Belgium has proven itself a design force to be reckoned with at the international level. ‘Made in Belgium’ has evolved into a quality label like no other. Atelier Vierkant does it with clay: clay coming from Western Europe that is transformed into unique handcrafted pots in their Belgian studio, 70 tonnes per week. How does one give clay, a centuries-old material, its own contemporary design personality? There are no standard objects here, only authentic designs of artisanal quality, design pieces with a heart and soul: made by hand, slowly and meticulously. Sleek, but never cold. Two pieces are never exactly alike. Each design that leaves the premises is entirely unique and bears the stamp of its creator.

— Willy and Annette Janssens, the founders and designers of Atelier Vierkant, are endlessly at work in their studio, their hands immersed in clay, rooting and wrestling with this material. It is here that all their creations are born, destined to seize the world by adorning its most beautiful places: from luxurious villas to grand city hotels to exotic gardens. «Clay is our foundation and it is with that material that we begin our journey. We think with our hands and the rest follows.» In so doing Atelier Vierkant is continuously stretching its technical boundaries in order to reach results that hardly seem possible. «The clay consumes us, yet it is we who control it.» It is in that field of tension that exquisite, functional objects come to life: layered, organic and distilled. A robust and proud presence, but never shrill. Architectural, functional elements and artistic sculptures at the same time.

— Even though the design is born in Belgium, the whole world is home for Atelier Vierkant products. The constant strive to create a context where people can connect with natural materials and benefit from a more familiar and not impersonal environment is the reason why Atelier Vierkant pots can be found in the most exclusive locations around the world, creating cohesion and continuity with the surrounding environment and ensuring a superior aesthetical experience. Just as unconventional as their monumental pots, so too is Atelier Vierkant’s way of working: no agent, no importer, no adverts. Because what you do yourself, you always do better. Willy and Annette are responsible for the designing of the objects and their three sons do the rest. It’s an intensive way to work, but it is the only option. «This is the foundation of who we are».

No impersonal offices hermetically sealed from the work floor, but rather an impressive and lively studio that is the true beating heart of this passionate family business. Atelier Vierkant has a worldwide network of 3,000 archi- tects and designers with whom it closely collaborates creating ad hoc, unique projects. Each collaboration is unique in itself and lead to always unexpected, surprising results: exclusive restaurants in France, luxury Hotels in Barcelona, amazing private houses in New Zealand and much more. We have built strong relationships based on trust with each of these partners. Any calls or queries are answered personally: no expensive, delaying and un- necessary in-between steps, instead just a direct, intensive and close collaboration. «We don’t want any middlemen, no adverts. The price is determined by the product and the product only. We want our clients to be happy and stay happy, and that’s only possible if you have control of everything yourself. We’re always close by».

We feel and breathe our profession which boasts on years of collected and collective knowledge. Therefore, Atelier Vierkant functions as a laboratory, a creative think tank and a production hall where the creative process is always on its way to produce something new and never seen before. We are above all partners; together we brainstorm, we research and carry out the entire project from scratches. It’s a matter of matching our objects perfectly with the project they are designed for, both in shape and texture. It’s an intense process with continuous communication via Skype, sending samples, pictures and even 3d-printed models. «The kilometres that separate us are inconse- quential. We’re always close by, whether our client lives and works in Dubai, Singapore or Los Angeles. If an architect or designer rings us, we can let them know right then and there that their pots are just being rolled into the oven. That creates trust.»

At the moment, Atelier Vierkant can count on three fully operative workshops. In fact, a new third plant is fully working and it is now ready to increase the number of pots produced daily and to offer clients even more choice from stock.

— Such expansion is implemented accordingly to the impressive, increasing growth rate that Atelier Vierkant has been experiencing during the last decade. There, a worker stands on the top of a wooden crate, bent over to reach and shape the insides of a mould; another artisan, tool in hand, etches deep ridges onto the surface of a round planter, with hands poured in creamy clay; yet another is busy with rolling out of the oven warm, finished vessels. This is the place where, in fact, clay is transformed from raw material into a finished product with dedication and by hand: clay is pressed, shaped, molded into pots and then fired.

Once the clay has adapted to the shape of the mold, the drying process begins: pots are placed under air-blowing pipes, so that the clay can partially release the water trapped in its particles. This process lasts several days in order to let clay dry and become harder. The pots are now ready to be finished and decorated with engravings and textures by the hands of the artisans working in the atelier, before undergoing the second drying process in apposite drying rooms. After several days in the drying rooms, the pots are fired at 1200°c in special ovens and the clay turns into a per- manent shape and cannot be altered anymore. Thanks to the high firing temperatures clay will withstand harsh weather conditions such as frost and heat, becoming suit- able both for indoor and outdoor use. The pots are now ready to be packed and shipped worldwide with different means of transport, according to the destination: truck, sea freight or air freight.