Giora Dan

Giora Dan is a New Zealand designer and maker whose multidisciplinary practice spans furniture, lighting, sculpture, and photography. Originally from Israel, Dan brings a distinctive perspective to contemporary design, combining technical precision with a deep curiosity about material, form, and the stories objects can tell. His work is characterised by an intuitive balance between sculptural expression and everyday function, resulting in pieces that are both playful and purposeful.

Working primarily with timber and metal, Dan creates furniture that celebrates craftsmanship while embracing experimentation. His designs often reveal a fascination with structure, movement, and the honest qualities of natural materials, producing objects that invite interaction and reward close attention. Whether designing a chair, table, or lighting piece, he approaches each project as an exploration of proportion, character, and longevity.

Alongside his furniture practice, Dan is an accomplished photographer whose documentary work has taken him around the world, contributing to major editorial publications and UNESCO projects. This keen observational eye informs his design process, lending his furniture a strong sense of narrative and humanity.

Through his diverse creative practice, Giora Dan continues to produce thoughtful, enduring work that sits comfortably between art, design, and craftsmanship, contributing a distinctive voice to New Zealand's contemporary furniture landscape.