„Porcelain is a high-quality and durable material. Pure white and with transparent glaze, it has a very purist look. With this classic, white finish, the material itself – the porcelain – becomes the protagonist. But colours and glazes are also an exciting option for this material. We particularly like porcelain because it is so simple and elegant.“Fine. Smooth. Pure. Porcelain possesses a special materiality. High-quality and long-lasting, for centuries it has enjoyed incomparable significance in design and everyday culture and it is the protagonist of the most diverse product applications. Its impact resistance makes it durable; its appearance evokes a clean feeling. Different manufacturing processes – such as casting, extruding, rolling or pressing – provide a wide range of creative options. In recent years, Nina Ruthe and David Antonin from DESIGN STUDIO NIRUK have researched the material, approaching it with a great deal of sensitivity and patience in collaboration with traditional manufacturing partners. Three products were created that will celebrate their premiere this autumn. Varying in form and function, they demonstrate the manifold applications of porcelain.

Clay, quartz, feldspar: these raw materials are ground and mixed with water to produce porcelain. Cast, extruded, pressed:

„Each manufacturing process requires a specific composition of ingredients for the porcelain mass and also individual specifications for further processing. This involves a lot of research, testing and know-how, as well as a good collaboration between the designer and the porcelain manufacturer who implements the design,“ say Nina Ruthe and David Antonin, explaining the challenges in the design process with porcelain. Whilst sharing similar manufacturing processes and the classic white appearance, in terms of application, the resulting products are very varied.

Teapot warmer CALM Soft and flowing. Like a nest, the round organic shape of the CALM teapot warmer catches the candlelight, creating a calm and inviting atmosphere. A particularly friendly companion for the cold season. CALM is produced using a traditional casting technique. The metal holder for the tea light creates a material contrast to the white, pure porcelain and is designed in such a way that teapots of different sizes can be placed on it. The CALM teapot warmer is now included in the product portfolio of the traditional manufacturer KOBER Porzellan. ‘Made in Germany’ from fine porcelain and durable metal. www.enterporcelain.de

Door handle BAU A new symbiosis of materials: porcelain-coated brass. With BAU, a special door handle has been created for the Italian handle manufacturer Olivari. Inspired by Bauhaus architecture and the industrial manufacturing process of extruding porcelain in strands, BAU is characterised by a very graphic design vocabulary. NIRUK has carefully chosen the materials for interior and exterior use: Porcelain does not change its appearance even after decades of use and retains a pleasantly smooth surface. It is also easy to clean and particularly hygienic. While developing a uniquely attractive patina due to oxidation over time, brass is also very durable and stable in quality. Both materials have their fine quality in common. BAU was created as part of the ENTER_PORCELAIN project launched by KOBER Porzellan and Olivari: 10 renowned design studios worked intensively with porcelain in combination with brass. The focus was on an innovative use of these materials in the design process for a door handle – for unconventional design concepts and manufacturing possibilities. All prototypes were presented in a special exhibition during Milan Design Week at Palazzo Litta in 2019. Of all the submitted designs, the BAU range by DESIGN STUDIO NIRUK was selected and will be produced by Olivari. BAU will be exhibited and presented to the public at Supersalone 2021 in Milan. 05.-10. September, Pav. 02, Corsia L18, Quart. Fiera Milano, Rho

FUNNIES Collection Elephant, hippo, owl. For porcelain specialist KOBER, Nina Ruthe and David Antonin revived the legendary FUNNIES. A redesign based on the 1970s originals, these little animals are made of pure white porcelain with black or platinum contrasts and are created from a strand of porcelain. Similar to a certain type of biscuit dough, the porcelain is pressed through a tool and then cut into pieces. A specially made metal tool is available for the production of each little animal – all the tools are originals from the initial production phase and are now in use again. With their interpretation, DESIGN STUDIO NIRUK has given the FUNNIES a contemporary appearance, while retaining their characteristic shapes. KOBER was inspired to produce the animal family again in a new look during the first lockdown in 2020 when much production had ground to a halt. In the 1970s, the FUNNIES marked a milestone – the introduction of in-house produced decorative articles made KOBER economically viable again and allowed the company to grow. In keeping with this history, five decades later, the traditional company is once again focusing on the popular collection as a re-edition featuring NIRUK’s signature style.

