Blown Bottle - Klaas Kuiken - Vase Type M16

Blown Bottle - Blown Bottle Vase - Klaas Kuiken

These glass vases by designer Klaas Kuiken are the result of a search for what makes a mass product special, or what can make it special.

The design vase is formed from a green wine bottle, a standard bottle that is produced in large numbers. In the studio of Klaas Kuiken, the bottles are blown one by one into unique objects

To emphasize the differences in production, he developed his own technique of glassblowing, using an oven and compressor that he modified himself. By blowing up the bottles, the glass bulges more in places where the wall thickness is thin, and less where it is thicker.

During this project his starting point was 'are there differences to be found in mass production?' He discovered that there were indeed irregularities in glass bottles: the wall thickness of the glass is different everywhere.

• the vases are blown in the studio of Klaas Kuiken in Arnhem
• each bottle is unique and may therefore differ from the image shown here
• blowing 1 bottle takes about 6 hours including heating and cooling
• the bottles are shipped in a sturdy box with buffer materials
• the vase is approximately 31 cm high

The Blown Bottles Collection was Kuiken's graduation project and was nominated for the 'DOEN' material prize for the sustainable and innovative use of materials.

Photo by Mascha Bakker