Workshopped x Made by Boto®

A Partnership in Design with Purpose

When you walk into Workshopped’s Sydney showroom, you don’t just see objects — you see a living conversation between design, culture, and community. That’s why we’re so excited to share that Made by Boto® signage and Studio Z finishes are now part of this space, shown alongside some of the best of Australian furniture and lighting.

Workshopped has long been a champion of design that pushes boundaries while remaining deeply human. For over 20 years, it has been the platform where emerging voices meet established practice, and where collaboration between designers, architects, and makers flourishes. Bringing our tactile and braille signage into this context feels like a natural extension — it’s about making sure design isn’t just beautiful, but also inclusive and accessible.

To celebrate the partnership, Eva from Made by Boto® sat down with Olaf Sialkowski, long-time curator and advocate at Workshopped, to talk about values, inspiration, and why Australian design matters.

Made by Boto® on display @ Workshopped

An Interview with Olaf Sialkowski:

You’ve been deeply involved with Workshopped for many years, curating and championing Australian design. What first drew you to this role, and what keeps you inspired to keep building that platform?

I was fascinated from the very first Workshopped exhibition I attended at the Queen Victoria Building — Australian design and the sheer local talent had me hooked. During my 15 years in fashion design, I always saw the crossover — for example, between pattern-making for clothes and upholstery in furniture. When the chance came to move from “backstage” supporter to part of the team, I didn’t hesitate. The inspiration hasn’t faded — the creativity around me keeps it fresh.

Workshopped has always been about collaboration and community. From your perspective, what has been the most rewarding part of bringing together designers, architects, and makers under one roof?

Showing my Art Hook at Workshopped 2010 was a turning point — a wall coat hanger that ended up being voted a “favourite” by the SMH in their Object of Desire section. It showed me how exciting it is to collaborate with architects and interior designers. Now I get the fun of advocating for both emerging and established talent — a bit like matchmaking, only with furniture and lighting for interiors instead of people and clothing.

Over time, Workshopped has created opportunities for so many different voices in design. How do your own values shape the kind of work you want to support, and what impact do you hope that has on the culture of design in Australia?

My favourite part is our collaboration with the Design Show — Australia’s Next Top Designers. It shines a spotlight on fresh talent, places Workshopped under the broader industry umbrella, and lets us connect with architects and designers to specify Australian high-end furniture and lighting. For me, it’s about opening doors for the next generation, while showing the industry just how good local design can be.

OTurning the Tables: Olaf Interviews Eva:

Olaf: You have always created very unique pieces of graphic design, patterns and even paintings. Your new work with Boto has gone into design with purpose — what inspired that shift?

Eva: I’d carried the idea of a compliant signage system for years, but the spark came through friendships with transgender and non-binary people. I realised signage could do more than guide — it could influence culture. That awareness turned design into a tool for respect and inclusion.

Olaf: We spoke before about the process of design being so fluid, when sometimes it is a long journey of revisions and changes, and other times it arrives fully formed. What was it like with Boto signage?

Eva: With Boto®, it was both. The idea felt immediate, but refinement took years. Compliance, accessibility, and aesthetics rarely align, so it became about balancing empathy with clarity.

The real turning point came after another frustrating onsite experience. I asked myself: what would you create if this were your last project in the construction industry? Knowing how unsafe and exclusionary the industry can be, I resolved to design something that challenged that culture. From then, the system unfolded almost naturally.

Olaf: You have always traveled to unusual and exotic destinations. How do your adventures inspire you?

Eva: Travel teaches me to see differently. Out of context, you notice how people navigate spaces, how symbols carry culture, and how communication works without words. These fragments — from handmade street signs to temple carvings — filter into my design thinking. They remind me that design is never neutral; it reflects values. For Boto®, that means every sign is not just functional, but a quiet declaration that everyone belongs.

Why This Partnership Matters

Having Made by Boto® signage and Studio Z finishes shown in the Workshopped showroom is more than a display — it’s a conversation. It signals that compliance and accessibility belong at the centre of design culture, not as afterthoughts. It also creates opportunities for architects and designers to specify inclusive signage alongside the very best in Australian furniture, lighting, and finishes.

For us, it’s an affirmation: good design should never exclude. With Workshopped, we’re proud to share that message and keep building a culture of belonging — one sign, one space, one collaboration at a time.

Olaf and Eva at Melbourne Saturday Indesign 2017

Explore more at workshopped.com.au, connect with Olaf on LinkedIn, or reach the team directly at info@workshopped.com.au.