Projects range from one-off pieces for private clients to furniture, products, interiors, public artworks and large-scale installations. The studio works with individuals, architects, interior designers, developers, manufacturers and organisations to develop ideas from their earliest stages through design, visualisation, technical development, manufacture and installation.
The breadth of experience within the studio means projects are not approached from a single discipline. Art can become architecture. Furniture can incorporate technology. Engineering can disappear inside sculpture. A material experiment can become a product.
Sometimes the brief begins with a clearly defined requirement. Sometimes it begins with little more than an idea and the question:
“Could we make this?”
Quite often, that is where the most interesting projects start.
Stuart Melrose has created bespoke work for private clients ranging from individual collectors and homeowners to internationally recognised figures. Each commission offers the opportunity to develop something bespoke, shaped around the client, the setting and the story behind the piece.
Designs can be developed entirely from scratch, with materials, colour, scale, finish and functionality explored together. Through 3D modelling and visualisation, clients can see how a proposal will look and sit within its intended space before manufacture begins.
For clients looking for something that cannot simply be bought, the studio offers the opportunity to create something genuinely personal.
Public projects bring together many of the studio’s disciplines: sculpture, technology, architecture, storytelling, engineering and interaction. Stuart Melrose has created permanent and temporary public artworks, lighting installations, interactive projects, community-led artworks and large-scale pieces for councils, developers and commercial organisations.
The studio can contribute from initial research and public engagement through concept development, visualisation, technical design, fabrication and installation.
Projects can incorporate lighting, electronics, programming, digital interaction and responsive technologies alongside traditional fabrication and sculptural processes.
The aim is not simply to place an object in a space, but to create something that belongs there.
Stuart Melrose can work alongside architects and interior designers where a project requires something beyond a standard specification. This might be a sculptural feature, reception installation, bespoke furniture, integrated artwork, lighting feature, unusual surface treatment or an object designed specifically for the architecture surrounding it.
The studio’s combination of creative and technical experience makes it particularly suited to resolving unusual ideas. Concepts can be developed through CAD, 3D modelling and photorealistic visualisation before progressing into detailed design, fabrication information and manufacture.
Stuart can either develop a concept from the beginning or join an established design team to help turn an ambitious idea into something that can actually be made.
Workplaces increasingly need to do more than simply accommodate desks.They communicate the identity, culture and ambitions of the organisations occupying them.
Stuart Melrose can develop bespoke elements for office refurbishment and workplace projects, including reception features, furniture, sculptural installations, graphics, lighting, feature walls, spatial interventions and integrated artworks.
Projects can range from a single statement piece to a collection of elements running through a building.
The studio can work alongside architects, interior designers, contractors and specialist fabricators, helping bridge the gap between creative concept and practical delivery.
Stuart Melrose has extensive experience translating ideas into objects that can actually be manufactured, assembled, transported, installed and maintained. A beautiful concept still has to survive the real world.
The studio can produce working drawings, detailed 3D models, files for digital manufacture and 2D machining toolpaths, as well as prototypes and components using in-house 3D printing. Experience with CAD/CAM, CNC manufacture, fabrication, specialist materials and construction allows potential problems to be considered early rather than discovered during manufacture.
Where specialist processes are required, the studio can work with an established network of fabricators, engineers and manufacturers to develop an appropriate solution.
Three-dimensional design has been central to the studio’s work for more than twenty years.
Complex ideas can be explored digitally long before material is cut or fabricated. Designs can be rotated, sectioned, refined and viewed within their intended environment, helping both the studio and client understand exactly what is being proposed.
Services include CAD modelling, photorealistic visualisation, animation, virtual environments, technical development and preparation of digital manufacturing information.
For complicated projects, this process is often where creative design and engineering begin to meet.
Depending upon the commission, Stuart Melrose can become involved at almost any stage of a project. Some clients require an initial creative concept. Others need detailed design development or assistance solving a particular technical problem. Larger commissions may involve the studio throughout the complete process.
Experience includes budgeting and cost engineering, working drawings, fabrication liaison, installation planning, risk assessments and method statements, maintenance considerations and coordination with contractors and specialist suppliers.
That allows creative ambition to remain at the centre of a project while the practical realities of making it happen are considered from the beginning.
Whether working with a private client on a unique object, helping an architect solve an unusual detail, developing a product with a manufacturer or creating an artwork for millions of people to experience, the process begins by understanding what makes the project interesting.
If you have an idea, a space, a material, a problem—or simply something you would like to explore—Stuart Melrose would be delighted to hear about it.
REFERENCES:
Stuart’s work is always professional and always delivered when it is needed, under crucial deadlines. The award-winning results speak for themselves, and we have been more than happy working with Stuart and look forward to working together again in the future. It’s not just the results though; Stuart has a happy and playful demeanour and full of ideas, and it is this creativity that we think will be so helpful in coming up with an innovative and fun design’
Christelle Beaupoux
Project and Performance Manager
Economic and Cultural Development/ Directorate of Environment and Neighbourhood Services
Reading Borough Council
Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading, RG1 2LU
I am pleased to provide a reference for Stuart Melrose, who was commissioned as the lead artist for the Reading Amnesty Art Project, which ran from March 2022 to mid-2023. The project was to raise awareness around the harms of knife crime.
Throughout this project, Stuart demonstrated exceptional creativity, professionalism, and commitment to both artistic excellence and community engagement. He worked collaboratively with a wide range of community partners, stakeholders, and local groups to ensure the project was inclusive, accessible, and representative of diverse voices within Reading.
Stuart’s ability to engage participants in meaningful dialogue and translate those contributions into a shared creative vision was central to the project’s success. His approach combined sensitivity with innovation, resulting in a highly collaborative process that built trust and encouraged wide participation.
The outcome of this work was the creation of a community legacy sculpture, now permanently installed at the Reading Oracle. This piece not only reflects the aspirations and contributions of the community but also stands as a lasting testament to Stuart’s ability to fuse artistic practice with social impact.
Stuart brought reliability, strong organisational skills, and clear communication to every stage of the commission. His leadership of the creative process was exemplary, and he consistently balanced the demands of stakeholders, deadlines, and artistic integrity.
Further information on the project and the Armoured heart sculpture can be found here The Heart – Reading Amnesty Art
I would have no hesitation in recommending Stuart for future projects that require a combination of artistic excellence, community collaboration, and long-term impact.
Kelly Reed
Detective Inspector
Child Abuse Investigation Unit – East Berkshire
“Stuart is a creative force of nature. His interpretation of our brief was the very definition of innovation, playfully referencing the layers of history within our site. To be delivered on time, on budget, made the entire process, delivery and installation a joy. Our community is so proud of ‘Welcome Home’! “
Tristen Hennigs
Arts Development Officer
Elmbridge Borough Council
I had the pleasure of commissioning and working with Stuart on the Station Hill project in Reading, where he created two illuminated mural panels in partnership with Kev Munday.
The murals were technically complex and challenging to deliver, but he handled every stage with incredible skill and care, working closely with his fabricators to make it all happen.
But what stood out most to me was how easy and enjoyable Stuart is to work with – always approachable, open, and collaborative. He was generous with his time, infinitely patient through all the twists and turns, and brought extensive technical knowledge that ensured the artworks were realised to the highest standard.
His dedication, positive spirit and willingness to go the extra mile made the experience a joy and the project a great success.
Alessandra Grignaschi Associate
FUTURECITY
‘Place. People. Culture.’
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REVIEWS:
We give every client the same care and commitment, from private individuals to large organisations, and are grateful that all our reviews are five stars.