Royal Copenhagen has launched HAV, a dinnerware series of 9 pieces including a teapot ornamented with an elegant bronze handle, a uniquely shaped hybrid bowl and carafe, a thermal mug, plates of two different sizes, and three different sizes of bowls.
HAV was created in close collaboration with architect Bjarke Ingels, industrial designer Lars Holme Larsen, and design philosopher Jens Martin Skibsted. The collection is deeply embedded in the tradition of Royal Copenhagen while simultaneously reaching towards the future, challenging the traditional idea of what dinnerware is supposed to be. Each item of HAV serves a multifunctional purpose, creating a unique dinnerware set that represents a modern and multi-faceted interpretation of conscious luxury.
The dinnerware is named HAV, the Danish word for 'ocean,' and honors the porcelain manufacturer's iconic signature of three blue waves, a mark of fine craftsmanship and Danish porcelain art that symbolizes the three Danish straits; the Sound, the Great Belt and the Little Belt.
"We wanted to create a new and accessible dinnerware - a set that could be used by everyone and for all purposes," said Niels Bastrup, Creative Director at Royal Copenhagen. "Our ambition was to reinterpret our heritage and bring it into the future. We wanted to create something completely new while at the same time stay true to our craftsmanship and DNA."
One focal design element of HAV is the interplay between ornamentation and function, where the aesthetics of simplistic architecture add a modern twist to the long-standing design tradition. HAV is inspired by one of Royal Copenhagen's classic dinner services Seagull by Fanny Garde with a distinct fish scale ornamentation depicted in a mix between a blue and greenish black color that resembles the coastline shrouded in the morning mist. By using an airbrush hand-spray painting technique, the scale decoration on HAV appears elegant in its tactility and modern in its expression. While HAV embodies its Royal Copenhagen heritage, the ornamentation has been cut to a minimum and serves a function, stimulating the senses.
"There is a form of non-verbal communication to it and the patterns are designed closer together in the places where you would naturally hold onto the objects," explained Bjarke Ingels, and Jens Martin Skibsted. "The fish scales, that is the core of the decoration, was not only meant to have an ornamental purpose but also ensure that you get a better grip on the products."
Photos: Courtesy of Royal Copenhagen