Vale John Morgan FDIA
1939 – 2025
The Design Institute of Australia mourns the loss of John Morgan FDIA, who passed away on the 30th December 2025. An interior designer and architectural illustrator, John Morgan’s career spanned more than five decades across the United Kingdom, Australia, and Southeast Asia.
A founding member and past President of the WA Chapter of the Design Institute of Australia, John’s long association with the Institute reflected a career grounded in passionate advocacy for the recognition of interior design as a specialist profession, supported by a professional body, ethical standards, and a formal code of conduct. He was also awarded Fellowship of the FSAI1 and FCSD2
Born in London in 1939, John spent his early childhood in Dublin before returning to London. He completed an apprenticeship in the design studio of a large shopfitting firm and went on to work with a number of architectural practices in the UK.
In 1969, John emigrated to Perth with his young family after securing a position with Davro, a furniture retailer seeking to establish Perth’s first specialist interior design company.
He later joined Hobbs, Winning & Leighton Architects, where he designed the interiors of the public spaces of the Sheraton Hotel, Perth, in association with Dale Keller & Associates in Hong Kong. The hotel opened in 1973. During his time at HWL, John also worked on the interiors and graphics for the Perth Entertainment Centre. Later stints in Hong Kong were to follow, along with time spent in the Philippines working with Leandro V. Locsin Partners Architects.
In the late 1970s, John established his own practice, John Morgan & Associates. His work spanned commercial, hospitality, retail, residential, and institutional interiors. Projects included Matilda Bay Restaurant, which received a DIA Design Award in 1984, the inaugural year of the awards programme; Mount Hospital, Perth; Perth International Airport; the Peter Shearer boutique; Qantas sales office; and supervisory work on the interiors of the Beaufort Hotel in Darwin.
John was based in Singapore from 1991 to 1998. During this period, he established Morgan Cheng Associates (later part of SAA Architects), working on projects across Singapore, Vietnam, and Brunei. He was the owner’s interiors coordinator for the Four Seasons Hotel, Singapore, with other projects spanning a High Commission, a public library, serviced apartments, transport infrastructure and private residences.
Alongside his interior design practice, John worked throughout his career as an architectural and interiors illustrator, contributing concept drawings, murals, and visualisations for projects in Australia and internationally.
John was deeply committed to design education and professional development. He taught Interior Design at Leederville TAFE and at the University of Western Australia’s School of Architecture while continuing to run his own practice.
Throughout his career, John championed high standards of design and execution. Beyond his talents as a designer and illustrator, many clients and colleagues will recall John’s keen sense of humour and his vast collection of bowties.
The DIA extends deepest condolences to John’s family, friends and colleagues. He will be greatly missed.
John is survived by his daughters, Helen and Clare.
1 Fellow of the Society of Architectural Illustrators (UK)
2 Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers (UK)