Biography

Hi. My name is Galen Lau. I'm a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Furniture Craft and Design program at Sheridan College. I am located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. 

The piece of furniture I am most proud of is the Fjord Chair. Unlike cabinets or tables, chairs need to be comfortable because they are making physical contact with many parts of the user's body for long periods of time. Therefore, chairs are the most challenging pieces of furniture to design. Fabrication of the Fjord Chair was also very complex, but I overcame the challenges and, in the end, created a chair that was deemed exceptionally comfortable by peers and faculty. 

I'm also proud to have been recognized for outstanding academic achievement throughout my years at Sheridan College. It's an honor to have won the Robert Welsh Award in years 1 and 2, the Studio Excellence Award in year 3, and the William & Mary Corcoran Award and Festool Furniture Design Award in year 4.

My work is highly influenced by minimalist, functional, and quiet architecture and design in general. My work tends to be rectilinear and geometric because I enjoy how it contrasts against the organic forms of nature. I love challenging myself to make things by hand, and I find it gratifying to see hand-made parts come together with precision. I try to use renewable materials (such as wood, paper, and plant fibers) and avoid using non-renewable materials (such as plastics, metals, and stone).