An art school graduate who trained as a sculptor, Dean brings his fine arts experience to design, saying the difference between the two disciplines is the way they’re received: ‘art is preserved, design is consumed’.
Alt Group is a core team of 17 people with a rich diversity of design, business backgrounds and experience. This intermix of viewpoints, combined with a multidisciplinary approach, creates innovative results for the studio’s broad range of clients.
Alt Group works with global fashion designers, national and local government agencies, lawyers, winemakers, architects, furniture designers, energy providers and restaurateurs. They have also helped conceptualise and deliver on a number of national interest projects, including the ‘Better by Design’ initiative and projects for brand New Zealand.
The studio has been recognised with numerous international awards and in 2009 was awarded four coveted red dot awards: communication design and two One Show Design Awards.



