Beyond Coffee & Food — a space offering comfortable food and specialty coffee, where you can pause for a moment from the city’s rhythm.
As part of a collaboration with the Art and Design School, this concept was extended into product design.
The inspiration for the «Takeaway» series of ceramic charms was drawn from menu items—images associated with light fare, picnics, and relaxing outside of the familiar urban route. Familiar products are transformed into small, wearable objects, maintaining a connection to the Beyond atmosphere even beyond the cafe itself.
Ceramics allow for the expression of each image’s character through form, color, and texture. The handcrafted nature underscores the students' creative approach at the Art and Design School: every charm travels the path from initial idea to tangible object.
Material and Technology
Materials. The creation of the charms calls for the use of fine-grained, bisque-firing ceramic clay, CG-Premium, manufactured by LLC «Gzhel Ceramics.»Forming. The chosen method is hand-sculpting, ensuring detailed articulation of each object’s characteristic features.Construction. The charms feature a central hole, allowing them to be threaded onto cord and combined into accessories. The final assembly is attached with a carabiner clip.Finishing. For decoration, single-color, glossy ceramic glazes from «GlavGlazur» are planned—glazes that are compatible with the selected bisque-firing ceramic clay. The glossy finish will help convey the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables.
Production Plan
Two firings are planned.
Bisque Firing. After shaping and complete drying, the charms undergo the first firing, estimated at 900–1000 °C. This process ensures the structural integrity of the pieces and prepares the surface for glaze application.
Glaze Firing. After applying colorful glossy glazes, the pieces undergo a second firing at a temperature appropriate for the selected ceramic body and glaze. A preliminary guideline is 1060–1100 °C.
The trials will be used to test shrinkage, form retention, glaze coverage quality, and the strength of the stringing holes.
Re-creation option
For reproduction of the collection, the original 3D models of the charms and the size specifications will be retained. These files allow for the replication of the main proportions, volume, and construction of each object. During production, it is crucial to maintain the recognizable shapes of the fruits and vegetables, the placement of the threading holes, and the color palette of the glossy glazes.Minor variations in shades, texture, and details, which occur during hand-molding and glazing, are acceptable. However, the overall dimensions, silhouette, and mounting principle must remain as close as possible to the original design.
