Formed from Clay

Atelier NL is made up of design duo Nadine Sterk and Lonny van Ryswyck, designers who use raw, wild materials to question the notion of industry and production, place and tradition. They work at the crossroads of science and ancient knowledge with an eye to sustainability, conscientious use, and balance.

The Netherlands is a land formed by water: rivers, seas and glaciers. The abundance of clays in the Dutch landscape is a reminder of the residual presence of these waters. By excavating clay in different sites throughout the Netherlands and producing tiles from it, Atelier NL created a ceramic map in a variety of colours. Atelier NL worked with Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum to use these clays in a series called Drawn from Clay: a traditional Dutch dinner service consisting of plates, bowls, dishes, jugs and vases. Each piece’s colour and structure speaks to the local land from which the clay was hand-excavated.