Hydroplant has trusted in the handmade clay pots from the Belgian manufacturer Atelier Vierkant for almost 20 years. The family business creates unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that blend natural materials with architectural elements. Dries Janssens leads the second generation of Atelier Vierkant and discusses sustainable interior design and the collaboration with Hydroplant.
Clay is a very traditional material. How do you combine tradition and innovation in your work?
Time and again, we try to shed a new light the ancient raw material of clay and look for new shapes and design possibilities. Close collaboration with people from the fields of architecture and design plays an important role in this. About seven years ago, we started experimenting with surface paints that make the clay’s appearance even more interesting. We combine modern silhouettes and different colors with clay textures that have not been found before.
Dries Janssens (pictured left) together with its brothers Ward and Bert run Atelier Vierkant.
Hydroplant CEO Moritz Küderli discovered Atelier Vierkant more than 18 years ago at the “Maison et Objet” trade fair in Paris. He was immediately impressed by the beautiful shapes of the pots and fascinated by the materials and feel. They got to talking – and thus a long-standing collaboration began. At the time, Hydroplant was one of the first companies in Switzerland to use pots from the Belgium-based Atelier Vierkant, both indoors and outdoors.
Atelier Vierkant is known for its individual and unique products. How do you ensure that each piece retains its uniqueness, even in a series?
Every Atelier Vierkant product is made by hand – it’s part of our DNA. We employ people from a wide range of backgrounds. Everyone has their own approach and way of creating pieces. So although the pots look similar, they each have their own unique character.
Has digitalization changed your craft?
We conduct video calls and let customers from all over the world interact with our master artisans, allowing us to create an approachable and transparent setting. Technology also simplifies certain processes: if someone sends us a 3D shape in the morning, we’ll have a prototype ready the next day. This also allows us to respond to the needs of our customers more quickly.
Images: © Atelier Vierkant
How do you integrate the principle of sustainability into your work culture?
Sustainability has always played a very important role for Atelier Vierkant. We don’t see sustainability as a single, detached factor, but as a comprehensive element that is socially and environmentally relevant. We use natural resources, have a strict waste policy and are moving to a sustainable energy supply in production. We burn the clay with an electric furnace that runs on solar energy, and in our workshop in Austin we use wind energy as fuel for the furnace. Our goal is to be emissions-free by 2030.
We also focus on sustainability in human resources management, because it’s very important that our employees are satisfied. We don’t have night shifts and work takes place in well-lit rooms. Every six weeks, our craftspeople have one week off to relax.
What does sustainable interior design look like to you and what role does Atelier Vierkant play in it?
For us, sustainable interior design is an important consideration. People buy home accessories that they can identify with and establish a connection with. As a material, clay is very palpable and accessible. For us, sustainable interior design is important because of the people who stick to what they believe in and trust.
The founder of Atelier Vierkant, Willy Janssens, says: “Our pots only offer half of the result.”
What my father means by that is that we don’t claim to offer a finished product, because we often rely on the expertise of experts in design, landscaping and architecture. You have to integrate it into a room and decide which proportions, color and texture are suitable. We inspire each other. In allowing ourselves to be influenced by current landscape design, we work closely with architects to create forms that blend into the space. In the end, our products are not movable pieces of furniture, but rather become an architectural element of the room.
What role does community or interaction with your customers play in the design and development of new products?
That’s a good question. Over the years, we have developed very close relationships with our customers. They’ve become our friends who encourage us to progress further and further. In this way, we are constantly surpassing ourselves. We discover new approaches because we always want to achieve the best. Design and production go hand in hand: you have to have experience in production to incorporate it into your designs, and vice versa.
Your products are used both indoors and outdoors. How does this affect your designs?
We work with clay that is fired at 1,200 degrees, which means it can be used both indoors and outdoors. In addition, the fired clay has a universal character that is suitable for use in all rooms. This makes it possible to create continuity in the space, allowing a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors and vice versa – using the same materials, colors and textures.
Atelier Vierkant has contributed to outstanding projects. Tell us about some pioneering flagship projects.
About eight or nine years ago, the Spanish architect Jaime Romano contacted us for a project in Ibiza: making a partition for a villa on a private island in the north of Ibiza. The idea was to build a wall made of 40 high elements, which would not only have the function of separating the driveway from the entrance, but to also create something that would enhance the overall design of the project. Jaime was very clear in his vision from the start. It was a very challenging project because we had to consider both the aesthetic and technical aspects. This type of engineering work was very challenging at the time. Our customers have always pushed us – in a positive sense – to create something unique. Recently, we’ve also been working with artists on ceramic sculptures. We are currently cooperating with Arne Quinze, who is setting up a large installation at the Venice Biennale, where we will create unique ceramic artworks.
How does Atelier Vierkant combine traditional aesthetics and innovation?
That’s a good question. Of course, we are part of the lineage of old traditions within ceramic art. Clay is something that can be found everywhere. I studied poetry and literature in Belgium. Writers and poets try to reinterpret the past; the same applies to Atelier Vierkant. It’s important that we study the complete history of ceramics and find contemporary interpretations. The latest amphora collection is a good example of this. They originated from the ancient traditions of Persian and Mesopotamian ceramics, which we reinterpreted with modern aesthetics and modern color finishes. Our greatest task is to look for something new every day.
In the book The Vasologue by Atelier Vierkant, experts talk about plants, gardens and design. What trends or new insights are emerging?
Particularly after the pandemic, we noticed how people are longing for a place to retreat. A place to which they can attach themselves – and this is only possible if you create a space in which they can truly feel at home. The gardens and rooms are no longer there to impress visitors, as was customary in the past, but rather have become much more of a personal refuge. Another aspect is that gardens must not have ramifications on the climate and nature. In California, for example, gardens have to be approved by the city because of water consumption. Gardens need to be appropriately planted in order to be ecologically sustainable. And thirdly, we’re seeing more and more vertical gardens.
What is your vision for the future of Atelier Vierkant?
Our company is characterized by a shared sense of family. In the family, we are all very different, but we share the same values. The main goal is to be globally in demand for individually customizable vases, so that the type of clay, size and textures are freely selectable. Ultimately, we are the exemplar for architectural projects using ceramic elements.
On the other hand, we want to find a way to create something that is affordable and not highly exclusive, but still very unique. We need the artistic implementations where we work with our entire team, but also a series of pieces that are unique and beautiful, but at the best price.
You have already completed several projects together with Hydroplant. What do you like about the collaboration?
We’ve been working with Hydroplant for around 18 years – it always feels very appreciated. What we have in common with Hydroplant is that for us and Moritz Küderli, the CEO of Hydroplant, the focus is on people. Over the years, we have realized fantastic projects with all the great team members at Hydroplant.
What did the projects look like in concrete terms?
Whenever Hydroplant comes into play, we have the feeling that they’re doing everything they can to put the product in the spotlight. I still remember the many times I walked through the greenhouses in Gossau and was impressed by the new types of plants I saw there. Hydroplant was a pioneer in integrating plants and pots into a completely new architectural context. For me, Hydroplant is the world leader in its field. Moritz Küderli carried on his father’s legacy and helped establish greenery as part of the architectural context.
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