When Maya Soha set out to create a product for her Year 12 Product Design and Technology class, she looked to her own family for inspiration. Her mother, a psychiatrist specialising in aged care, had long shared the daily challenges confronting dementia sufferers. Meanwhile, Maya's grandmother, her “abuela,” was living with the condition in a care facility.

Driven by these personal insights, Maya designed a multi-sensory garment that earned her the prestigious 2025 Monash Design Prize. This achievement ultimately guided her toward an unexpected academic path at Monash Art, Design and Architecture (MADA).

"I wanted to create an ethical design product," Maya says. "My mum worked with older people and dementia sufferers. She informed my thinking, which led me to research the benefits of sensory products for people living with dementia."

The award-winning wearable tool

Maya’s winning submission features a vest and bolero incorporating carefully integrated sensory elements. Conceived as a wearable tool, the design soothes and grounds wearers experiencing the disorientation and anxiety that frequently accompany dementia.

The garment uses a layered, highly considered approach. Diverse fabric textures invite touch, bold contrasting colours make visual components immediately identifiable, and tactile structures like buttons offer deliberate points of engagement.

The project truly came to life when Maya’s abuela tried on the garment.

"She showed the nurses, and I noticed she was unconsciously feeling the cuffs," Maya recalls. "It calmed her."

This powerful moment provided real-world validation of a co-design process focused deeply on human improvement and care. Winning the Design Prize confirmed the value of her empathetic approach.

"It felt good to have my work recognised," Maya says. "It was a thoughtful process developing the design and making it—to have others see it and understand the purpose."

Images L-R: Maya Soha with her dementia care jacket design; Afifa Muminah, PhD candidate; Maya Soha; Professor Mel Dodd, Dean of MADA;  Professor Gene Bawden, Head of Design and Professor Daphne Flynn, Director of Design Health Collab.

An internship shaping the future

As part of her prize, Maya received a two-week internship at Monash University's Design Health Collab, led by Professor Daphne Flynn at the Caulfield campus. This placement transformed her reward for past work into a foundational experience that shaped her future direction.

Collaborating with PhD candidate Afifah Muminah, Maya immersed herself in applied, impact-driven research. Her project involved designing a specialised tray for aged care residents to help them keep essential personal items organised and within reach. Featuring simple, intuitively shaped spaces, the tray prompts residents to return items to designated spots. Crucially, it mounts onto a walker to move seamlessly alongside its user.

Once again, Maya connected her professional design practice with lived experience.

"My abuela has a walker, but she can't locate her items," Maya notes.

To refine the product, Maya undertook field work visiting an aged care facility to observe residents directly and interview coordinators about how the tray would fit into daily life. This allowed her to understand the lived experience of aged care residents. She also produced technical drawings, and implemented design thinking and advice from her peers, including Afifah’s work on designing baby carriers for preterm infant care.

"I was able to experience the design process in a professional setting and develop my skills in industrial design," Maya says. "It went fast, but I really enjoyed the learning experience."

Images L-R: Maya at her internship; PhD candidates Belinda Routley and Afifa Muminah; Maya Soha; PhD candidate Jialu Hou; Professor Gene Bawden; Render of Maya's aged care tray.

Discovering a creative path at Monash

The immersive experience at the Design Health Collab helped Maya choose her tertiary path. "The internship solidified my decision to come to Monash," she shares. "I always had architecture in mind, but after enjoying the internship and finding out about the double degree, I was excited to do both."

Maya is now enrolled in the Bachelor of Architectural Studies and Bachelor of Design double degree. Discovered late in her final year of school, this unique combination bridges her passion for built design with collaborative industrial design.

She is enjoying hands-on, studio-based learning, already making models, drawings, and presenting her work. Looking ahead, she appreciates the flexibility of her program. "I like how broad the course is," she says. "Whether it ends up being industrial design or architecture, I definitely want to stay creative and continue designing big or small."

Advice for aspiring designers

For students unsure of which creative path to follow, or considering a creative double degree, Maya's advice is grounded.

"Don’t limit yourself to one path. This is your time to explore, try new experiences, and grab every opportunity before making final decisions.”

She also has a simple nudge for anyone on the fence about entering the Monash Design Prize competition:
"I'm very grateful I got this internship opportunity," she reflects. "It was extremely valuable. I've made connections with people in the research lab, and the internship helped me decide where I was headed."

Find out more about  the Monash Design Prize.