Atelier Areti is an interdisciplinary design and manufacturing studio. It was founded in 2008 by Gwendolyn and Guillane Kerschbaumer and is based in the UK and Germany.
The Atelier is centered around the design and manufacturing of its Core Collection. In addition it specializes in customizations and bespoke projects.
The interdisciplinary team includes designers, architects, lighting technicians and craftsmen and follows a project from the initial concept phase to the delivery of the final piece.
The workshop is located near Arnsberg which is the historic center of high end lighting production in Germany.
IN DETAIL
In Ancient Greek, "areti / arete" (ἀρετή) signifies excellence, virtue, and goodness, encompassing the idea of a person or thing fulfilling its potential or function well. "Areti" can be applied to various aspects of life, from moral virtues to physical skills or the excellence of a tool.
It implies a conscious effort to strive for excellence in all areas of life, embracing competence and purpose.
In this sense Areti represents the best version, the highest state a thing or being can achieve to be.
We strive to create a body of work that exudes these values and that adds beauty, joy and inspiration to those surrounding it.
Atelier Areti is an interdisciplinary design studio established by Austrian-French sisters Gwendolyn and Guillane Kerschbaumer.
Gwendolyn and Guillane’s background is in the visual arts - drawing and sculpture, architecture and design.
Experience in different art disciplines allows for an approach to each with the perspective and understanding of the others.
The classical focus of sculpture is the object; that of design is the object and its use. The focus of architecture is much wider and more complex, but one core focus is the spatial context and spatial dynamics.
Thus setting aside all the complexities of program etc., one can say that whereas sculpture and design tend to focus on the object, architecture tends to focus on space.
Sculpture and design, being by their very nature rather about small and medium sized objects (relative to the human body), allow for a higher resolution of details. Jewelry being an extreme example: on a very small area, a design can be implemented with high precision. One may aim to design and achieve in making an object of extreme perfection.
On the other end, urban design or architecture focus on a much larger scale - literally and conceptually speaking.
Gwendolyn and Guillane’s work reflects this interest in both the object and space, exploring and existing between the sculptural quality of the object and its spatial dynamic.
Across all disciplines, and beyond this interest in sculpture and space, a deep seated drive and attraction to the experience and creation of beauty permeates their work.
Beauty as something that can be shared by people across different cultures, generations and backgrounds speaks to the very fundamental nature of the experience of beauty within the human soul.
We strive to develop something new and beautiful through our work. We are driven by curiosity and the desire to explore works that touch us on a deeper, direct emotional level as well as engage us in a more conscious conceptual way.
These artistic ambitions need to be realized and developed in the actual material form:
the material realization gives the design its place in our daily life.
We aim to create pieces that remain relevant through their beauty, function and quality.
Areti is both a design studio and a manufacturing atelier. This allows for a close translation of the design concept to the material implementation.
Historically, artists and architects have been closely involved in the making of their pieces and projects, and Areti sees itself in this tradition of designing as well as creating the material work.
The workshop is located in the Sauerland region, the historical heart of the lighting industry in Germany.
The designs need experienced craftsmen to perform delicate welding or polishing work by hand, as well as complex machined pieces made by state of the art automated technology.
The atelier is equipped with sophisticated machines allowing for a variety of customizations and bespoke pieces in addition to the core collection.
Most components are custom pieces made in house. For certain processes for which more complex equipment is needed, such as galvanization or extrusion, collaborations with local workshops are made possible due to the dense network of such specialized industries in the area.
Areti also works with a number of specialists in the areas of LED technology, electrical components, glass (both mouth blown and flat hand made) most located close by as well.
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Gwendolyn was born in Innsbruck, Austria and is Austrian / French.
She received a Bachelor in Visual Arts with a concentration in sculpture from Duke University, NC.
She received her Master in Architecture (MArch I) from Harvard University and
a Master in Advanced Architectural Studies in sustainable building from the ETH (Federal Technical University), Zurich.
Among others, Gwendolyn worked at the architectural offices of Peter Eisenman Architects New York, Kleihues und Kleihues Berlin, MVRDV Rotterdam and Wiel Arets Architects Amsterdam.
Gwendolyn was head of research at 'laba' / EPFL for 3 years, where she researched contemporary developments in the fields of architecture, urban design and planning.
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Guillane was born in Innsbruck, Austria and is Austrian / French.
She completed an art foundation program in Paris with a focus on drawing.
She studied Art History and Archaeology at the Sorbonne in Paris, receiving a DEUG.
She went on to study Product Design at Central Saint Martins where she graduated in 2006.
Guillane worked for several years as an interior designer in London before founding Atelier Areti with her sister Gwendolyn.