REDE, COLLABORATION WITH DAVID CHIPPERFIELD

SARGADELOS REDE | 3/11/2021

For SARGADELOS it is always very satisfying to present new projects, since it is the moment in which we bring to light the fruit of numerous days of work and development, reflecting all our concerns and efforts in developing products in line with our brand philosophy and which honor our legacy.

Our history has always been linked to collaborations with renowned artists and designers, from Galician and national creators such as Souto, Colmeiro, Castelao, Maside, Laxeiro, Acisclo Manzano, Caruncho, X. Quessada, Francisco Leiro, Antonio Murado, Ailanto, Pepa Poch or Gloria García Lorca; to international figures like Eddy Varekamp or Norman Trapman. On this occasion it is with great pride that we are able to present “The REDE Collection” a new project by the distinguished British architect David Chipperfield, unanimously recognized as one of the most prestigious figures in contemporary architecture.

This important and significant collaboration represents a turning point in s’ already notable trajectory : for an international celebrity to look at a medium-sized Galician company to reproduce some of his ideas or designs in ceramics represents for those of us who work in the company an acknowledgement of our work and our history.

This collaboration is born above all from the deep affection that David professes for Galicia, a relationship that emerged more than 30 years ago when he and his family decided to spend their summer holidays in Corrubedo, and where they have since established a second residence.

“I love the directness of Galicia, everything is what it is, both good and bad. It is not packaged or presented, it is very raw and exposed and very direct. Like the food there is no fantasy or indulgence in aspirations. It is a place where life has been tough and it has shaped the peoples’ respect for the land and the sea. Coming from london where our lives are very shaped by the excesses of choice and consumerism, Galicia is refreshingly direct and uncomplicated.”

“The opportunity to work with s is an opportunity to work with the extraordinary craftsmanship and techniques of the company and to exploit these potentials and that of the moulding and firing process itself. I wanted to enjoy the possibilities of a surface relief that are particular to porcelain. The relief pattern I chose was drawn from a number of references, obviously the idea of the fishing net but also a reference to a traditional Japanese ceramic decoration. Perhaps most importantly was the idea of a pattern that seems tactile and seems to stretch over the form creating an emphasis not only of surface but of structure.”

The pieces of the “REDE Collection” are formally and aesthetically related to the tradition of relief crockery that s develops in the Castro de Samoedo factory, in Sada. Decorations such as the Portomarínico, Cuncha, Peixes or F-73 share many elements in common with this new creation.

It is a collection that uses the presence of an exterior geometric grid as its main constructive element. Inspired by traditional fishing nets, this grid slightly varies its morphology to adapt to the different volumetric surfaces on which it is applied. In this way it tightens and stretches in the widest dimensions and loosens and relaxes when covering smaller diameters and curves. These variations in the geometry of the modules give the pieces great dynamism and enhance their volumes.

The project development process took place over almost a year, in continuous communication between s and David Chipperfield himself with numerous visits to the factories and constant supervision of the different processes. It was without doubt a great production challenge and for its development techniques such as modeling, prototyping and 3D printing were combined with other more traditional and more manual processes such as carving or plaster molds. We believe that the effort has paid off as we are extremely satisfied with the finished result. For us it has been an honor and a great source of learning to have developed this set of pieces alongside such a renowned figure in architecture such as David Chipperfield.

“The REDE Collection” is made up of seven pieces: a glass/cup, a tall bowl, a low bowl, two plates, a large one measuring 24.5 cm and a smaller one measuring 18 cm, a salad bowl and a spherical vase, the shape of this last piece being a direct reference to the old net-covered glass fishing buoys from which the relief takes its inspiration. Each piece comes in four colors: the pure white typical porcelain, the traditional cobalt blue of s, a tile pink present in many of our decorations and a less common mustard yellow. The pieces will be sold individually so that each client can compose their own set. Three packs composing of one piece in each color will also be available: 4 glasses / cups, 4 high or 4 low bowls. The entire collection will be available in the s shops as well as the online store.