who we are

The CMD team comprises a broad range of professional disciplines with a diverse set of skills, interests and talents. We all enjoy an active engagement in social, environmental, political and humanist culture. Together we offer a serious commitment to interpretive design and the creation of engaging exhibitions.

CMD Director / Architect
Getting on in years with lots of experience in urban planning and architecture. Has worked across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Founded CMD in 1994 with Bryon Cunningham.   

Object of Desire
This mid nineteenth century wrought iron and leather rocking chair has been with me for more than 30 years and has become the adored fourth child of the family. Yes, it probably should have left home by now but it’s very handsome and does a great high speed rock. An early exercise in industrial minimalism, the chair was produced by R.W Winfield & Co in Birmingham and is thought to have been designed by Peter Cooper 1791-1883. 

CMD Director / Industrial Designer
Bryon began his career in industrial design. He graduated through interior and retail design to become a committed interpretive exhibition designer. 25 years in the design of exhibitions continues to yield new challenges and new ways to interpret the richness of life’s events and their influence on the future.

Object of Desire
This ashtray has varied appeal. It sprung from the late 50’s early 60’s where such racial representations were happily accepted along with the much loved golliwog. Its design kitsch adds novelty to the art of smoking as well as acting as a marker to the change in social mores between the mid sixties and the present day.  For me it marks a warm place in my past. I wish I was smoking still.

CMD Director / Industrial Designer
Following four years with CMD, Paul spent the next 5 years working on the design and production of live events in Europe and the United States. He returned to CMD 2 years ago and has since been busy delivering the first and second phases of the National Sports Museum.

Object of Desire
Like all bikes, it’s a piece of design and engineering genius.  It’s efficient, ingeniously self-propelled and highly beneficial to the user. This particular model is also the highest possible specification before committing to lycra or waxing. Why an object of desire? Because I should be spending more time on it and less time writing about it!

Office Manager
Legal Secretary, Manager of Home Affairs, School Secretary, Inbound Reservations Consultant with Tourist Coach operator, Assistant Manager Coach Operations & now Office Manager at CMD (never a dull moment!) 

Object of desire
Travel documents of any kind to go somewhere/anywhere to experience other cultures, other people, other customs, other challenges and adventures and especially experiencing our own magnificent “Outback”.

Interior Designer
Believes in serendipity - though only the prepared can act on those chance discoveries. Has worked in retail design before finding the joys of exhibition design.

Object of Desire
Crude, somewhat deformed and rescued from a dusty workshop floor, the whirligig man conjures up memories of my childhood and the ingenuity of my grandfather.  Using the parabola from a simple piece of string, once begun the whirligig man pedals up and down on his tightrope by his own accord.  Cobbled together from bits and pieces scrounged from my grandfather’s workshop - a pulley, the handle of a tool for a counterbalance, a leftover block of wood – for me it is folk art at its best.  It is its imperfections - what is so wrong with it - that adds to my delight. 

Exhibition Designer
Has worked as an exhibition designer for 7 years in both commercial and cultural environments. Enjoys the fascinating stories and remarkable objects she encounters through her work.

Object of Desire
There is just something about Rothko’s work that makes me feel the world is a good place after all. I think it’s a combination of the colours, their luminosity, the gorgeous fuzzy edges and the confident execution. I have only met a handful of his works and had the pleasure of staring at them for hours, I hope to meet many more. 

Now, if only I could find a spare $73 million!

Architect
Has 6 years of local experience ranging from wayfinding signage, to medium/large scaled residential, to commercial and retail design. Is primarily involved with seeing preliminary design through to documentation.

Object of Desire
The Bugatti Veyron is the most expensive and fastest accelerating street-legal production car in the world. It is a masterpiece of automotive design and engineering. Priced at $1.4 million Euros for the limited edition Veyron 16.4, you can’t afford to be late for work…

Graphic Designer / Exhibition Designer
Worked in the UK for 4 years as a graphic designer on branding, publication, event and exhibition projects before heading home to Melbourne to join the team at Cunningham Martyn Design. Has had the pleasure of working on the delivery of the Conflicts 1945 to Today galleries at the Australian War Memorial, and the Mary MacKillop Museum. 

Object of Desire
How could anyone fail to be seduced by this fantastic poster created by French artist Bernard Villemot for Bally. Its bold lines, courageous colour, abstracted organic forms and striking composition are totally HOT. Like all things French it is effortlessly elegant and demonstrates the potent mix of art and advertising. I think it would look great in my living room!