„The Funnies were a challenge for us. We had to work with existing shapes and therefore had no possibility of changing the forms. Our mission was to revive the Funnies by designing new, contemporary characters. We think it‘s great that old tools can be used again and we will work on further re-editions for KOBER.“

Der Beitrag „CLAY, QUARTZ, FELDSPAR. FINE. SMOOTH. PURE. PORCELAIN.“ erschien zuerst auf niruk.

„We go through life with open eyes and linger on something we find interesting: whether it‘s a material, a manufacturing process, or a texture that’s pleasant to the touch. It‘s about a perception of aesthetics as we understand it – anything can be relevant.“ 

CORK. Nina Ruthe & David Antonin of Design Studio Niruk focus on a new material, examine its visual and tactile qualities, and create unique forms and products. The result: natural, soft and warm; velvety, exquisite and emotional; graphic, architectural and clear. NIRUK has designed four products for the Portuguese brand Cork Units. A pared-down, yet evocative, design idiom. Characterised by the natural material of cork, the special manufacturing process and a uniquely warm texture. A cork oak must grow for 25 years before its bark can be harvested for the first time: this first cut is called virgin cork. Its rugged surface is different from all subsequent cuts in the life of a cork oak. Cork needs time to regenerate: it can only be harvested every nine years. Afterwards, the bark cuts are stored, dried and sawn into boards, which are then glued and processed into blocks. A material that can tell a story – quietly, but emphatically.

NIRUK also tells a story: about texture, forms and colours, about  the creation of materials and manufacturing processes. After glass and porcelain, the current focus is on  cork. Which shapes and applications suit this material?  The result: four durable and well thought-out designs – sustainability paired with contemporary aesthetics. NIRUK creates products that exude authenticity. Following material studies and intensive research in NIRUK’s own ‘material lab’, the design process set in. The results are the PORTOBELLO wall hooks, the CORKBOARD wall shelf, the BALANÇO swing and the PLAY side table. Made of cork, characterised by clear, graphic design. The products are defined by geometrical shapes, they are pleasing to the touch and the material’s changing natural shades feel familiar.

The PORTOBELLO coat hooks are inspired by nature; the smaller versions can also be used as knobs for closets and chests of drawers. The cork’s tactile qualities are reminiscent of the velvety surface of mushrooms, while the shape of the knobs picks up the rounded form, which, through the graphic cut transforms into a circle on the front surface.

Pared-down architectural forms: The PLAY side table is defined by two differently sized cork blocks; the lightweight material and the staggered arrangement break up the solidity of the composition. A powder-coated shelf made of edged steel provides storage space for magazines and books.

The CORKBOARD SHELF is inspired by driftwood that acquires its soft, rounded form and its texture by contact with water and sand. The irregularities of nature are transformed into a simple and pared-down shape that is repeated in the simplicity of the wall fastening. Lightweight but solid, at the same time, round, geometrical and floating.

For indoors and outdoors: With the BALANÇO swing, the focus is on movement – and on the child that we are at heart. Both the geometrical shape and the size of the hemi-sphere with rounded edges provide safety and comfort.The rope is made of sustainable, recycled PET.

Der Beitrag „YOU BEGIN WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THE MATERIAL.“ (Reuschenberg)  erschien zuerst auf niruk.

