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 Cutlery — 70 Pieces
How can seventy pieces of cutlery still make a table feel light?
Lago achieves it through line rather than absence. Even across a large setting, the collection avoids visual heaviness because its forms are soft, flowing and continuous. The eye moves easily from one piece to the next, so the table feels composed without becoming crowded.
Why does Lago never feel rigid, even on a formal table?
Its character comes from movement. The gently undulating profiles soften the strict geometry of plates, glasses and place settings, creating a contrast between structure and flow. That tension is what gives Lago its relaxed elegance.
What does a complete Lago setting reveal that a single piece cannot?
The rhythm between the pieces. A single fork or spoon shows the curve, but a complete setting shows how those curves repeat and interact. Across the table, the design begins to behave almost like a pattern, giving the composition coherence without relying on ornament.
Why does Lago feel equally at home beside crystal and beside the sea?
Because its maritime inspiration is abstract rather than literal. There are no anchors, ropes or obvious nautical motifs. Instead, the reference to water lives in the softness of the lines and the sense of movement, allowing Lago to move naturally between formal interiors and more relaxed coastal settings.
What is the quietest detail in Lago — and why does it matter?
The transition from handle to functional end. Rather than feeling like separate parts joined together, the form appears to continue almost uninterrupted through the piece. It is a subtle decision, but it is what gives Lago its fluid, almost effortless character.