Balance: A Harmonious Blend of Art and Function

LoopKeramik's Award-Winning Design Marries Ceramics and Wood

Balance is not just a box, but a spatial presence with a poetical statement. It is designed to be more than a mere storage unit. The generously proportioned branch handle seems to grow out of the box, creating a space of its own where necklaces and earrings can be showcased. The box, supported by three feet, seems to float over the surface, creating a harmonious world with the wood, the ceramic, and the swallows.

The box is handcrafted from stoneware, with a matte glaze and black swallows. The handle is made from fruit grove wood, polished and oiled to perfection. The box has a diameter of 12cm, a height of 8cm, and a height with the branch of 50cm. It can be used as a sugar box, a serving dish for petit fours, or a treasure chest for jewelry.

This design project started in Erfurt, Germany, in the winter of 2016 and was completed with a presentation of different prototypes at the Long Night of Museums in Erfurt, in May 2017. The design process involved a deep exploration of the balance between the top and the branch, pushing the boundaries to ensure the top did not tilt due to a sweeping branch, while still allowing the branch to grow out of the top without consideration to the box.

The design is a result of research that explores the connections between tradition and modernity. A traditional manufacturing process with natural materials forms the base for this unobtrusive and aesthetic design. Historical ceramic cultures and everyday observations and wishes inspire the development of this design language. The design combines these perspectives through abstraction and interpretation, resulting in an individual design that finds new answers by asking the past and the present.

In recognition of its innovation and creativity, Balance was awarded Silver in the A' Furniture Design Award in 2018. This award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. These designs, admired for their strong technical characteristics and splendid artistic skill, showcase a remarkable level of excellence and introduce positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.