Atelier Vierkant
Journal
"We think with our hands and the rest follows."
That is how Willy and Annette Janssens, founders and designers of Atelier Vierkant, describe their practice — and it explains everything about the work. In their Belgian studio, 70 tonnes of Western European clay pass through the atelier each week, transformed by hand into vessels of artisanal quality. There are no standard objects. Every design that leaves the premises is unique and bears the stamp of its maker.
Sleek, but never cold. Two pieces are never exactly alike.
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A family, a coastline, a material –
Atelier Vierkant is a family business in the fullest sense. Willy and Annette design every object; their three sons do the rest. There are no impersonal offices sealed off from the work floor — just a lively studio that is the beating heart of the operation. In their own words: "This is the foundation of who we are."
That independence extends to how they work with the world. No agents, no importers, no advertising. When an architect calls from Dubai, Singapore or Los Angeles, the family answers personally — and can tell them, right then, that their pots are being rolled into the kiln. "The price is determined by the product and the product only."
Built, not cast –
Inside the atelier's three workshops, clay moves from raw material to finished object entirely by hand. Artisans press and shape each vessel, then the slow work begins: days under air-blowing pipes as the clay gradually releases its water, followed by hand-applied engravings and textures, then a second drying stage before firing.
The kilns run at 1200°C — a temperature that renders the clay permanent and gives every piece the resilience to withstand frost and heat alike. These vessels are equally at home in an exposed courtyard or a living room, and built to stay there for decades.
"The clay consumes us, yet it is we who control it." It is in that tension that the work comes to life: layered, organic, distilled. A robust and proud presence, but never shrill — architectural and functional elements that are sculptures at the same time.
In the coastal enclave of Omaha, a Hamptons-inspired home by Christian Anderson Architects pairs refined architectural lines with the textures of its setting. Within Suzanne Turley's landscape design, Atelier Vierkant pots do what hand-built clay does best outdoors: hold their own against sea light, planting and stone, weathering as part of the environment rather than sitting on top of it. Photography by Thomas Cannings.
In Auckland's Herne Bay, a grand villa by Christian Anderson Architects balances heritage character with refined contemporary detail. Set within Suzanne Turley's landscape design, Atelier Vierkant pieces bring weight and texture to the garden — hand-built clay forms that anchor the planting and deepen in character as they weather. Photography by Thomas Cannings.
