Designer Lotte de Raadt had a creative upbringing. Her mother also worked with clay and sold her work at markets and fairs. Lotte joined her from a young age, so both creating and entrepreneurship were instilled in her from an early age. The fact that she enrolled at the Design Academy at the age of sixteen was early, but came as no surprise. Immediately after her studies, Lotte started her own design studio. Since 2017, a number of her products have been part of the Vij5 collection.
Text: Daniëlle van de Haterd(Staaldraad Tekstschrijver)
Photography: Vij5
Design Academy Eindhoven
'I went through the academy with ups and downs. I had no idea where I wanted to end up, but I was given the space to investigate that here. My graduation project is based on tap water. I discovered that we have three types of sources in the Netherlands; surface, ground and dune water. Inspired by this, I designed three shapes of drinking water carafes. Initially, I had these made of glass, so I couldn't produce them myself.'
“At the academy, I avoided ceramics because I thought it was far too Wrapped and fragile.”
Lotte de Raadt
The step to ceramics
The fact that Lotte ended up working with ceramics was not a premeditated plan. ‘At the academy, I avoided it because I thought it was far too Wrapped and fragile. In my anti-squat studio, I was able to experiment in peace and quiet, and that's where I discovered my love for it.’
Interest in tap water
'Because of my connection with water, I was asked by KWR (Knowledge Centre Water Research) to do a free assignment for them. By talking to people there, I learned that clay protects and filters water, so there are many links between water and ceramics and that is what makes it so interesting for me.'
Further development of the Tap Water Carafe
Arising from her interest in tap water and what she had learned, Lotte de Raadt made her originally glass Tap Water Carafe from terracotta, which not only gave it a new look, but also a new function. Because the earthenware is slightly porous, a little water evaporates, this process cools the water in the bottle.
An additional advantage of the ceramic Tap Water Carafe is that Lotte de Raadt can Create it herself in this material. She does this by hand, by shaping the clay in plaster molds. Her great love for natural materials and small-scale productions is reflected in this.
"There are many links between water and ceramics and that is what makes it so interesting for me."
Lotte de Raadt
Functional product
If it is up to Lotte de Raadt, the carafe is intended for daily use. 'It is a functional product and tap water is 2000 times cheaper than the spring water you buy in plastic bottles. The investment in the Tap Water Carafe therefore pays for itself. Nevertheless, I know that there are also people who put the bottle in the cupboard as a showpiece. That is of course allowed, but that is not the intention.'
'Collaborating and SHARING machines are great ways to keep a small business running.'
Lotte de Raadt
Small business in Eindhoven
Lotte has her studio in Eindhoven. Laughing, she says she has made several attempts to get away from there, but in vain. 'I was young when I came to Eindhoven and have actually really found my niche here. I work in an environment with different Designers and we Share the machines with each other. That's cost-wise nice, a nice way to keep a small business going.'
“Surprising products can arise by trying things out.”
Lotte de Raadt
Ceramics workshop in Sweden
Completely attached to Eindhoven, Lotte is not. 'I traveled a lot and after an average of six months I get the itch and have to leave. At the moment I am setting up a ceramics workshop in Sweden. My family bought a house there from a former potter. There is a wood-fired kiln in the garden and I am experimenting with it. In that area I am not technically trained, I am really a designer and by trying things out surprising products can emerge.'
The Vij5 collection
Since 2017, a number of Lotte's designs have been part of the Vij5 collection, which was a logical decision for her. 'If you have a company on your own, you have to make choices because it is really too much to do everything yourself. When Arjan and Anieke from Vij5 crossed my path through DESIGN colleagues Alissa + Nienke, I chose to leave the sales to them. At that time I had three product series and Anieke was particularly interested in the cups and bowls with drip glaze (Archiving Water Ware). Together we developed this into a tableware series. Eventually, my tap water carafes were also added to the Vij5 collection.'
Collaboration with Vij5
What Lotte de Raadt likes about working with Vij5 is the good mutual contact. 'I love that Arjan and Anieke are so down-to-earth and Dutch, not too much fuss. There is also a lot of involvement in the production process, which I think is great. In my opinion, my designs fit very well into the collection because they are minimalist and practical.'
More ways of collaborating
Collaborating is something that Lotte de Raadt enjoys anyway. 'I SHARE my workshop with Kirstie van Noort and I do the OER project with her, among other things.' We CREATE a number of different products for this that we color with a residual stream from Brabant Water.' So collaboration on various fronts.
The future
As far as the future is concerned, Lotte de Raadt has a vision but no concrete plan. 'I can roll out my concept anywhere in the world and I want to do that in different places. My first option is Sardinia, I am working with a fellow designer from there; Sara Vignoli. She and I complement each other nicely in what we are doing. What is clear to me is that I want to continue working in a sustainable way in the future.'
