Terra
for Georg Jensen

2019–2021

Product Design

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.

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.

Typologies

Products

Status

Completed

Location

Frederiksberg, Denmark

Client

Georg Jensen

Intended for both indoor and outdoor use, the Terra collection is comprised of three sizes of plant pots, 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 reinvent 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 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. The planters are deliberately reflected–upside down if you will – allowing the plant to take root the same way it does in nature. Moreover, several pots are made from terracotta – a type of soil.

Marius Myking Director of Product Design at Snøhetta

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. This functional design choice provides stability and room for the roots to flourish while creating an elegant, shapely form.

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.

Terra continues a tradition of challenging ourselves with the combination of metals and other materials. 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.

Nicholas Manville Chief Creative Officer, Georg Jensen