Tomas Thorsson is a designer / maker exploring responsible approaches to designing and making furniture. Through commissioned work and self initiated projects he investigates how and what it means to create in a more harmonious way towards materials and environment. He does this in various ways. At times by combining innovative technologies and handcraft, seen in projects Duo, Canopy and GEN-AY. At others reimagining off-cuts and discarded materials into unique pieces such as Akin and Kubba.

At certain stages of his process, Thorsson adopts a more intuitive, hands-off approach to making. In the works Akin and Kubba, which use only off-cut materials, form arises from the constraints of what is available. Rather than imposing a fixed design, he allows the material to guide the process forward, each component finding its place until a whole naturally emerges.

In Canopy and GEN-AY, computer algorithms are used to generate shapes and patterns that are then combined with other materials. Through technology, Thorsson explores how innovative manufacturing methods can guide the industry towards a more resource efficient production. This approach is exemplified in Duo, a commission for Ecolattice, where he merges their pioneering 3D-printed foam technology with the warmth and reliability of wood and handcraft.

Thorsson realised the worth of handcraft while studying wood working in Iceland and Italy. Seeking to further his practice, he enrolled at Central Saint Martins in London and graduated with a master’s degree in design in 2021. There, he was exposed to innovative design and manufacturing technologies that continue to inspire his creative work. Thorsson works in Iceland and London, exploring ways to make better use of the things we already have.