RCA graduate Sissel Wathne‘s tactile tableware collection is inspired by Nordic traditions and everyday routines. Called Hygge - a Danish word that means comfortable, cosy, homely and friendly - the pieces are designed to embrace the hand. Its uncomplicated and inclusive design reminds us that there is always room for improvement, even in the simplest of objects.

In order to create the perfect ergonomic form, Sissel made a series of handmade prototypes which underwent careful testing so that she could find out exactly how people used their hands to interact with them and come up with the most functional solution. The forms were perfected on the computer before being 3D printed on a rapid prototyping machine.

The result is a collection of 8 pieces - a cup, a bowl, a jug, drinking glasses, a side plate, a dinner plate, a tray and a breadboard.

The cups, bowls and plates are made of durable Swedish stoneware in a warm ochre colour and smooth finish. The jug and the drinking glasses are made in clear transparent glass, and the tray and breadboard are made from vacuumed pressed birch veneer.

The collection was awarded the Charlotte Fraser Prize at the 2011 RCA Works in Progress Show, and was nominated for the Helen Hamlyn Design Award 2012 for its ergonomic and functional qualities.

- A.Morris