Occasionally, however, the design trio also ventures into other areas. The collaboration with KPM Berlin began a year and a half ago, and it "clicked immediately", as Manuel Goller says. The 34-year-old has always been fascinated by the eventful history of the porcelain manufactory and its current endeavors to enrich the traditional brand with contemporary influences. Together with KPM head designer Thomas Wenzel, they set to work - with the aim of not shying away from any challenge and pushing the boundaries of what is possible when it comes to porcelain. The result? Floating beauty!

Mr. Goller, you studied at the Bauhaus University in Weimar. How did the Bauhaus influence you? 

For me, the idea of Bauhaus was the greater inspiration than the formal language. On the one hand, there was the collective collaboration: in the 1920s in Weimar, very different players came together and worked together on a larger idea. Secondly, it was about questioning the status quo: the Bauhaus members were not satisfied with what was. They saw themselves as pioneers, tried out new things, broke with the old and thought them through further.

Are these the reasons why the Bauhaus still seems so relevant after 100 years?

The players were way ahead of their time. I don't know if we are as avant-garde in design today as we were back then. Today, we tend to quote or refer to what already exists, but not in such a radically new way.

Keyword: collective cooperation. How did the cooperation with KPM come about?

We have always been fascinated by KPM. It is a manufactory, comparable to the Bauhaus workshops, a place where people produce beautiful things.

You say that design can create cultural values. What do you mean by that?

Our aim is to create timeless life companions that people can identify with. Objects that inspire and give pleasure through their aesthetics and feel, in addition to their pure function.

How do you approach your designs?

We don't want to create purely functional design objects, but lively products with an expressive character. This is also the basis for deciding whether or not to publish a particular product. It may work in terms of design or handling, but if it lacks personality, we prefer to take our time and develop the design further.

KPM also creates cultural assets . . Yes, KPM has this claim. That's why the collaboration was a good fit right from the start. The exciting thing is that people immediately understand the character of an object, even non-verbally. When they see a product from us or from KPM, they immediately develop a relationship with the object.

You often talk about poetry. How much poetry is there in porcelain?

Porcelain is a very poetic material. It changes during the creative process. The development of porcelain is like a biography: the first state is almost liquid, then it becomes almost leathery, but still malleable, then it is pre-fired and suddenly shrinks. And in the end, it acquires that firmness, that unique feel for which we love porcelain. A very lively material - and each object is unique.

Is porcelain a new material for you?

Yes, it contrasts with the materials we normally work with: Aluminum and steel. That's why porcelain is so exciting for us.

KPM and New Tendency have jointly developed a design study for a plate that will go into production. Why a plate?

We want to design things that you use every day, that are taken for granted and enrich everyday life. The plate is a good example: you don't just use it once a day, but probably three times.

What is the design idea behind this plate?

We tried to rethink the plate and combine it with Japanese influences. It was about creating a stage or setting - for a beautiful dish prepared with love, for example - and honoring the culinary creation.

How did you implement the idea?

We have developed an exceptionally high base. This creates a drop shadow under the plate - and the plate appears to float. The shape is delicate and flat. From the front, it looks almost like a Japanese serving tray in a double-T shape, very transparent. If you turn the plate, it is completely closed. And from above you can see the perfect circle.

If you stack the plates on top of each other, they form their own shape, almost like a sculpture . . . Yes, the object should not only function on its own, but also in a multitude. We made a very precise cut in the middle of the round base of the plate to emphasize the lightness of the plate. This is a design element that we play with in almost all of our objects: the contrast between very delicate and very solid shapes.

The "Edition 2020" of the collaboration is limited to 20 highly exclusive sets of five plates each and can be pre-ordered now at preorder@kpm-berlin.com. Price on request.

Text: Heike Gläser

Images: Jonas Lindstroem, PR, New Tendency