5 Minutes With Lucy Marczyk Of Cera Stribley

5 minutes with Lucy Marczyk of Cera Stribley

|| Eco Outdoor Creatives Interview Series ||

15 March, 2020

Having worked for some of Australia’s most notable design firms, Lucy Marczyk, has certainly established a name for herself.

Lucy has worked on a diverse range of projects from restaurants and retail stores to a luxurious yacht and Rolls-Royce car showroom. It’s no wonder her design philosophy evolves as she takes an intuitive approach and no two days are the same.

Since publishing this article, Lucy has now left Cera Stribley to pursue an independent career under her name. You can view her incredible work here.

We speak with Lucy about her design interests, career highlights and the challenges of working in the design industry.

Can you provide a short introduction to Cera Stribley and to you as an interior designer?

Cera Stribley is an Architecture and Interior Design firm in Melbourne. We work across a board range of projects including Single Residential, Multi-Residential, Retail and Hotels. After pursuing furniture design and a hospitality career I was drawn to Interior design as it collectively captured my interests and has been for the past 14 years.

Do you have a design philosophy that you apply to your projects/process?

I have an intuitive approach to design, and I let it guide me on design outcomes that are meaningful, spaces that are engaging and ideas that are progressive. As I have always worked on a diverse range of project types, this could mean something different for each one.

I’m interested in the client’s agenda, for example, apartment developments that hone into a dialogue about current living trends and what’s in ‘fashion’, or single residential projects with one-off clients, where these trends stem from. These work hand in hand.

Retail and office projects have another formula, but the principles are the same.

Csa Lucy 03 — Thinkerbell – Office fit-out

What does a typical day at Cera Stribley look like for you?

We have multiple projects on day to day and there is always a new problem to solve and a new hat to wear. I’m happy there isn’t a ‘typical’ day. When we are starting a new project concept the office is usually more quiet, serious and focussed on what we’re researching, we are building the foundation of what later becomes choreographed chaos.

What are some of your career highlights?

Our project Rondure House has just launched this month, a new 14 apartment development in Kew, Melbourne. The project was an interior Design collaboration with Tom Dixon and Design Research Studio from London. We worked on the project from Melbourne but also travelled to London to finalise the project design and details. It has truly been an incredible experience working with Tom and his team.

Csa Lucy 02 — Rondure House – Apartments | Collaboration with Tom Dixon and Design Research Studio London

What are some of the challenges of working in your industry?

I’d like to think that each time I do a project that is it progressive and advancing design outcomes and pushing the boundaries but doing something new can be challenging.

Melbourne is great because we have a lot of new projects being built, and I feel like there is a new wave of younger clients and developers so there is a shift to embrace new ideas that have previously been a bit of a hurdle. I think that’s also just the nature of the world-changing and evolving. Apple taught the world that design was valuable, their products look great, are easy to use and have improved our lives.

What/who/where do you get inspiration from?

Travel inspires my concept designs as I deeply connect with people and culture together with nature and landscape. I think one of the ways I can excite the way we live is by borrowing different lifestyle approaches and adapting it to a new time and place. Fashion and Art always contribute to my inspiration and thinking.

Csa Lucy 04 — Winning Appliances Showroom – Retail

What advice would you give an individual starting their career in your industry?

I’ve always followed what interests me whether its boats, cars, furniture or hospitality which I think has guided me with luck to work on a diverse range of projects and travel in my work. I’ve worked on a 100ft. yacht, a ferry, a Rolls-Royce car showroom, travelled to Singapore to design furniture and worked on a restaurant in Bangkok. My advice is to follow your passion and what interests you.

What’s next for you and/or Cera Stribley?

We are in construction on some large residential projects and the interiors are finally starting to actualise so we are seeing the past 12 months work come to life. We are also working on a penthouse project in Melbourne which is near completion.