01 The story
From Sketch to Table
Lago reduces the form to soft, flowing lines and wave-like curves. The sculpted transitions give the pattern a light appearance while retaining a distinct, sensuous character.
02 The details
The Details
Soft, flowing lines and wave-like curves create a light and sculptural form.
Claus Harttung
Claus Harttung’s Lago for Robbe & Berking begins with one of the most elemental forms of movement: water. Rather than translating that inspiration into decoration, Harttung allows it to shape the cutlery itself. The handles move in softly flowing lines, while gentle, wave-like curves give each piece a subtle sense of motion. The result is a collection that feels fluid without becoming expressive for its own sake — controlled, reduced and quietly sculptural. This balance between movement and restraint is central to Lago. Its forms are concentrated and uncomplicated, yet the changing contours prevent the pieces from ever appearing static. Light travels differently across each curve, giving the polished stainless steel a character that shifts as the cutlery is held, placed and used. At the table, Lago introduces a distinctly maritime sensibility without relying on literal references. The connection to water is found instead in rhythm, surface and silhouette. There is softness in the transition from handle to functional form, and a visual lightness that allows the collection to sit naturally within both formal and contemporary settings. Through Lago, Harttung demonstrates how a simple natural reference can become a complete design language — not by illustrating water, but by capturing something of its continuous movement.
A line shaped by water never truly stands still.
Claus Harttung
Questions about Robbe & Berking Lago — 24 Pieces
What does water feel like when you hold it in your hand?
That is the quiet idea behind Lago. In the 24-piece set, six guests each experience the collection through the four essential pieces of a place setting: knife, fork, spoon and coffee spoon. The softly flowing lines and rounded transitions become most apparent not from across the room, but in the hand — where the design feels continuous, balanced and almost fluid.
Why does Lago reveal more at a small table than you might expect?
With six complete place settings, there is enough repetition to create rhythm without overwhelming the table. The curves begin to echo one another from guest to guest, while the simpler composition keeps attention on the individual shapes. It is a more intimate way to experience Lago’s maritime design language.
Can a fork and a spoon suggest the movement of a lake?
Not through decoration, but through silhouette. Claus Harttung shaped Lago with gently undulating lines and smooth transitions rather than literal nautical motifs. The suggestion of water comes from the way the forms seem to flow rather than stop — a reference that becomes clearer the longer the pieces are used.
Why is the 24-piece set the clearest introduction to Lago?
Because it strips the collection back to the pieces used most directly during a meal. Without a large number of speciality or serving pieces, the relationship between knife, fork, spoon and coffee spoon becomes the story. It is Lago reduced to its essential vocabulary of curve, balance and movement.
What changes when cutlery is designed to flow rather than decorate?
The character becomes quieter. Lago does not rely on engraving or applied ornament to attract attention. Its identity comes from proportion and the continuous movement of the metal itself. The result is a place setting that feels considered without asking to become the centre of the table.