1 April 2025

Design impacts almost every aspect of our lives, and good design can solve problems and improve health, safety, community connections, the environment and how we live. Last weekend saw the opening of the Top Designs exhibition at Melbourne Museum, featuring 77 selected works by 2024 VCE students across Victoria.

‘Top Designs 2025 exhibitors interrogate the changing world around them to propose innovative possibilities in sustainability, place, community, automation and craftsmanship’, states the Melbourne Museum website.

One selected design is the VCE Systems Engineering project that Evan Cauchi completed while at Catholic Regional College Sydenham, Sydenham. Evan’s ‘Solar Powered Electric Boom Gate’ showcases his exceptional technical skills, innovation, dedication, hard work and commitment to sustainability.

This is not the first recognition for Evan or his project. Last year, he received an Australian Defence Force (ADF) Future Innovators Award for his forward-thinking approach to engineering, and his potential to make significant impacts in the fields of technology and engineering in the future.

When presented with the ADF award, Evan said, ‘This recognition … reflects countless hours of research, design and hard work. It’s an incredible feeling to see my ideas come to life and make an impact. A heartfelt thank you to my teachers, peers and everyone who supported me along the way’.

Another selected exhibitor for Top Designs is Caitlin Bouwmeester for her VCE Visual Communication Design work at Padua College, Mornington. Caitlin’s client was ‘Greenlife Mornington Peninsula’, a small independent, not-for-profit organisation focused on supporting the health of the Mornington Peninsula community.

Caitlin designed a community garden and The Fresh Produce recipe book to support Greenlife’s work to change the eating habits and reduce the burden of health issues within the local population. Top Designs selection is a testament to her exceptional talent, dedication and hard work, as well as the guidance and support from her teacher Christine Blake.

Read about another Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) student selected for Top Designs here.

Top Designs 2025 will run until Sunday 20 July.