Why Timber?
Timber is ecologically head and shoulders above the world's structural materials. For example, aluminium as a raw material requires several thousand times the energy to produce compared with timber. Plastics are better, consuming hundreds of times, and recycled plastics uses this energy twice. But timber has a double advantage. Trees also absorb atmospheric CO2 as they grow and 'fixes' it into its wood. This carbon acts as the world's carbon sink, and is not release back into the atmosphere unless it is burnt or decomposed.

Why Fast Grown Trees?
Fast grown ash is by far the most resilient. The faster it grows the stronger it is, so the best is often found in young thinnings too small for saw logs. Ash is also self-seeding making it the ideal 'renewable' wood. In comparison with an old tree, a fast grown thinning can absorb 30 times more CO2 in the same year, making it much more effective than a similar area of rainforest. Roy's timber is soured very locally, mainly from the managed mixed woodlands in Sir John-Eliot Gardner's organic farm. This helps to strengthening modern forestry and rural employment.

Why we don't need to Kiln Dry?
Unseasoned ash is the perfect material for steam bending. Steam bends and shapes the wood and uses a fraction of the energy required by conventional methods making it ideal for batch production. In one hour's steaming, timber is curved and seasoned without conventional energy intensive kilns - so long as we do the bending in 20 seconds!

Who buys from Roy?
Roy's work is found in homes of private individuals as well as corporate customers such as the Natural History Museum and Somerset County Council. Recent commissions include the main reception desk for the Ecology Building Society.

Roy lives in Sherborne, Dorset. He trained at John Makepeace's Parnham College at Hooke Park. Having helped evolve Trannon with David Colwell since 1991, his current business blends sleek contemporary style with ecologcal sensitivity. Previous to that, he trained in Industrial Design Engineering at Imperial College and the Royal College of Art, and also a degree in medical electronics. While working for Cambridge Consultants, he was instrumental in setting up the product design department at their parent consultancy Arthur D Little Inc. His clients included Celestion, Black & Decker, Gent, Guinness, Johnson Wax and NASA. He was elected to be a member of the Design Council selection panel and received the Braun International Prize for Industrial Design. Roy's aim is to work alongside you to deliver the optimum design solution.

Roy Tam
Master of Design, Royal College of Art
British, born in Hong Kong 1957


Experience:
12 Years Joint Director of Trannon Furniture with David Colwell 1992-2004
2 Years EC funded programme in Sustainable Timber Products at Hooke Park, John Makepeace's Parnham Trust 1989-1991
1 Year Management Consultant at Arthur D Little Inc setting up their product design office in the US 1988-89
2 Years Selection Panel for the Design Council's Kite Mark Awards 1983-85
9 Years Senior Product Designer and Project Manager at Cambridge Consultants 1982-1988
M Des RCA, Master of Design, Royal College of Art 1980-1982
DIC, Industrial Design Engineering, Imperial College London 1980-1982
BSc Hons, Biomedical Electronics, University of Salford 1978-1980


Awards:
Braun International Prize for Industrial Design 1983
Cabinet Maker Magazine Prize, professional category 1999
The Independent Magazine, 10 Best Ecological Products 2002



Corporate customers of Roy's furniture include:
Bristol CREATE Eco Centre
Ecology Building Society
Natural History Museum
Southern Arts
Wessex Water
Yorkshire Sculpture Park

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






Roy's work has been seen at these exhibitions:
'100% Design' 1995-2003
'To Have and To Hold' Ferrers Gallery 2003
'Art In Action' Oxford 1998, 99, 2003
'Raising The Roof' Walford Mill 2003
'House & 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 & 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





Roy has lectured or tutored at:
Bournemouth Arts Institute
Centre for Sustainable Design, Surrey Institute
Colchester Insitute
Design Council's Designers in Schools Week
Godolphin School, Salisbury
Gryphon School, Sherborne
Hooke Park College, Parnham Trust
King Arthurs School, Wincanton
Plymouth University
Royal College of Art
South Wilts Grammar School
Southampton Institute
Tonbridge School
Yeovil College




Call Roy on 0780 853 5863
Email roytamdesign@btinternet.com

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4 Feb 2005