Fourth-Generation Maker Wins 2026 Design Week Award

Jon Goulder was 15 when he began learning the family trade at his grandfather’s furniture workshop in Bowral, New South Wales. Three decades later, the fourth-generation maker has been named the winner of the 2026 Melbourne Design Week Award, collecting $10,000 and recognition for a career built on heirloom pieces meant to last generations.

The award, presented by Mercedes-Benz Australia, was announced on 14 May 2026 as Goulder’s exhibition “Conversations by Jon Goulder and Collaborators” opened at Chapter House in Flinders Lane. The free showcase runs daily from 10am to 5pm until 24 May, part of a festival that has grown to more than 400 events across the city in its tenth year.

For Goulder, the prize carries personal weight. “Winning the award is deeply meaningful on a personal level,” he said. “It’s recognition from my peers, and considering the calibre of past winners, it places the work within a respected lineage.”

Goulder’s furniture shuns disposability. He works in wood, leather and cabinetry, using proprietary leather-pressing techniques seen in the Pavilion Chair he designed for Yiaga restaurant in Fitzroy Gardens. That chair, now in production, is a product of his conviction that “Australia can make furniture and compete commercially.”

At Chapter House, a creative space run by local fashion house Alpha60, Goulder has installed a monumental 10-metre “Terrain Table” made with architect Henry Williams of Crafted Hardwoods. The table explores the tension between hand craft and digital fabrication, expressed in solid timber. Alongside it, lighting and seating pieces developed with designer Andrew Carvolth fill the room.

The launch on the evening of 14 May also marks the release of a limited-edition Alpha60 x Jon Goulder bag.

On 16 May at 11am, Goulder will give an artist talk inside the exhibition space, walking visitors through his process and the thinking behind the collaborations. It is free and unticketed; the only requirement is turning up.

Past award winners have included Volker Haug Studio (2025) for lighting and A&A (2024) for interior projects. Goulder’s installation this year shifts the focus to large-scale furniture, and his hand-made ethos stands in contrast to the mass-produced imports that dominate the market. His pieces are designed to be passed down, not replaced.

Getting there is easy by public transport. Flinders Street Station is a three- to five-minute walk away, and trams 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72 run along Flinders Street. Avoid driving; CBD parking is scarce and costs $20 to $50 for the day.

After the exhibition, Flinders Lane itself offers laneway dining at Cumulus Inc, Tonka or Tetto. Federation Square is a two-minute walk, Hosier Lane’s street art is five minutes away, and the NGV International is a ten-minute stroll, making a full design and art day possible.

If you want the limited-edition bag, the 14 May launch from 6pm is the only window. For those who prefer a quieter visit, weekday afternoons offer space to absorb the work, while the artist talk on 16 May is the prime opportunity to hear Goulder speak candidly about his craft. Do not assume you need a ticket; all events are free and no booking is required. The exhibition is open 10am to 5pm, so plan coordinated visits with other Melbourne Design Week events like 100 Chairs at Abbotsford Convent.

Goulder’s own story is built into the grain. From the Bowral workshop floor to a Flinders Lane gallery, the through-line remains one of making things that outlast the maker, a quiet test passed by every piece on show.