Czech glassworks Moser's Magnus vases "channel the essence of brutalism"

[Celerity]

https://www.dezeen.com/2025/04/29/mosers-magnus-vases/



Czech glassworks Moser has developed a series of hand-blown crystal vases featuring crisp lines and an atmospheric colour palette that evokes the design of brutalist buildings from the mid-20th century. The Magnus collection was designed by Moser's creative director Jan Plecháč, who initially became interested in the principles of brutalism more than a decade ago while studying architecture at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design (UMPRUM) in Prague.



Plecháč wanted to explore how brutalist principles could be applied to a completely different material and felt that the contrast between the movement's uncompromising aesthetic and the fragility of hand-blown crystal would produce intriguing results. "The collection emerged from my deep and lasting fascination with brutalism – a movement known for its clarity, strength and raw, unrestrained approach to mass and form," Plecháč told Dezeen.



"Each vase in the Magnus collection has its own character, shape and scale, yet they're bound by a shared visual language," he added. "Like a series of architectural volumes, they communicate together while retaining individuality. The goal was to channel the essence of brutalism into something unexpected – glass that behaves like architecture."



The bold lines and proportions of Plecháč's vessels were designed to evoke brutalist buildings, typically characterised by expressive and functionalist forms that display elements of their construction. The collection's colour palette also references interiors from the brutalist period, which often featured warm, earthy tones to complement the ruggedness and raw materiality of the architecture.

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