Protecting Design Integrity in a Compromised World

During the 2026 NGV Design Week, Riva Ceramica hosted Protecting Design Integrity in a Compromised World — a sold-out morning conversation tackling one of the most relevant challenges facing the design industry today.

GALLERY  

When budgets tighten and commercial pressures increase, what should designers be willing to compromise — and what must they fight to protect?

The morning brought together three respected voices working at very different scales:

• Jane Merrylees — Brighton-based architect known for refined residential architecture, craftsmanship and homes designed for longevity.
• Roger Borland — a leading voice in sustainable architecture, focused on environmentally responsible design, performance and long-term impact.
• Ivona Golubovic — working across complex multi-residential and urban projects, navigating developers, planners, consultants and multiple stakeholders while protecting strong architectural outcomes.

The Conversation

Unlike a traditional design discussion centred on aesthetics, this panel focused on the real pressures behind getting good design built.

The three different areas of practice created a fascinating contrast — from the intimacy and longevity of a private home, to sustainability and environmental responsibility, through to the commercial realities of designing at a city and multi-residential scale.

The conversation tackled some deliberately challenging questions:

• Has our definition of “good design” changed in the past five years?
• When construction costs rise, what gets compromised first — and what should never be compromised?
• At what point does compromise stop being collaboration and become design dilution?
• Is value engineering a necessary discipline — or where good design goes to die?
• Are clients becoming more design-literate, or simply more opinionated?
• Who ultimately owns the design — the client paying for it or the designer shaping it?
• Is sustainability genuinely non-negotiable, or still vulnerable when budgets tighten?
• Are we designing homes for Instagram or for generations?
• Is Melbourne still willing to take risks in design?
• And can truly meaningful design exist at every budget?

Specification, Substitution & Material Integrity

A particularly relevant discussion for Riva centred around specification and substitution.

The panel explored what happens when carefully considered materials and products are replaced during construction, how designers respond when cheaper alternatives are proposed, and whether specification should be viewed as an administrative task or as a fundamental part of the design itself.

It opened up a broader conversation about the relationship between designer, client, builder, developer and supplier — and who needs to take responsibility for protecting the original design intent.

Three Scales, One Challenge

One of the most interesting aspects of the morning was hearing how the same pressures play out very differently depending on scale.

For Jane, the conversation centred around creating timeless homes that families may inhabit for generations.

For Roger, it raised the question of how environmental responsibility can remain embedded in a project when cost pressures mount.

For Ivona, the challenge becomes considerably more complex: how do you maintain a strong architectural idea when a project moves through developers, planners, consultants and countless other stakeholders?

Despite their different perspectives, a common question remained:

What is sacred in your design process — and what are you prepared to let go?

The Morning at Riva

The event was sold out, with the Riva showroom filled with architects, designers and industry professionals over morning coffee and pastries.

The response was fantastic, with guests particularly commenting on the strength of the questions and the honesty of the discussion. Rather than presenting polished project outcomes, the panel gave insight into the negotiations, difficult decisions and compromises that happen behind the scenes.

It was practical, candid and incredibly informative — giving the audience access to conversations that often happen within studios and project teams, but rarely in public.

How much compromise can good design survive?

With construction costs, value engineering, sustainability targets and increasingly informed clients all competing for influence, protecting a design idea has arguably never been more complex.

The discussion at Riva revealed that design integrity isn’t necessarily about refusing to compromise. Increasingly, it is about understanding where to adapt, where to push back, and which decisions fundamentally determine whether a project retains its original intent.

For Riva, Design Voices creates a platform for these conversations — bringing the design community together to discuss not only beautiful finished spaces, but the real decisions, pressures and collaborations required to create them.

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