Atelier NL’s Encounter with Clay, Water, and Design
at Dutch Design Week 2024
Atelier NL - Meanderende Maas | Exhibited at Dutch Design Week 2024 | Photography Maikel Samuels
For Atelier NL, the land has always been more than just a source of materials; it is a living story waiting to be told. The studio's work breathes life into raw earth, turning it into objects that carry the weight of history and speak of a place shaped by time. This year, at Dutch Design Week 2024, Atelier NL deepens this narrative, inviting visitors to explore the relationship between clay, water, and the landscape of the Netherlands—a country defined by its enduring dance with water. Partnering with the Meanderende Maas project, they take us through the shifting Dutch delta, where nature and human intervention find a new balance.
Soil: Entering the Landscape's Story
The experience begins the moment visitors approach the Bergmannkerk church. At the entrance, they encounter a striking scene—a large mound of soil piled high. This mound, formed from the earth excavated during the river-widening efforts, offers an unfiltered glimpse of the changing landscape. It is as if the river had spilt its secrets onto the doorstep, urging visitors to step inside and connect with the land in its most elemental form. The soil is not merely a symbol; it is the very material that has shaped this region for centuries and continues to shape it now.
Inside the exhibition, the story unfolds through the hands of Atelier NL, who have taken this clay—once buried beneath the riverbed—and transformed it into objects that embody the essence of the landscape. In their approach, clay is more than a medium; it is a storyteller, revealing the river's gradual transformation over time. The clay connects the earth to the water through their work, weaving together the past and future, the need for safety with the call for biodiversity, and cultural heritage with new possibilities.
Atelier NL - Meanderende Maas | Exhibited at Dutch Design Week 2024
Clay is a Link Between the River, the Land, and Its People
In the hands of Atelier NL, clay becomes a bridge that spans more than just time; it unites the river and the dike, the animals that roam this landscape, and the people who have lived, worked, and walked along its paths. Each piece of clay carries traces of the Maas, embodying the cycles of erosion and renewal that have shaped this place. It is as if the land itself is speaking, reminding us of the interconnectedness of all things. The exhibition does not merely display objects; it invites us to see the landscape through different eyes—the eyes of a dike warden, a contractor, a walker, or even a stork perched by the riverbank.
The mountain of soil also serves as a reminder of a turning point in the Dutch relationship with water. Thirty years ago, when the Rhine and Maas rivers nearly overflowed, the limitations of traditional water management became apparent. It was no longer sufficient to build higher dikes; the rivers needed room to move, and the landscape required reshaping to accommodate the natural ebb and flow of water. The Meanderende Maas project embodies this shift, creating space for rivers to flow freely and allowing ecosystems to recover and thrive.
The Meanderende Maas: A Landscape Restored
The changes along the Maas are not just about functionality but restoration. Widening the river and reshaping the land have made it safer from floods, but they have also brought wildlife back and opened the door for new habitats to emerge. The transformation of the Maas reflects a new way of thinking, where nature's rhythms are embraced rather than controlled, and the needs of people and the environment are balanced with care.
Atelier NL - Meanderende Maas | Exhibited at Dutch Design Week 2024
Atelier NL - Polderwall — Drawn from Clay, Noordoostpolder - Tiles laid out in the shape of the Noordoostpolder reflect the great diversity of the soil within the region and the differences in mineral composition– with colours ranging from pale cream to a deep oxblood brown.
Chapter 3.1 Fe203 - 2022 - Commissioned by @mu_hybrid_art_house | Atelier NL takes the crafts of ceramics and glass making to a different plane by focussing on aspects like the origin, history and place of the resources they work with. | Photography @blickfanger
The Transformative Power of Clay
At the heart of the exhibition lies the Maas KleiServies—a series of ceramic works crafted from the very clay excavated during the river-widening. The journey of the clay is laid bare, from raw, unprocessed chunks to the polished surfaces of the ceramics, inviting visitors to touch and feel the transformation. The pieces tell a story of resilience and adaptation, bridging the past with the present. Each object is more than a crafted form; it is a piece of the land's story, shaped by both human hands and natural forces.
Rethinking Water, Land, and Design for a Shared Future
Atelier NL's collaboration with Meanderende Maas goes beyond the creation of objects; it embodies a broader philosophy that honours traditional craftsmanship while grappling with the urgent environmental challenges of our time. The exhibition at Dutch Design Week is not just a presentation of the present; it is an invitation to reflect on the past and reimagine the future. It encourages us to view landscapes as living, evolving entities shaped by natural forces and human intervention.
As visitors move through the exhibition, the message unfolds: making room for rivers is not solely about managing water but about redefining our relationship with the land. It requires respect for the natural cycles of growth and decay and a commitment to finding new ways to coexist with an ever-changing environment. This project highlights the importance of addressing human needs and the protection of biodiversity, recognising that the loss of ecosystems is an ongoing challenge.
Note: This is an in-depth article about the project exhibited at Dutch Design Week 2024. For more event coverage and additional in-depth articles, visit Plural Magazine's Instagram, where the content will be saved in the Instagram Stories.