5 questions for architect and designer Katja Buchholz

They still exist, the good things. But who makes them - and above all: how? At the AD House of Crafts, we explored this question and introduced good craftsmanship and its makers - like Katja Buchholz.

How did it come to your manufactory Buchholz Berlin?

First I worked for a few years at David Chipperfield Architects. I started building tables there and really enjoyed being so close to the material - in an architectural office, things can be a bit more abstract. Over time, I decided to build something of my own: Initially I specialized in tables, but now I also make stools, accessories, leather bags and interiors.

Where does your passion for wood come from?

Maybe my maiden name Buchholz is the origin of my passion - but possibly also my grandmother, with whom I spent a lot of time in the forest near Schlachtensee. Wood just gives me a certain satisfaction: it has a nice temperature, a rich color and it smells good.

How important are regionality and sustainability to you when choosing materials and manufacturing?

Our wood always comes from Germany, at best we know the location and history of the tree. We have a stock of logs that had to be cut down or were sorted out by companies because they were too knotty or cracked for their use. But sometimes the customer brings their own material, like an oak tree that fell in a storm. We are also still working on a collection made from the logs from Chipperfield's "Sticks and Stones" exhibit. Our leather, which is tanned exclusively with flowers, comes from cows that have lived a good life on the pasture, as evidenced by the various marks in the hide. If we make large pieces, we make - for example in the case of leather - bags from the rest of the material, and from the very small pieces we then make leather straps for our cutting boards. All our products are made in Berlin or in the surrounding area and most of them in social workshops.

How does your study of architecture influence your design process?

Both my studies in architecture and my collaboration with David Chipperfield shape my designs. I always try to look at everything holistically in advance: For the design of a piece of furniture, the use and the material are in the foreground, and as a team we try to build a bridge between craftsmanship, material, object and user. Also, when designing an interior, we try to work out the circumstances of the place and the user.

In conclusion: What does good craftsmanship mean to you?

To me, good craftsmanship means that everything is handmade, that I know where the material comes from, and that the longer I use the piece, the more beautiful it becomes.

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