Terra for Georg Jensen - A planter collection to enter a new market
Commissioned by the world-renowned Danish design brand Georg Jensen, Snøhetta has designed Terra, an innovative nine-piece plant accessory series crafted in terracotta and stainless steel.
Intended for both indoor and outdoor use, the Terra collection is comprised of three sizes of plant pot, the two largest crafted from terracotta and the smallest made from stainless steel; three sizes of uniquely reversible plant pots in stainless steel; a tray with a set of three small planters ideal for herbs; and finally, a watering can and a small watering globe, both crafted in stainless steel. Their distinctive, beautifully rounded shapes reinventing these age-old objects as we know them.
Together, the collection represents a strikingly contemporary and urban interpretation of potted plants ideal for the modern home gardener.
A Heritage Brand
For this collaboration, Snøhetta was eager to fuse its innovative and experimental approach with Georg Jensen’s enduring legacy for impeccable quality craft. Though Georg Jensen has long been known for its vases and many of other types of vessels, this marks the brand’s first foray into interior planting and also its first time working with terracotta, creating a new chapter of materiality as the brand continues a long-standing tradition of defining and evolving the Scandinavian aesthetic.
“The idea behind the collection was to create a world of plants, derived from the logic of nature,” says Marius Myking, Director of Product Design at Snøhetta, “The planters are deliberately reflected–upside down, if you will – giving the plant the opportunity to take root the same way that it does in nature. Moreover, several of the pots are made from Terracotta – a type of soil.”
Three of the collection’s stainless steel planters are easily reversible, their subtly tapered silhouette providing two display options in one, depending on which end is placed into the discrete, accompanying saucer.
Inverting the shape of a traditional plant pot, the Terra vessels are wider at the base, a functional design choice that provides stability and room for the roots to flourish, while creating an elegant, shapely form.
Inspired by the undulating waves and reflective flow of water, as well as by the contemplative, organic forms found in nature, the Terra collection combines the earthy, organic feel of terracotta and the cool, industrial edge of stainless steel, resulting in a series that offers an original and dynamic way to bring nature into the home.
The pieces hold their own individually, as a sculptural standalone on a bare windowsill, but also make a statement when gathered as a group to form, for example, an impressive, verdant centerpiece.
Prototyping at Snøhetta's offices
How plants grow in the planters – concept sketch
A New Material Palette for Georg Jensen
“Terra continues a tradition of challenging ourselves with the combination of metals and other materials,” says Georg Jensen Chief Creative Officer, Nicholas Manville. “Georg Jensen himself was a ceramicist before he founded the company. In a way, sculpting bold, metal pieces with a ceramicist’s eye has been at the core of our design approach for over a century. It is exceptional to see the materials living together in one collection.”
The Terra collection will be displayed in the Georg Jensen flagship store during 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen and is available for worldwide sales from www.georgjensen.com/
