Blown Bottle Vase - Klaas Kuiken

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

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

To highlight the production differences, he developed his own technique of glass blowing, using a self-built furnace and compressor. By blowing the bottles, the glass bulges more where the wall thickness is thin, and less where it is thicker.

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

For this type of vase, the top of the bottle has been cut off, creating a larger opening to accommodate a small bouquet of flowers.

• the bottles and vases are blown in Klaas Kuiken's studio in Arnhem (NL)
• every bottle is unique and may differ from the picture 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 bottle is about 31 cm high

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

The collection has been sold exclusively by IKONIC since 2025.

Photo by Mascha Bakker