Born in Sweden in 1965, Thomas Meyerhoffer is a creator and visionary. After earning a degree in Industrial Design from Art Center, he started his journey with an internship at Porsche, only to Go West to California for IDEO. It was there Meyerhoffer was introduced to the idea of giving objects meaning through its form, working with Naoto Fukasawa. He further formed these notions at Apple working alongside Sir Jony Ive on projects like the eMate and iMac. That taught him to combine the fields of art, craft and technology. These theories, merged with contemporary culture, make up Meyerhoffer’s design practice today.
"One time when I was in LA, I drove out to my old art school. It was a
Saturday, so there was almost nobody around. I stopped in the art
supplies store and bought some of my favorite items: some tape rolls
that we used draw with, some notebooks, and my favorite pens. I began
wondering how it was that I came to do this work, and how I got through it
the early phase of my career. I had these tools, I’d learned a lot, and I had
some vision about products. But I didn’t yet have the experience needed
to fully realize that vision. When you have tools and vision, the central
question becomes “Where do you want to go?” Right now, I’m in a pretty
silent space, still trying to contemplate this. I strive to be more intuitive,
focusing on the present moment – that’s what’s important. When
opportunities arrive, I either say no, or I jump in and focus on it."
BIOGRAPHY
Thomas Meyerhoffer is the acclaimed creator of an extraordinarily
diverse range of successful products with universal appeal. His simple
and intuitive designs are experienced every day by many millions of users
around the world.
After taking positions at Apple, IDEO and Porsche, Meyerhoffer founded
his integrated design studio in Montara, California, in 1999.
Meyerhoffer is the recipient of multiple international design awards and
patents. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Outside
Magazine and in Museums such as The Cooper Hewitt, New York,
SFMOMA, San Francisco and Design Museum, London.
Click on the image above, and turn up the volume, to listen to Thomas interviewing Tom Sachs for the Outside Genius Issue.
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RECOGNITION
2018
Good Design Australia (Latch)
IDEA Award (Latch)
IF Award Germany (Latch)
Good Design USA (Latch)
2017
IDEA Award (Latch)
IDEA Award (Invuity)
Good Design Australia (Latch)
Good Design Australia (Invuity)
2016
Good design Australia (Latch)
IF Award Germany (Latch)
IDEA Award (Latch)
2014
IDEA Awards (Slip In)
2013
Sacred Craft Best In Show (Slip In)
2012
Design Museum London (Surfboard)
2010
D&Ad Yellow Pencil (Surfboard)
Good Design Australia (Surfboard)
IDEA Awards (Surfboard)
I.D. Magazine Awards (Surfboard)
2009
IDEA Awards (Tork)
IF Awards (Tork)
Red Dot Awards (Tork)
2003
IF Awards (Neil Pryde)
IF Awards (Flow)
&Red Dot Awards (Neil Pryde)
Red Dot Awards (Flow)
Wired (Danger Hip Top)
1997
D&Ad Yellow Pencil (NEC)
IF Awards Germany (Apple)
Good Design USA (Apple)
I.D. Magazine Awards (Apple)
