Designer Lotte de Raadt had a creative upbringing. Her mother also worked with clay and sold her creations at markets and fairs. From a young age, Lotte accompanied her mother, so both creativity and entrepreneurship were instilled in her from the very beginning. Although she applied to the Design Academy at the age of sixteen—which was certainly early—it came as no surprise. Immediately after completing her studies, Lotte started her own design studio; since 2017, several of her products have been part of the Vij5 collection.
Text: Daniëlle van de Haterd(Staaldraad Tekstschrijver)
Photography: Vij5
Design Academy Eindhoven
“My time at the academy had its ups and downs. I still had no idea where I ultimately wanted to go, but I was given the freedom here to explore that. My graduation project is based on tap water. I discovered that in the Netherlands we have three types of water sources: surface water, groundwater, and dune water. Inspired by this, I designed three types of drinking water carafes. At first, I had them made of glass, so I couldn’t produce them myself.’
“At art school, I avoided ceramics; I thought it was far too ‘ Wrapped ’ and fragile.”
Lotte de Raadt
The Transition to Ceramics
The fact that Lotte eventually ended up working with ceramics wasn’t part of any premeditated plan. “At art school, I avoided it—I thought it was far too ‘ Wrapped ’ and fragile. In my anti-squatting studio, I was able to experiment in peace, and that’s where I discovered my love for it.”
Interest in tap water
“Because of my connection to water, I was asked by by KWR (Kenniscentrum Water Research) to take on a commission for them. by While talking to people there, I learned that clay protects and filters water, so there are many connections between water and ceramics, and that’s what makes it so interesting to me.”
Further development of the Tap Water Carafe
Inspired by her interest in tap water and what she had learned, Lotte remade her originally glass “ Tap Water Carafe ” out of terracotta, which not only gave it a New look but also a new function. Because the terracotta is slightly porous, a small amount of water evaporates, and this process cools the water in the bottle.
An additional advantage of the ceramic Tap Water Carafe is that Lotte can actually make it herself using this material. She does this by hand, by shaping the clay in plaster molds. Her deep love for natural materials and small-scale production is reflected in this work.
“There are so many connections between water and ceramics, and that’s what makes it so interesting to me.”
Lotte de Raadt
Functional product
If it were up to Lotte, the carafe would be intended for everyday use. “It’s a functional product, and tap water is 2,000 times cheaper than the bottled water you buy in plastic bottles. So the investment in the Tap Water Carafe pays for itself. Still, I know there are also people who put the bottle on display in their cabinet. That’s fine, of course, but it’s not the intended purpose.”
“Collaboration and machines Share are great ways to keep a small business running.”
Lotte de Raadt
Small Business in Eindhoven
Lotte has her studio in Eindhoven. She laughs as she explains that she’s made several attempts to move away from there, but to no avail. “I was young when I came to Eindhoven, and I’ve really found my place here. I work in an environment with various Designers , and we Share the machines together. That’s great from a cost perspective—a nice way to keep a small business running.”
“by , trying new things can lead to surprising products.”
Lotte de Raadt
Ceramics Workshop in Sweden
Lotte isn’t completely set on Eindhoven. “I’ve traveled a lot, and after about half a year, I get the itch to move on. Right now, I’m setting up a ceramics studio in Sweden. My family bought a house there from a former potter. There’s a wood-fired kiln in the garden, and I’m experimenting with it. I don’t have any technical training in that area—I’m really a designer— by , trying things out can lead to surprising results.”
The " Vij5 " Collection
Since 2017, a number of Lotte’s “ Design ” have been part of the “ Vij5 ” collection—a decision that felt natural to her. “When you run a business on your own, you have to make choices because it’s really too much to do everything yourself. When Arjan and Anieke from Vij5 came into my life through my design colleagues Alissa and Nienke, I decided to hand over sales to them. At the time, I had three product lines, and Anieke was particularly interested in the cups and bowls with drip glaze (Archiving Water Ware). Together, we further developed these into a tableware series. Eventually, my tap water carafes were also added to the Vij5 collection.’
Collaboration with Vij5
What Lotte likes about working with Vij5 is the good rapport between them. “I love that Arjan and Anieke are down-to-earth and Dutch—no fuss. They’re also very involved in the production process, which I really appreciate. I think my Design fit very well into the collection because they’re minimalist and practical.”
More Ways to Collaborate
Collaborating is something Lotte enjoys anyway. “I share my workshop with Kirstie van Noort, and one of the projects we’re working on together is the OER project.” For that project, “we’re making a number of different products that we’ colours , using a byproduct from Brabant Water.” So, collaboration on various fronts.
The Future
As for the future, Lotte has a vision but no concrete plan. “I can roll out my concept anywhere in the world, so I plan to do that in various places. My first choice is Sardinia; I’m collaborating with a fellow designer from there, Sara Vignoli. She and I complement each other nicely in what we’re working on. What’s clear to me is that I want to continue working in a sustainable way in the future as well.”
