Rigatoni

A gentle gesture to
enhance material tactility.

Rigatoni is a small shade to be used in groups, in a very simple form to show off the material beauty and warmth of terracotta. We added soft ridged detail on half of the exterior surface, just enough to gives a subtle contrast that aids further the appreciation of the shape and material texture.

Buy Rigatoni on Hand & Eye website
Ceiling rose for Rigatoni / photo © Nick Rochowski
Brass plated shade hanger detail / photo © Nick Rochowski

Development of Rigatoni

With Hand & Eye’s ongoing collaboration with their UK based terracotta pottery, we set out to work with this material, designing with its character and advantages in mind – from wonderful tactility and visual warmth to the natural irregularity and flows that comes with the craft based production.

One of the less obvious challenges of the development was the colours of ceramic glazing, which relies on the experience of the glaze mixer, and the mill where they fire the ceramics. The colour results change depending on the temperatures the pieces are fired at, and the process involves a few trial and error until the right colour comes out of the kiln.

An initial sketch for cluster idea
Development wall
Visiting mould maker in Stoke-on-Trent
Meeting with the glaze maker
Cluster of 'Terracotta' large and 'Bone' medium, photo © Paul Dixon for Hand & Eye
Rigatoni in small size installed at a trade show, photo © Tolv

Rigatoni in use

Domu Restaurant, Orlando (US)
Designby GDP Design Build
Photo by Chad Baumer
International Furniture Fair Singapore
Photo © Tolv