Topher Gent is an industrial designer, artist, researcher, and educator. His background in design and product development includes jewelry and luxury goods, ceramics, furniture, and lighting, all of which influence his interdisciplinary studio practice. Through objects and form, Topher explores the conflicts and dualities of excess and minimalism, as well as the role of design as a tool for communication. His work is often a reflection on his personal relationships to making, craft, and designed objects. He is interested in Critical Craft Theory and the influence of digital objects on contemporary material culture. Most recently, his research has been focused on the intersections of handcraft and modern manufacturing technologies.

Topher holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design, and a Master of Design from the Universitetet i Bergen, Institute for Design. He has held teaching positions at the Rhode Island School of Design and Swarthmore College and is currently working in the Center for Functional Fabrics at Drexel University.

Brutalist apologist? No, I’m not sorry. . . #brutalism #brutalistarchitecture
Saw this in downtown San Jose this week. The Serpentine Pavilion. There’s a story here… more on that soon, I think. #abandoned #publicart
This is an untitled piece from 2011 (?) that hangs on the wall in my apartment. I used to make lots hollow forms from welded sheet metal and I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. This wall mounted piece measures about 16” tall. I made
A short visit during the holiday.
I finally made it out to Fallingwater, the landmark design by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was inspiring! Main takeaway: modularity has a place, but a thoughtful, bespoke, and holistic way of living is much more meaningful.
🏢🗿👷‍♂️🤓… 🔳🔲🔳🔲