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PRODUCT
June 24, 2019
Traditional techniques meet the fresh sensibilities of modern designers | Royal Copenhagen
Royal Copenhagen
A New Series Presented at Milan Design Week, "HAV" Means "Sea"
Launched in April 2019 at Milan Design Week, Royal Copenhagen's new series "HAV" is finally released this summer. "HAV" means "sea" in Danish, and the design is an homage to the classic "Seagull" series introduced in 1892, realized through traditional spraying techniques. This can be seen as a sculptural representation of the Royal Copenhagen brand's challenge to transcend its own past achievements while preserving tradition. What is this challenge, constructed with entirely new sensibilities?
Text by Satsuki Wakabayashi
From Consumable to Enduringly Cherished
"HAV" was designed by KiBiSi, one of Denmark's most talked-about design units. The project dates back ten years to 2009, with much of the conceptual work by young architect Bjarke Ingels. Bjarke Ingels is a notable architect who has led numerous significant projects, including the Danish National Maritime Museum, the Denmark Pavilion at Expo Shanghai, and the Google headquarters, and is currently involved in the redevelopment plan for Ground Zero in New York.
The collection comprises nine items, all simple in form, differing from traditional collections that offer a wide variety of items to suit various dining scenes within a single series. While a coordinated series exudes unified beauty and elegance, creating a sense of grandeur and refinement, the "HAV" project focuses on the rich emotional resonance of choosing a single item.
The inspiration for Royal Copenhagen and KiBiSi came from the surfer community in northwest Denmark, on the Jutland peninsula, known as "Cold Hawaii." Here, amidst the cold winds, people become one with the waves and warm their chilled bodies with hot meals and conversation. It's a place that exudes the comfort of choosing only what brings joy, even with few possessions. This signifies not a richness derived from mere possession or consumption, but the idea that making choices true to oneself leads to enduringly cherished objects. This philosophy aligns with the Danish design principle of functional beauty, emphasizing simplicity and refinement.
Furthermore, "HAV" prioritizes a warmth that is not overly minimalist, is ergonomic, and invites gathering. The new blue, colored using the traditional spraying technique, is a double spray of greenish-black. The firing temperature causes the two colors to blend, creating a transparency unique to the underglaze technique. To mark the launch of "HAV," works by artist Motoi Yamamoto, known for his salt-based installations both domestically and internationally, will also be presented. On the final day, an event will allow visitors to collaboratively deconstruct a world of white that resonates with HAV's creation, and take home the salt. Attention is drawn to Royal Copenhagen's new endeavor, advancing both tradition and innovation.
EventHAV
Venue | 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3, Roppongi, Tokyo
Public Viewing | Saturday, July 6 - Sunday, July 7, 2019
Hours | 10:00 - 19:00
*Last admission 16:30 on the final day
Special Event "Project Return to the Sea"
Date | Sunday, July 7
Time | 17:30 - 18:30 (Reception starts 17:00)
URL |https://www.royalcopenhagen.jp/column/hav2121/