Designer-entrepreneur Peter Mabeo was born in the Botswana captial of Gaborone in 1971. In 1997, he began collaborating with local artisans to create custom-made design objects that reflect both Botswana craft expertise—woodworking, textiles, and basketry—and its culture. In 2006, Mabeo established his eponymous atelier—Mabeo Furniture—also in Gabarone. Since that time, the studio has collaborated with accomplished contemporary designers such as Patricia Urquiola, Claesson Koivisto Rune, Garth Roberts, and Luca Nichetto on sustainable, ethically produced pieces and interior design projects that celebrate Botswana craft heritage and support local artisan economies. Mabeo Furniture has moved a few times within the city of Gabarone in order to accommodate its growing demand for space and counts the Nobis Hotel in Stockholm among its clients.
Mabeo participates in a variety of international design fairs and exhibitions, including Milan Design Week, the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York, and the London Design Festival. His studio was awarded the ICFF Editors Award for Craftsmanship in 2006 and 2008, as well as the ICFF Editors Award for Best Furniture in 2010.
