After relocating to Europe to complete a Master’s in Automotive Design in the UK, he moved to Milan to immerse himself in a broader, more multidisciplinary design culture, an experience that continues to inform his global perspective.

In 2009, Caon returned to Sydney to found Caon Design Office, a boutique industrial design practice working across product, furniture, interiors and aircraft cabin design. The studio has since built a reputation for rigorous, human-centred design grounded in technical precision and refined materiality.

At the core of the practice is a commitment to balancing function with visual clarity, underpinned by a deep sensitivity to user experience — an approach particularly evident in the studio’s aviation work.

Caon Design Office has maintained a long-standing partnership with Qantas, designing the Chairman’s Lounge in Brisbane, its International Premium Lounges in Singapore and Hong Kong, and more recently unveiling the airline’s new Auckland lounge. Each project reflects a distinctly Australian sense of understated luxury, craftsmanship and carefully considered material detail.

Beyond lounges, the studio has been commissioned to design Qantas’ A350 Project Sunrise, aiming to revolutionise air travel by connecting Australia to major global cities with non-stop flights.

The studio’s work has received numerous international accolades, including the 2015 Sydney Design Award for Best Interior for the Qantas Premium Lounge in Hong Kong. In 2026, David Caon was named VL50 Creative of the Year, recognised for his ongoing impact on the contemporary design landscape.