This May, Mondoluce is proud to welcome one of the world's most influential lighting designers to our South Yarra showroom. As part of Melbourne Design Week 2026, marking the festival's tenth anniversary, David Trubridge is bringing an exclusive exhibition to 272 Toorak Rd, running from 14 to 23 May.
Known globally for his nature-inspired forms and pioneering commitment to sustainable kitset design, the New Zealand-based designer is presenting new work, a collaborative large-scale installation, and a free evening talk exploring the future of regenerative design. It's a rare opportunity to experience Trubridge's work up close, and to hear directly from a designer whose practice sits at the intersection of craft, nature, and environmental responsibility.
Bilang: A Monumental Installation Built Before Your Eyes
The centrepiece of the exhibition is Bilang, a monumental three-metre-high sculptural work created in collaboration with Murrup Biik, the collective comprising artists Chris Joy and Kim Wandin, who is Wurundjeri Woiwurrung. 'Bilang' means 'string bag' in Woi-wurrung, and the work takes the form of a giant woven bag, its layered construction expressing the strata and ochre colours of the land.
During the exhibition's opening days (14–16 May), visitors can watch the installation being assembled row by row in the showroom, a meditative, incremental process that echoes the rhythms of traditional weaving. It's a fascinating piece of live construction, and a rare chance to see a large-scale collaborative artwork come together in real time. The completed work will remain on display through to 23 May.
New Work on Show: Manta and Dusk
The exhibition features two significant additions to the David Trubridge collection. Manta is a striking new sculptural pendant, still in prototype, whose flowing, organic form draws on the graceful silhouette of the manta ray. It's a bold evolution for the studio, and Melbourne visitors will be among the first to see it in person.
Alongside Manta is Dusk, David's recently launched battery-powered portable lamp and the studio's first foray into portable lighting. Its design is drawn from the mosses and ferns of Fiordland's remote Tamatea/Dusky Sound, one of New Zealand's most pristine and hard-to-reach wilderness areas. In keeping with Trubridge's ethos, a portion of Dusk's profits supports conservation work in the region, a tangible connection between the object and the landscape that inspired it.
Evening Talk: Think Like a Tree
On Thursday 21 May from 6 to 8pm, David will present Think Like a Tree, a free evening talk at the showroom exploring the principles of Regenerative Design. His provocation is a compelling one: that sustainability as we currently practise it has become little more than sustaining the unsustainable. Instead, Trubridge argues, we need to set far more ambitious goals, designing in ways that actively replenish our damaged environment rather than simply slowing its decline. Why stop at carbon zero when we can, and should, be carbon positive?
Drinks and nibbles will be provided. The event is free, but places are limited, register your interest to secure a spot.
Visit the Exhibition
The David Trubridge exhibition runs from 14 to 23 May at our South Yarra showroom, 272 Toorak Rd. Entry is free, no booking required, just visit during regular showroom hours, Monday to Saturday.
Whether you're an architect or designer looking to specify something extraordinary for a current project, or simply someone who appreciates considered, nature-connected design, this is a Melbourne Design Week highlight worth making time for. We'd love to see you there.
