission is an opportunity to reflect on what we keep, why it matters, and how design can shape the stories we share.”
David Jones Executive General Manager of Menswear, Children, Home and Audio Visual, Chris Wilson, congratulated Skeehan, saying: “We’re delighted to congratulate Tom Skeehan as the first recipient of the Powerhouse and David Jones Australian Design Commission.
“His concept, inspired by the David Jones archive, thoughtfully explores design in the Australian home.
“We look forward to seeing the prototype come to life in a dedicated window installation at our Elizabeth Street Flagship in Sydney in 2026.”
Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah added: “We are delighted to award Tom Skeehan this prestigious commission.
“His work exemplifies Australian contemporary design, and the Powerhouse and David Jones together are thrilled to support the next generation of Australian designers.”
The What We Keep prototype will be unveiled as part of a major installation at David Jones’ Sydney flagship store in 2026, marking the beginning of what is set to be a defining platform for Australian design.