From her first apprenticeship in a carpentry workshop, wood captivated Simone Dargel with its rich spectrum of colors and grain patterns. She earned her degree in industrial design from Aachen University of Applied Sciences and the University of Wuppertal, beginning her career as a product manager before founding holwerc in 2018. The name draws from Middle High German, referring to hollow wooden vessels. Now working from her studio in Essen-Heidhausen, she designs wooden bowls and accessories exclusively from sustainably sourced European timber. Each piece is carefully crafted and finished with solvent-free oil that's safe for both people and the environment. For every bowl sold, Dargel plants a tree—her way of giving back to nature.

NIU exemplifies holwerc's design philosophy—each piece speaks to the designer's deep respect for the material. The bowls in this series feature clean, minimalist forms that serve multiple purposes: holding fruit and nuts, organizing mail and jewelry, or gracing a shelf. Available in three sizes, the largest doubles as a serving tray. Complementary tea light holders and vases complete the collection, offered in natural maple and blackened oak. The vase features a removable glass liner, making it equally suited to fresh arrangements or dried botanicals, whether displayed on a table, windowsill, or shelf.

www.holwerc.com

Photography Credits:

holwerc

(Published in CUBE Ruhrgebiet 02|21)