“One of a kind” – Christian Haas talks about Afina, the new collection from Villeroy & Boch

Creating a counterpart to an increasingly digital world: this was Christian Haas’ vision when, together with Villeroy & Boch, he set to work designing a new crockery collection. The task was to create a composition of tactile elements and elegant shapes conveying both warmth and sensuality. The result was Afina, a complete collection that impresses and captures the mood of the day with fine embossed details, a modern coupe shape and a floating appearance.

At first glance, Afina looks like a simple white collection. But more detailed inspection reveals its special feature: “The striking silhouette with the raised rim makes the shape a highlight. It combines perfectly with the flowing shape of the body,” explains Christian Haas. The items also feature a delicate ring-shaped embossed relief and an inwardly offset base which gives the porcelain its floating appearance. The designer’s inspiration for the shape of the relief was rays of sunshine. He views these as the ultimate symbol of positive energy.

The collection responds to the “growing wish for comfort, durability and everyday luxury”, comments the designer, who has created a fusion of these three attributes: made in Germany from finest Premium Porcelain, exceptionally durable thanks to the traditional Villeroy & Boch quality and with a wide range offering the perfect solution for every need. Afina also radiates a peaceful yet distinctive elegance that contrasts with today’s fast-paced, digital and polarised world.

From trend research to the finished plate

A great deal of work, however, was invested in the collection before Christian Haas and his team held the first perfect Afina plate in their hands. Extensive research into the market and current trends was needed to develop the perfect design. The designer also wanted to reflect the key themes from international furniture trade fairs in ceramic: tactile effects, texture and three-dimensionality – moving away from the cool elegance of previous years towards greater sophistication, warmth and sensuality. With this aim in mind, he set to work on the creative part, the concept development. Shapes were sketched and modelled, experiments carried out and discussions conducted with the production team. Until the moment finally arrived when the designer realised: “That’s it!” He still remembers this today: “It happened the first time I held the prototype of the dinner plate in my hands. It was something special, and I knew that it was perfect and had unbelievable potential.” The successful realisation of his design is thanks to the Villeroy & Boch production team: “Porcelain is an incredibly difficult material as each individual piece shrinks a little during the firing process. Minimal variations therefore always need to be factored in and allowances made for these natural fluctuations.”

And despite the complexity of industrial ceramic manufacture – for example, continuous reworking of the original design to allow plates, bowls and cups to be produced using state-of-the-art equipment – Christian Haas is very happy to work with the material. On the one hand, it is precisely this challenge that he views as the benchmark for good design: it is only when a design retains its original lightness after all the modifications for mechanical production that it can be considered truly successful. On the other hand, the designer is fascinated by the spectrum in which ceramic evolves. Porcelain is developed and produced mainly for everyday use, but, in an ideal case, it can also open up scope for sculptural approaches. The idea of continuously exploring this parallel of everyday use and tactile sensuality is hugely attractive for Christian Haas. And: “Which object from the analogue world do we still hold quite so frequently in our hands these days?”

About Christian Haas and Villeroy & Boch

Christian Haas has repeatedly ranked among AD magazine’s 100 most important creatives of the year. The industrial designer lives and works in Porto, where he develops products from different disciplines, from furniture to lighting, glass and porcelain, for numerous international customers.

Christian Haas has worked successfully with Villeroy & Boch on both tableware and bathroom designs since the creation of his design studio over 20 years ago. The result has been a succession of impressive collections for the Dining & Lifestyle division that perfectly illustrate its design philosophy – combining simplicity with elegance: Urban Nature was the start, followed by La Classica Nuova, BBQ Passion, Manufacture Collier, MetroChic cutlery and, of course, Artesano Original.

With its simple design language and elegant shape, Afina is now adding a touch of luxury to everyday life and once again confirming the work Christian Haas is famous for: pared-down yet emotional shapes that make his designs unique, durable and successful.