Kart Projects is an architecture, interior design and urban design studio founded by Martin Musiatowicz and Karen Fermo, based in Melbourne.
The studio tackles projects ranging from new homes, renovations and extensions, multi-residential developments and educational and community projects. They take a holistic approach, viewing underlying conditions, the design brief and constraints as creative opportunities. Each of the projects responds to the environment, community and context.
The studio explores the culture of architecture and contemporary design issues through self-initiated and invited exhibitions, writings and educational projects.
Martin Musiatowicz, architect and principal of Kart, is responsible for the design and execution of all of the studio's architectural projects. He has extensive experience working on a variety of public, residential and urban projects. Prior to founding Kart, he worked with a number of leading architecture and landscape studios on high-profile public and cultural buildings including the New Museum in Liverpool and the Kristiansand Opera House in Norway, with 3XN in Denmark, the Pentagon Memorial with Room 4.1.3 Landscape Architecture, and luxury residential and hotel projects with Australian studios.
He has been a guest critic and lectured at a number of architecture schools, as a Professional Studios Coordinator and Design Studios Leader at RMIT University. Within the studio, he continues his design research, focusing on the design of educational and learning spaces. He has contributed to architecture and design publications including A+T magazine and Art & Australia.
Karen Fermo is a designer and principal at Kart. After studying architecture, she completed a Master of Arts with a focus on design and architecture. This direction reflects a broad interest in design culture – the way design intersects with and enriches everyday life. Through her varied experience working within and outside of cultural and educational institutions, she provides a critical insight into all of Kart’s design and business projects. As well as initiating internal and external research, she develops projects related to exhibitions in which the studio is involved.
In addition to her work within the studio, she is also a design educator and co-ordinator of the core discipline course in Branded Environments at the School of Design at Swinburne University of Technology. Her research and teaching focus on projects that investigate and explore contemporary design issues and practices.
