Initially training to become a combat officer in the Singapore Navy, Gabriel Tan (b. 1982) changed careers after discovering his passion for design when reading about it in the National Library.
In 2007, he graduated from the National University of Singapore with a degree in industrial design and hasn't looked back since.
In 2016, Gabriel Tan founded Gabriel Tan Studio in Singapore. Four years later, in 2020, he relocated to Portugal with his family and opened a branch in Porto.
This expansion of the design practice across different continents and cultures has provided the team and their work with a global advantage, as evidenced by their achievements.
“Form and function are both essential to me, but the emotional quality of a space is also important. Living in a beautifully designed and visually harmonious environment encourages positive emotions.
Therefore, I also consider beauty a function.”
“I've always enjoyed working with asymmetry and more sculptural forms that are less precise.”
Gabriel Tan has received numerous accolades, including the IDSA Award from the Industrial Designer's Society of America, the Good Design Award (Japan) and the President's Design Award (Singapore).
His work has been showcased at various design fairs around the world.
