Gabriel Tan
Asymmetry and nature's own forms are at the core of Gabriel Tan's work, a combination that helps add an emotional aspect to an otherwise functional design.
Gabriel Tan has been an industrial designer for more than 18 years, earning worldwide acclaim for his work.
It all began in the National Library of Singapore, when Tan accidentally stumbled upon some design books, while training to become a combat officer in the navy.
I fell in love with design that day and eventually realised I wanted to be a designer.
— Gabriel Tan
So, I decided to give up my navy career and enrolled at the National University of Singapore to study industrial design.
Today, Gabriel Tan lives in Portugal with his family and runs a design studio in both Porto and Singapore.
Being present in both Europe and Asia allows him and his team to gather inspiration from a wide variety of influences, leading to innovative discoveries and transcontinental design, including the Rumee, which Tan uses in his own home.
The usefulness of a product is important, but equally so is its emotional form, which can touch people in intangible and profound ways.
— Gabriel Tan
