Fourth-generation Australian furniture designer and maker Jon Goulder has been awarded the 2026 Melbourne Design Week Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz Australia, recognising his three-decade contribution to the country’s design landscape.
The $10,000 award acknowledges both Goulder’s longstanding practice and his presentations across this year’s Melbourne Design Week, including exhibitions at Chapter House, Abbotsford Convent and restaurant Yiaga. Known for his refined, handmade approach, Goulder works across seating, cabinetry, lighting and objects, with a focus on longevity and pieces designed to be passed down through generations.
For the 2026 Melbourne Design Week program, Goulder unveiled a new body of work at Chapter House in collaboration with fashion label Alpha 60, including a monumental 10-metre table created with architect Henry Williams. Additional works include the Pavilion Chair, originally designed for Yiaga, and new lighting and seating developed with Andrew Carvolth. His Festival Chair also features in 100 Chairs at Abbotsford Convent, a group exhibition showcasing Australian-made seating.
On receiving the award, Goulder said, “Winning the award is deeply meaningful on a personal level. It’s recognition from my peers, and considering the calibre of past winners, it places the work within a respected lineage. It reinforces a sense of relevance – both in terms of the ideas I’m pursuing and the way I choose to work – and gives me confidence that this approach continues to resonate. Just as importantly, it strengthens my motivation to keep pushing the work forward and to keep developing the practice.”
Jon Goulder began his career at 15 in his family’s furniture business, becoming a fourth-generation maker. After Bauhaus-influenced training at Canberra School of Art, he established his practice in Sydney. Goulder has held key roles at UTS, Form, JamFactory and Snøhetta, before founding his own studio in 2024. His work spans commissions to major projects and is held in leading Australian collections including the NGV and National Gallery of Australia.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
