DATUM, the first porcelain tableware series designed by Foster + Partners in collaboration with FÜRSTENBERG, Germany's second oldest porcelain manufacturer, founded in 1747.
Designed by the industrial design team at Foster + Partners, the new product reflects the diversity of the practice’s output.
Mike Holland, Head of Industrial Design, Foster + Partners, said: “At the beginning, we set out to push the boundaries of materiality with porcelain and create a range of tableware that focusses on precision and dimensional correlations. The interplay between a pure and controlled geometry of the design and the sensuality of porcelain is what gives DATUM its unmatched appeal.”
The new range is a series of plates, cups, mugs and bowls that are dimensionally linked, creating an interchangeable and stackable family of modular tableware that provides exceptional functionality and flexibility.
The design of DATUM follows a pure and controlled geometry, which is especially difficult to achieve in porcelain. The design of each piece factors in a number of complexities to maintain the form through the production process.
Stephan Hofmann, Head of Production at FÜRSTENBERG, remarked: “Straight geometries and right angles are incredibly hard to achieve in porcelain and DATUM was a tough challenge for our modellers. Displaying their great passion for the art of porcelain, they succeeded in making the impossible happen. This is our hallmark as genuine craftspeople.”
The range is defined by common dimensions and details – the design team used a grid matrix to explore the direct relationship and interplay between the pieces. As well as allowing the pieces to be stacked efficiently and securely for storage and transportation, this approach provides additional functional opportunities, for example a plate can be used as the lid of a bowl allowing you to keep food warm or store it in a fridge for later.
DATUM is available in two versions: one with a classic gloss glaze and the other featuring a matt satin glaze on the external face. The interplay between gloss and matt white expresses the unique tactility, purity and reflectivity of the material.
The manufacture of fine porcelain at FÜRSTENBERG is rooted in the precision and expertise of its skilled craftspeople. FÜRSTENBERG’s rich history in the production of fine porcelain and commitment to the craft made them ideal collaborators for the range. Throughout the design process, the design team sought input from various internationally renowned chefs, which informed the design of the range.
