Melchior Grau

Melchior Grau is a German designer and Creative Director of GRAU, a design studio and lighting brand headquartered in Hamburg that reimagines light as an emotional and experiential medium. Alongside his brother Timon, Melchior leads the company’s creative direction, carrying forward a legacy of innovation while redefining how light interacts with people and environments.

He studied art in Berlin under influential figures such as Ai Weiwei and Hito Steyerl before graduating from the Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main. This multidisciplinary foundation in art and performance informs his approach to design, where sculptural thinking, conceptual exploration, and human-centred experience converge.

Since taking creative leadership of GRAU (formerly Tobias Grau), Melchior has championed a philosophy that positions light as a catalyst for emotion, wellbeing, and sensory connection. Under his direction, the studio produces lighting that blends technical excellence with expressive form, while also engaging in artistic installations exhibited internationally.