Gem Wall Light

James Walsh is a Melbourne based furniture and industrial designer known for his thoughtful exploration of materials, sustainability and craft. A graduate of RMIT’s Industrial Design program, Walsh’s work blends traditional techniques with modern industrial processes. He is particularly interested in reusing and repurposing waste materials and transforming them into refined furniture and lighting pieces that tell stories of place and material life cycles. His practice moves fluidly between experimental studio work and commercial collaborations with Australian manufacturers.

Walsh has received significant recognition for his innovative approach, including winning the 2020 Australian Furniture Design Award for his Anthropic series. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and includes projects like the Assemble timber furniture range with Alor Studio, which focuses on sustainable production and flat-pack efficiency. By merging craft, sustainability and production viability, Walsh has become a notable figure in Australian design, demonstrating how locally sourced materials and responsible design thinking can lead to new aesthetics and enduring forms.