This project is the end result of a material and shape research into joining ceramics.

Ceramics is a material that carries a special value because its place in our society and history, it has been used for centuries. But with modern technologies we can push it to the limits of the shapes it can take and how precise it can be.

Inspired by the classic Dutch design of a tulip vase, the parts come together as one, with spaces for individual flowers. You can build as much or little as you want, depending on your wishes or amount of flowers. The object creates a beautiful tension between the almost architectural vase and the natural flowers extending its lines.

This is a ceramic wine decanter. I found that the act of ­decanting makes the wine feel softer due to the addition of oxygen that ­reduces the natural acids that create the ­tannin in the wine. Another feature of wine bottles that I found intriguing was the shape of the punt; it forced an uncomfortable wrist position while pouring the wine. Bringing these elements together, I designed a wine decanter where the user can hold from the ­bottom and the wine is poured from the spout that is located on the side. This yields a ­comfortable and ­elegant movement and a softer tasting wine.

This work was part of the exhibition ‘Claystories’ during the Dutch Design Week 2017 at Beeldenstorm, and of a dining event ‘Gastronomic Exhibition’ Minyoung food lab x TAC

A collection of wheelthrown ceramics, made during my three month internship at Tortus studio in Copenhagen.

This project explores how to add value to design. The aim was to design two simple objects that would outlive their owner. In this case I designed a clothes hanger and a knife handle.

I decided to take a personal approach, to turn the objects into heirlooms. When I was a little girl, I was told at a fair that my name means ‘after the thunderstorm’, I don’t know if this is really true, but it always stuck with me and I found it very beautiful.

While designing these simple objects, I took this story as an inspiration. The clothes hanger is formed by one piece of wood, roughly broken in three places. The points of breaking are comparable to a branch after a big thunderstorm, ‘frozen’ in resin.

For the knife I formed the handle and broke it into pieces with a chisel. The breaking surfaces are burned and connected back together with resin. This resembles a piece of wood being struck by lightning.

The design is very simple. personal and timeless; making it a suitable heirloom.

A small collection of vessels, made in the week after graduation. Experimenting with clay and unleashing all built up inspiration from the past months.

A material research into combining copper with clay in all different forms.

Copper and clay are almost polar opposites when you look at the material properties. One expands and the other shrinks when heated, one melts and the other hardens when fired, one absorbs and the other oxidizes when wet, one is considered strong and the other fragile. So what would happen if you try to combine the two?

This is what happens.

The handling and movement of an object related to pouring is quite limited. A jug or teapot guides the liquid to a concentrated point to pour very accurately.

The objects in this project are an exploration of what could happen if the movement of an ­object is more important than the precision or­­ ­functionality. This resulted in two intruiging objects that don’t ­comply with our natural way of pouring. They trap the liquids inside, and you need to use specific or impetuous gestures to get it out.

The toothbrush is a very disposable product mostly made of plastic. The fact that it’s made of several kinds of plastic, nylon, rubber, polypropyleen, makes it very hard (not impossible) to recycle. There are definitely more and more sustainable alternatives on the market, like bamboo toothbrushes, so that was not the part that i wanted to improve.

There were two things I wanted to focus on:

- Extending the lifespan of a toothbrush as much as possible
- Creating a more sustainable packaging

I made an extensive research into the use of the toothbrush in households and the proper techniques to brushing, to try and find opportunities to improve.

This resulted in a new packaging, just made out of paper. The text on the box is laser engraved, so there is no glue or ink involved, which makes it the easiest to recycle. on the inside there is a text explaining how to take care of your toothbrush, to make it last the longest it possibly can, and eventually how to dispose of it. The toothbrushes can be differentiated by the color of the bristles, and in the store by the different tones of packaging. I based my packaging on the brand ‘the humble co’, an existing producer of bamboo brushes.

These works are made during a summer workshop at Boisbuchet. The pieces are hybrids, between clay and glass, or between black and white firing clay. This was my first experience with hand-building pieces. The most unique part of the experience was that the works were then fired in a wood-fired kiln. This made the results unpredictable and so exciting.

Technology in the world around us is advancing fast, and that can be intimidating. Most electronic devices are made from metal or cheap plastic and they look cold and futuristic. I wanted to explore the relationship between textiles and technology, with the goal to make technology more intuitive and comfortable.

Lots of experiments with conductivity and textiles led to the discovery that I could make a capacitive sensor from conductive thread. A capacitive sensor is the basic technology used for a touchscreen, and senses when something that is conductive (like a hand) is close or touching. This means that I could make a flexible, soft, completely integrated sensor in textile.

I integrated this sensor into a carpet, to act as a light switch. Moving the light switch from the wall into the carpet calls for a totally different movement for interaction, and a different interface language. There is a lot of opportunity to play with colors and textures in the fabric to indicate its position and use.

When you go to the beach nowadays, you will find a lot of plastic waste. Most of the trash is created by people visiting the beach, leaving behind the packaging of their food, their sunscreen bottles or their toys. In an attempt to reduce this problem, I started to research the possibilities of seaweed as a material for beach products. Depending on the outcome of my experiments, it could maybe become a packaging material, or substitute plastic in toys.

I started to process the seaweed with a method for paper making. I washed it to remove the sand and shells, and then boiled it for several hours with soda ash to remove the non-cellulose material from the cellulose. I then blended it roughly in a blender, and formed it into sheets to dry.

The first results weren’t very good, because seaweed is not very fibrous. I decided to add a natural binder to my material: isinglass, this is a glue made from parts of the fish.

My samples were similar to a hard plastic, but became flexible and fragile when put into water. My next step was to make it into a beach product, so I designed a mold for a frisbee. I did not manage to make the final product, because of time constraint.

I am always working on new projects, which you will be able to find here in the future!