„Translucent or opaque, whether it reflects or absorbs light – glass is fascinating. Worked into delicate and thin-walled designs, it appears fragile; when blown into thick-walled shapes, it conveys depth and weight. Glass can be exquisite, fireproof and nowadays even indestructible, possessing many different properties and thus opening up numerous possibilities in design for us.“ 

Crystal glass. Industrial glass. Smoked glass. Coloured glass. Hardly any other material is as versatile in appearance and effect as glass. Multifaceted and playful light effects can be generated just as easily as new surface textures or unexpected shapes and patterns. Glass is alive – and, through changes of its aggregate state, allows countless possibilities. It presents both a design challenge and an opportunity. And thus an ideal sphere of activity for Design Studio Niruk. Nina Ruthe and David Antonin illustrate their approach with various objects made of glass. „Our glass objects and productsare the results of planned tests and processes,“ they explain. Although the traditional art of glassblowing allows a spontaneous modification of the object, it is essential for Design Studio Niruk to develop products that are suitable for industrial production, however, without restricting the designers in any way. Planned experiments have given rise to a variety of objects; collaboration with professional glassblowers has enabled the designers to develop a surprisingly new vocabulary of forms.

‘Out of the box‘ thinking for a new vocabulary of forms The formal language is achieved both through the work in the hotshop and the focused implementation of a wide variety of tools, thus illustrating the design duo’s unique approach. Design Studio Niruk‘s range of glass designs is diverse: ranging from their own portfolio of experimental projects to product series for renowned manufacturers. In interaction with light, glass generates surprising effects. Design Studio Niruk playfully exploits this special quality for their products. What they all have in common is the combination of traditional craftsmanship with creative ‚out of the box‘ thinking. When heated or melted, glass can always be reshaped – a fact that also describes Nina and David‘s design process.

Experimenting with modular forms When creating glass designs, in addition to particular existing tools, such as an antique waffle iron, Nina and David work with modular and self-built moulds. The dimensions and surfaces of elements can be individually adapted. Consisting of plug-in components, the elaborate construction of the moulds enables a kind of rapid prototyping: thereby it is possible to intervene in the production process and react directly to the results. The created objects reflect the character of ‘inflation’, they are both organic and geometric, and thus correspond to the design identity of Design Studio Niruk. A modification of the modular mould has a direct effect on both the material’s viscosity and the blown-in glass itself. New ideas can be realised quickly, which is not necessarily the case with other materials. When working with glass, the implemented techniques become visible.

Playful ways to create a variety of shapes One of Niruk’s most unusual tools used in the design process with glass is an antique waffle iron: misappropriated for this use, the first design created with this tool during the glass blowing process was WAFFLE – characterised by the special waffle pattern on the object‘s surface. The results and knowledge obtained from this project were then used for the modular mould construction for BRAMBLE: consisting of three different designs, the range of vases for the Danish manufacturer Bolia is available in both clear and smoked glass. In the case of the OULA vase, on the other hand, a unique design object was created even without the use of unconventional tools. In order to give the liquid glass its individual shape, the designers developed modular moulds made of wood and iron, which can be slotted together to create individual forms: the result is playful vessels that set no limits to creativity. OULA is the best proof. Creativity and audacity – along with a love of experimentation, nature in particular offers a special source of inspiration for the Niruk designers: the ICICLE vase is instantly reminiscent of a frozen icicle. A playful design, defined by linear structures and a distinct shape.

The importance of colour In addition to self-developed moulds and unconventional tools, the colour of the material plays an important role for the designer duo. Colouring changes the character of glass significantly: lines and material thickness are clearly emphasised, giving the object an expressive character. Reminiscent of textile folds, the FALDA vase delights not only with its special surface structure, shaped by a flexible mould made of fanned-out beech-wood slats, but also with an interplay of light and colour. With its dark blue tinted glass, FALDA evokes associations of water, flowing and deep.

„Glass is subtle, appears light and blends into the environment; unusual shapes or special structures interact with their surroundings and play with light and shadow. If you were to realise the same form in ceramics, the object would have a completely different effect just by the choice of material.“

Der Beitrag GLASS: A NEW VOCABULARY OF FORMS erschien zuerst auf niruk.