Joachim Tantau, home

Formed by hand,
informed by
the hidden order
of nature.

Collectible sculpture and furniture, designed with compass and straightedge before taking shape on the workbench.

I make one-off pieces, limited editions and bespoke commissions in my studio in Hamburg. Each piece begins with the elemental language of geometry, circles and lines, drawing on principles of proportion that have shaped architecture and craftsmanship for centuries.

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Origin, a kinetic wall sculpture in walnut, brass and gold leaf: three wheels inside a ring, crowned by wings and a gilded moon, on a dark wall. Origin, kinetic sculpture, 2020

Sculpture & furniture

One of a kind, or one of a few.

Most of my work is made once and never repeated. Selected designs are produced in small, numbered editions, and if you want something that exists nowhere else, we can develop it together.

Selected worksAll pieces

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Workshops

Geometry in three dimensions.

Beyond the studio, I offer hands-on workshops that bring geometry and spatial structures to life. Working together to construct three-dimensional forms, participants explore principles of proportion and structure through a shared process of discovery and creation.

Discover the workshops

Paper polyhedra hanging inside a large frame of bamboo sticks, built by workshop participants

Geometry & number

The principles behind the design.

Compass and ruler are an ancient toolkit, used for centuries. People used to call it common sense. Somewhere along the way geometry got split into school lessons on one side and spooky pentagrams on the other. I'm taking it back to the workbench.

Through compass and straightedge, I develop geometric constructions that determine the proportion and symmetry within each design. Drawing on the principles of geometry that have informed architecture and craftsmanship across cultures and centuries, I seek a form of harmony that feels both familiar and timeless - an order that resonates beyond individual taste or style. I use geometry not as surface decoration, but as a means of creating balance, coherence and beauty.

Geometry & number

The finished piece.

Joachim Tantau

Studio

Designer and maker.

My path into making began at my father's workbench and led me to the Prince's School of Traditional Arts in London, where I completed my MA in 2013 and discovered geometry as the foundation of my design practice. Since then, I have developed an independent body of work that brings together geometric principles, traditional craftsmanship and contemporary form.

What drives my work is a fascination with the underlying order of nature and its expression through geometry. I explore how proportion, symmetry and the relationships between forms can create a sense of harmony that connects an object to its surroundings and, ultimately, to the world we inhabit.

Read the story

Write to the studio.

Whether you are curious about a piece, thinking of a commission or simply have a question, write to me directly.

Get in touch

Compass, ruler and pencil on a board of limewood, next to a geometric drawing