Roy Tam

Role
Roy is a multidisciplinary lecturer in BA 3D Design, embracing Designer Makers, Product Design, and Furniture & Interiors. He has a background in design, engineering and electronics and his focus is in Enterprise, Business and Sustainability.

Enterprise
Roy is the Enterprise Coordinator for the School of Architecture, Design and Environment, and a key contact for external enquiries for Enterprise Solutions. He was nominated for a VC's Enterprise Award for his work to develop Alumni Relations. He is a Young Enterprise business mentor for local Plymouth schools, and a judge and host for You're Hired Plymouth business game.

Business
Roy is a KTP supervisor for a second project for Spinnaker International, the first one winning a VC's Enterprise Award. He is responsible for the school's Career's Programme, and have been awarded a CEPPL for exploring new ways of Work Experience. He is the Faculty's key organiser for the FLUX business game. He manages the student's websites (www.3Ddesign.org.uk + www.MA design.org.uk) and is coordinator for the graduation show, New Designers. His marketing skills includes utilising an extensive network of professional contacts. He speaks fluent Cantonese, and have started running design competitions with a Chinese manufacturer.

Sustainability
Roy teaches a holistic approach towards sustainability, but specialises in Low Impact Production and Designing in Timber. According to New Designers, this approach have raised Plymouth to one of the top two positions in sustainable design teaching. He has lectured widely and given papers on these subjects. His current research is in Intelligent Energy Saving Devices and explores holistic approaches to reduce energy use.

He completed a masters level course in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He leads several modules including the 'Carousel' project which practises cross year Peer Learning, the 'Competitions' project which involes students with real world requirements, and the 'Exhibitions' project in which students learn about enterprise first hand by putting on pubic exhibitions.

His managerial responsibilities include designing experiences for recruiting, admissions and interviews. He is an External Examiner to the BA Three Dimensional Design degrees at the University of the Arts, Camberwell, and previously for Manchester Metropolitan University. He acted as an external link tutor to the Somerset College of Art & Design, and was an MSc supervisor for Schumacher College. He was also a successful small business mentor for Arts Matrix, and his work was highlighted as a case study.

For his Professional Practise, he runs Roy Tam Design, designing furniture to commission for clients like the NHS, and making a range of batch produced furniture. Prior to this, he ran Trannon Furniture with eco pioneer David Colwell for 12 years, and developed it into a successful business in sustainable furniture. Before that he was a Senior Product Designer and Project Manager at the hi tech consultancy Cambridge Consultants and was instrumental in setting up a new design department at their parent consultancy Arthur D Little Inc, USA. His area of work included domestic and outdoor appliances, audio equipment, healthcare products, fire and security, industrial equipment and toys, and he holds two US patents.
 

Qualifications & background
Roy Tam MDesRCA FRSA
Master of Design, Royal College of Art
Diploma Imperial College, Industrial Design Engineering
Diploma, Holistic Design in Timber, Hooke Park, now part of the Architectural Association
BSc (Hons) Biomedical Electronics, University of Salford
LTHE, Higher Education Academy

Roy is an award winning product and furniture designer, and specialises in ecological furniture. His style displays scandinavian influences over his oriental origin, and are models of simplicity and function. Do visit www.eco-furnture.co.uk

His knowledge on sustainable timber design led him to speak at various research groups including the 20th Century Furniture Research Group a the Design Museum, and the Making Futures II conference organised by PCAD and the Crafts Council. He has exhibited in selected exhibitions, and co-curated the 2008 summer show 'Innovative Timber Designers from the SW' at CCANW, the Centre of Contemporary Art for the Natural World.

Roy is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Crafts Council's National Register of Makers, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He lives in Sherborne, Dorset. His most recent training was at John Makepeace's award winning Hooke Park Eco Project. Having developed Trannon Furniture with eco-pioneer David Colwell for 12 years into a respected holistic business amongst its peers. His previous work at Trannon Furniture is archived here. Previous to that, he trained in the pioneering Joint Course of IDE (Industrial Design Engineering) at Imperial College and the Royal College of Art, and has a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Electronics from Salford.

