- Other
In a studio just outside Kortrijk, ceramics and a sense of form are brought together into an unmistakable whole. Atelier De Knock makes no distinction between craft and design; both are equal in the making process. As the third generation within a ceramics family, the studio has exceptional technical knowledge, enriched with an artistic view of design.
The studio is led by Jonas De Knock, assisted by his sister Yelle and craftsmen Carlo De Knock and Thomas Eggermont. Together, they work on an oeuvre in which tradition and innovation are not a contradiction, but an interaction. Each work bears traces of hand and years of accumulated expertise, ranging from self-developed glazes to the technical fathoming of ceramic behaviour. Tiles form the backbone of production. The range extends from subtle white to bold colour, from classically inspired patterns to contemporary graphics. The applications are equally versatile and layered. 
Within furniture design, the studio presents the Rainbow collection, a range of ceramic tables with a distinct presence. The tables get their name from the gradients of colour and expressive glaze tones that bring the surface to life. Each table consists of a ceramic tabletop that flows seamlessly into a base with the same signature. No straight lines or rational shapes, but soft volumes and asymmetrical transitions that evoke a sense of movement. Here, ceramics are truly used as a language.
The Rainbow collection gets its name from the gradients of colour and expressive glaze tones that bring the surface to life
Besides objects and customised applications, the studio also works on complete interior projects, always in close consultation with the client. Here, spaces are created that do not start from style, but from feeling and interaction between material, function and personal experience. The studio continues to challenge itself to use ceramics as a true medium. 
At Atelier De Knock, craftsmanship and formal language come together in an almost natural way. Each project starts from technical depth, but only finds its direction through the intuitive aspect of designing. This results in work that is as precise as it is poetic, and objects that invite closeness. Belgian craft is not approached nostalgically here, but is given a contemporary relevance. Ceramics in the classic sense gives way here to a practice that is difficult to capture in fixed categories. That is precisely what makes the work so intriguing: it is unpredictable, idiosyncratic and constantly evolving. 
Curious about the book ‘Belgian Craftsmanship III’? It is available via shop.imagicasa.be
Portrait by Thomas Eggermont, Yelle en Jonas De Knock
Atelier images by Atelier De Knock
Start image by Tijs Vervecken, interior design by Arjaan De Feyter
Project image 1 by Atelier De Knock, Barry
Project image 2 by Atelier De Knock, splashback
Text by Carolien Depamelaere