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Tom Vaughan (1976) is a British designer/maker based in East London.
He started his training with cabinet making at the London guildhall university, continuing to three-dimensional design at Brighton University followed by a master’s degree at the Royal College of Art. He then founded his practice, Object Studio.
Object Studio is a design practice, a workshop for making, a laboratory for experimentation, exploring the convergence of traditional craft and modern manufacturing. Tom and his team work on commission for institutions, galleries and private clients to fabricate complex three-dimensional works – furniture, sculpture, prototypes – in wood, metals and plastics. Vaughan brings a design education to the workshop and manufacturing knowledge to the studio, creating total synergy and a depth of understanding of process-led design. Emphasis is on experimentation and the potential of manufacturing tools to craft things of permanence, objects of beauty.
It is rare to find a design practice where traditional and modern digital manufacturing techniques are so entwined. And rarer still to find a practice that both designs and fabricates the works in house.
Vaughan’s practice explores the intersection of naturalism and abstraction. But for the most part, we must experience it as a manifestation of ideas and a thing of use – sculpture, furniture – born from experiment, lack, need and curiosity.
At Object we consciously explore materials processes and techniques to produce forms that allow the user to connect with our work in an interactive and tactile way.
Our creative vision is of constant innovation through combining traditional techniques with contemporary design and modern digital craft, inspired by both external and internal artistic inputs.
Core to our approach is reinvestment in the wider craft and design community – demonstrated through our apprentice roles, which we are proud to say has now been running for 10 years.
We have grown around Tom’s experience into a small team of highly skilled craftspeople with extensive experience and capabilities, comfortable working with a wide range of materials in our workshop.
Tom has also recently taken the opportunity to tutor back at the Royal College of Art.
Object Studio has forged a reputation designing and building concept gallery pieces and one-off commissions for homes that articulate the synergy between modern design and natural grain.
Alongside the unique commissioned furniture and sculptures, we have a small in-house collection of limited run pieces. These are produced to order and available in a wide range of materials and finishes. Samples are available upon request.