During his 9 years' experience working for Cambridge Consultants, he was instrumental in setting up the product design department at their parent consultancy Arthur D Little Inc. and resulted in the granting of two international patents for his clients. He was elected to be a member of the Design Council selection panel and received the Braun International Prize for Industrial Design.

He is currently researching a book to document and archive the story of Hooke Park, working many key personnel of the time.


Features & Awards:
Braun International Prize for Industrial Design 1983
Cabinet Maker Magazine Prize, professional category 1999
The Independent Magazine, 10 Best Ecological Products 2002
'Furniture for the Twentieth Century' by Betty Norbury


Corporate customers of Roy's furniture include:
Bristol CREATE Eco Centre
Ecology Building Society
Exmoor & Dartmoor National Parks
Guinness
Natural History Museum
The King's Fund
The NHS
Wessex Water
Yorkshire Sculpture Park


Clients of Roy's product design include:
Black and Decker
Celestion Loudspeakers
Design Council
Gent Fire Systems
Guinness
Johnson Wax USA
NASA

Roy has exhibited at:
'Fine Woodworking Exhibition', New Forest Trust, 2010
'Grand Designs', Homelodge Exhibition, 2009
'Wonder Wood', Centre of Contemporary Art and the Natural World, 2008
'Homes for Good', Eco Trust, 2007
'Eco Design Fair', Hampstead, 2006
'[re]design05', 100% Futures, Earls Court, 2005
'100% Design', London, 1995-2003
'Co[]ect' 2004
'To Have and To Hold' Ferrers Gallery 2003
'Art In Action' Oxford 1998, 99, 2003
'Raising The Roof' Walford Mill 2003
'House and Garden' 1997, 98, 2002-03
'Table Wares' Beatrice Royal Gallery 2003
'Artisan' Edinburgh Festival 1997, 98, 2002
'In Praise or Trees' with English Nature, Salisbury Festival 2002
'Wood x 10' Scottish Gallery 2002
'Homelodge Show House', Ideal Home Exhibition 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Artifex Gallery 2002
'Rufford Gallery' Nottingham 2001-2
'Brewery Arts' Cirencester 2001-2
'Chelsea Crafts Fair' 1990-2001
'MODE' 1999, 2000-01
'Green Design' Bledffa 2001
'Wind and Wave' Beatrice Royal Gallery 2000
'Country Living Spring Fair' 1994-96, 98-99, 2000
'Decorative Arts Today' Bonhams 1992-96
'Greenwood' Contemporary Applied Arts 1995
'Conservation by Design' RISD Museum of Modern Art, USA 1994
'Christmas Show' Oriel Moystn 1992
'Living Room' Oxford Gallery 1992
'Having Made It' Oriel 1992
'IDI' 1992
'Exempla 92' Munich 1992
'Beyond The Dovetail' Crafts Council 1991-92
'In the First Place' Aberystwyth Arts Centre 1990
'Sewing' Parnham House 1985
Braun Prize, BMW Design Museum 1983-84
Design Selection, Design Council 1982


 

Professional membership
FRSA: Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Crafts Council: Member of the Crafts Coucil Register of Makers
Design Knowledge Research Group: Member
Higher Education Academy: Member
City & Guilds Amateur Radio License

 

Roles on external bodies
2010-ongoing: Supervisor for a classic KTP for Spinnaker International.
2009-10: Supervisor for the university's first short KTP, which won the VC's Enterprise Award.
2009-10: Judge, You're Hired, Plymouth's Tamar Business Education Partnership.
2009-10: Advicer, Bath City College.
2007-08: Supervisor MSC for Schumacher College.
2006-08: Competition judge, Fine Wood Working Competition, the New Forest Trust.
2006: Competition judge and organiser: '2020 Living' for the 2007 Ideal Home Show.
2006: Judge for Wood Fair SW.
2004-08: Link Tutor to Somerset College of Art.
2006: Editorial advice and providing content to 'Furniture Today DVD' by Jez Broun.
He was a member of the Design Council Kite Mark Selection Panel and took part in their Designers in Schools Week programmes.