Biography

Tord Boontje works as a multi-disciplinary designer in the fields of product, furniture, and lighting design. His work is known to bring warmth, light, colour and beauty inspired by the natural world into everyday objects and spaces.

Boontje is recognised for creating some of the most iconic and memorable pieces of design in the last 25 years. Examples such as the Blossom chandelier, Garland Light, Fig Wardrobe, Transglass and Shadowy Chair have become modern day classics.

Boontje was appointed as professor at the Royal College of Art in 2009 and headed the Design Products programme for four years. Since then, he has worked as visiting professor in Europe and China.

Boontje’s work can be found in major museum collections such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and MoMA in New York.

In 2021 Boontje’s second monograph was published by Rizzoli International Publications.

Tord Boontje was born in The Netherlands, studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven and the Royal College of Art in London. His studio is based in London.

Milestones

1991 Graduated Eindhoven Design Academy

1994 Graduated Royal College of Art

1996 Established Studio Tord Boontje in Peckham, South London

1997 Launched self-produced Transglass collection with Emma Woffenden

1999 Designed the Rough-and-Ready Chair

2000 Designed eyewear and watches for Alexander McQueen

2002 Designed the Garland for Habitat

2003 Blossom Chandelier for Swarovski and Midsummer Light for Artecnica

2004 ‘Happy Ever After’ installation in Moroso’s Milanese furniture showroom

2005 Moved to Bourg-Argental, France

2006 Collaboration with Target on a Christmas collection and presentation

2007 First monograph published by Rizzoli New York

2008 Designed the Fig Leaf wardrobe for Meta

2009 Returned to London to take up position at the Royal College of Art

2012 Moves studio to Shoreditch, East London and opens Tord Boontje Shop

2013 Designs the Enchanting Tree for Perrier-Jouët

2015 ‘Originals’ selling exhibition at Sotheby’s London with Emma Woffenden

2016 Initiated ‘Electro Craft’ exhibition which was hosted at his Shoreditch space

2017 Moved the studio to south-east London and designed new products for Swarovski and Moroso.

2019 Commissioned by Naturalis in the Netherlands to create large scale graphic panels for their new museum building.

2020 Created the Snow Room at Swarovski’s Crystal Worlds in Austria.

Developed the Do-It-Together chair and light during the spring lockdown.

2021 Installed the light commission Wild Things

2023 developed new lights for the online Tord Boontje Shop

Work in Public Collections

MoMA, New York
Cooper Hewitt, New York
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
British Council, London
Crafts Council, London
Manchester City Gallery
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
Groninger Museum, Groningen
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Helsinki Design Museum
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein

Selected collaborations and clients

Alexander McQueen
Artecnica
Authentics
Bisazza
Formani
Foscarini
Habitat
Hewlett Packard
Kvadrat
Meta
Moroso
Nanimarquina
Naturalis
Perrier-Jouët
Philips
Porta Romana
Shiseido
Swarovski
Target
Van Gogh Museum
Yamaha