The Basics Collection – Glass Vessels by Belgian Designer Anna Torfs

A truly exquisite collection of glassware designed by Belgian creative Anna Torfs. Her work consists of layered forms that are structurally simplistic, deriving from vessels that us humans have been using for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. I picked out a selection from her ‘basic’ collection as I think it exemplifies what great design is about, getting right to the core and stripping back unnecessary elements.

Born and trained in Belgium, Anna Torfs moved as a young designer to the Czech Republic to work with a group of renowned glass masters. She began designing her own glass collections in 2002, with the central theme being to challenge the reflecting and absorbing properties of glass. I was particularly fascinated by her teardrop shaped vessels which are featured here. I often think people get the wrong idea about simplistic looking forms, they’re not just an answer to a solid functional problem, most of the time it also makes aesthetic sense.

Besides spatial and design elements in these works by Anna Torfs, they also ooze a sense of calm and order. This calm is quite hard to achieve as a designer, I would say reduction has been met and there’s not much that can distract from these forms. Fundamentally, Anna has been able to fuse sculptural and functional works in to one coherent mix, offering something that’s well made, technically useable, but with a sculptural twist. I think they’re fantastic. Check out more like this on her website linked below.

annatorfs.com

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