John Astbury

John Astbury is a Stockholm-based designer, originally from Birmingham, England. Astbury studied anthropology and sociology in England before he moved to Sweden, where in 2011 he went on to complete his studies in Design at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design. In 2014, John Astbury founded his own design studio, based in Stockholm, Sweden. Within this studio he has created designs for &Tradition, New Works and Muuto as well as many other brands.

The work of John Astbury can be described as purposeful yet poetic, he re-examines the fundamental elements of an archetype in order to explore what can be done differently and to bring purpose to the form. Astbury's interest in boat building kindled his love of craftsmanship, and playing music ignited his passion for evoking emotions through design. His work is often described as minimalistic, but he thoroughly illustrates a language of absolute simplicity while making visible the dialogues and symbols that surround the object.

"Starting from an archetype, the work is a process of uncovering dialogues, symbols and justifications and making them visible in the object. My works are reduced to basics and emphasize material, structure and origin." - John Astbury