Jonathan Olivares

Jonathan Olivares is an Amer­i­can indus­trial designer whose work bridges form, func­tion, and tech­nol­ogy with quiet clarity. Born in Boston in 1981, he grad­u­ated from Pratt Insti­tute and estab­lished his Los Angeles-based studio in 2006. His prac­tice spans indus­trial, spatial, and commu­ni­ca­tion design, with a focus on objects that are meant to be used rather than merely observed.

Olivares is known for a thought­ful design process rooted in research, mate­r­ial inno­va­tion, and an archi­tec­tural sensi­bil­ity. Notable projects include the Olivares Aluminum Chair for Knoll (2012), Aluminum Bench for Zahner (2015), and Vitra Work­space (2015), a hybrid show­room and educa­tional envi­ron­ment. His exhi­bi­tion Source Mate­r­ial (2014), co-curated with Jasper Morri­son and Marco Velardi, explored the inspi­ra­tions behind iconic design objects. In 2016, he created Room for a Daybed, an instal­la­tion that explored furni­ture as spatial tool.

His work has received multi­ple awards, includ­ing the pres­ti­gious Compasso d’Oro, and is held in the perma­nent collec­tions of the Art Insti­tute of Chicago, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Victo­ria and Albert Museum, and the Vitra Design Museum.

With a precise yet poetic approach, Jonathan Olivares contin­ues to shape contem­po­rary design by connect­ing past and present through purpose­ful, innovative forms.