Tony Kordolia
Non-Linear Design Theory
Tony Kordolia is an industrial designer, sculptor and artist based out of Goa. Currently, he is the Head of Production and Prototyping at the JOSMO Factory, overseeing the making and crafting of a variety of furniture typologies, including chairs, tables and cabinetry, among numerous other verticals.
From a young age, Tony was an ever-curious soul, constantly tinkering with his toys as a child, expanding his knowledge on tools and the way things worked. This passion only continued to grow, and when he was in his teenage years, it translated into a hobby in restoring motorcycles. The love for motorcycles played a pivotal role in Tony’s career, shaping his formative years as a builder – manufacturing custom motorcycles from his parents’ garage. This very quickly resulted in a full-blown garage and production workshop, where multiple motorcycles were built at the same time. Apart from being a builder, he was also an avid motorcycle rider, and in the early 2000’s worked in several Bollywood movies as a professional stuntman.
The joy of working with his fingers connected to a material had remained a part of Tony’s subconscious, with a zealous persuasion that nudged him to take it further. Until this point, he had no professional construction or design education, but it did not stop him from the pursuit of creating “well-put together” objects. In order to hone his skills and better understand what it takes to design and create objects at an industrial scale, he moved to Malaysia in 2008 to study Industrial Design and equipped himself with the skills that would enable him to spend the rest of his life making objects, sculptures and furniture. After working in the field for a few years, he moved back to India in 2014 with a Distinction Degree and a renewed dedication towards woodworking, crafting and prototyping.
At the time, Tony was connected to Studio Haus in Pune, and helped them build a bed the Studio was struggling with, along with a few other carpenters. This quickly turned into a conversation to build a 700 sq.m. workshop which would support the studio, and by the end of the second year, they had finished designing and supplying the furniture for two bespoke villas, a few show flats and they had also launched a furniture brand called KOY. All the while, Tony absorbed information; woodworking in the Indian context proved to be a difficult gap to bridge, as many of the laborers did not have the depth of skill, tact or sensitivity to problem solve. Tony used his knowledge to address many of the lags, creating new systems to enhance efficiencies and bringing the skill levels of the craftsmen he worked with to a higher standard. In 2017 he parted ways with Studio Haus and took the role of Head of Manufacturing and Prototyping at the JOSMO Studio in Goa. In about a year, with Tony’s inputs and support, a new lifestyle and furniture brand by the name of ANDSO was launched, along with the setting up of a 3200 sq.m. factory from which the experimentation, building and manufacture could be overseen.
“Although the standard of workmanship can infuriate me, it still gives me great joy to know that a worker has improved his skills once he has worked with me directly, or the JOSMO Studio. These things cannot be taught, only experienced. At the end, that is what I would like to leave behind. The ability the further the industry through the celebration of the artisans that make.”
- Tony Kordolia
In the Indian society and context, the idea of a carpenter or woodworker is not a profession which is considered an artisanal or noble pursuit. Rather, it is considered a field into which an unskilled layman could easily find himself, trying to create everyday household objects. Changing such a generationally systemic perception proved to be a gargantuan task, but one that Tony tackled through the initiation of creative pursuits that celebrated the joys of craftsmanship. To Tony, the products were always less important than the process.
To produce products at scale, the manufacturing process needs to be comprehensively thought through, in order to iron out any inefficiencies or inconsistencies. Manufacturing with this mindset runs parallel to design-thinking, where the craftsmen are able assemble a piece by the assimilation of all its smaller details, while never letting go of the larger picture. The role of every individual craftsman is alleviated in such a system, because the output of any product is only as good as the carpenters who construct it.
The career path chosen by Tony, deviates greatly from the standard norm of the contemporary designer – his initiation was without education, just a passionate determination to create. As different opportunities presented themselves to him, he embraced and went with whatever felt right to him in the moment. This “riding with the flow” attitude is something Tony still holds very close to his heart, treating each day as a new one, constantly looking forward towards the next thing which will be able to curb his curiosity. Today, with Tony’s help, the JOSMO Studio has expanded, with a specific sector that delves into material innovation, as well as design prototyping.
Being one of the earliest members of Dimension, Tony inaugurated the network once he met Bram and Vincent, after they all had sourced machinery through Satyan Thukral of Caple Industrial Solutions. Through this, he has remained an important contributor to many of the collectives’ initiatives, as well as a constant source of information and support to many of the members.
Stills from the India Wood Expo, with Bram Rouws from Bram Woodcrafting Studio, in collaboration with Caple Industrial Solutions: all of whom are a part of the Dimension Collective.
“I love the ability of taking thoughts and sketches and turning them into tangible products”
Tony Kordolia currently resides in Goa, and works out of the JOSMO Factory.
He can be reached at tony@josmostudio.com
