Zane Tetere–Šulce, founder and lead architect of the architecture studio Open Architecture Design (OAD), has stepped outside the realm of architecture, making her debut in product design with the porcelain tableware collection Opiece. The items in the collection embody the architectural language of OAD in practical yet sculptural objects, whose geometric, precise forms challenge the traditional art of porcelain making.
«I wanted to express the architectural form in something tangible, within objects that have a real purpose and serve people on a daily basis,» says Zane Tetere–Šulce. Work on the collection began five years ago, when the architect was experimenting with ceramics in her backyard studio. «In architecture, it takes years of conceptual design process before seeing and experiencing the final results. At the time, I was searching for a field where I could work with something tangible, trace its journey from beginning to end, and experience the full cycle of failure, pain, tears, and trying again and again.»
The Opiece porcelain collection deliberately challenges traditional ceramics. The sharp, precise, and geometric forms of the tableware defy porcelain’s natural desire to flow and curve. Furthermore, the colours of the pieces are not achieved by applying glaze but by tinting the porcelain mass itself. Many items are left partially unglazed, allowing the natural texture of the porcelain to be felt. «This is architecture speaking through ceramics. The collection is about breaking the rules, pushing beyond limits, and staying true to oneself,» Zane sums up.
The collection includes 25 designs that can be used both as a complete tableware set and as separate, multifunctional pieces. Throughout the creative process, sustainability was also important to the designer. In order to create the collection with as little waste as possible, it includes the Spill Plate — a free-form dish poured from leftover porcelain mass. Each one is unique, thus emphasising the value of the material and the process.
Introduced under a new OAD sub-brand, the Opiece porcelain collection reflects the studio’s ambition to extend its design philosophy beyond architecture and into functional objects, interior items, and pieces of art. Designed and prototyped by Zane Tetere–Šulce, each piece is handcrafted in collaboration with ceramist Esmeralda Purvišķe. The collection is available on the Opiece website.
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