Richard Thomas

Master stone carver and sculptor championing the role of traditional craftsmanship in shaping today’s built environment

Joining the BUILDING: Craft & Construction panel discussion is Richard Thomas, a master stone carver and sculptor with over four decades of experience across Europe. Trained with the Compagnons du Devoir in France, he honed his craft during a Tour de France that took him to Bordeaux, Strasbourg’s famed Œuvre Notre-Dame, and Lyon, before moving on to cathedral workshops in Basel and major restoration projects in Belgium and Ireland.

His work ranges from intricate Gothic traceries and monumental stone staircases to public commissions and conservation for historic estates such as Dunsany Castle. Notable projects include leading the team designing and carving the spiral staircase at Basel Minster, contributions to Victor Horta’s Hôtel Winssinger, and teaching sessions for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Ypres.

Now based in Brussels, Richard teaches stone carving and sculpture for the Walloon Agency for Cultural Heritage, inspiring a new generation of architects, craftspeople, and enthusiasts. Fluent in French, English, and German, and currently studying Arabic, he brings a deep technical mastery and a lifelong passion for preserving and evolving the language of stone.