Linde Freya Tangelder and the poetics of glass

Since their first collaboration in 2022, the partnership between Cassina and Linde Freya Tangelder has yielded creations that blend artistic sensibility and artisanal excellence. Within the framework of the Patronage project—an initiative aimed at supporting emerging international talent—the Dutch designer has developed pieces defined by her unmistakable sculptural language. Her latest creation, the Fluid Joinery – Side Table I, is an ode to glass in its purest state.

With this low table, Tangelder delves into the intrinsic nature of glass—from fluidity to solidity—leveraging its expressive potential to craft a monolithic object of striking presence. Each table is made of blown glass and hand-shaped using a cast-iron mould in the Veneto region of Italy. The result is an object with an organic, irregular silhouette, where variations in thickness generate subtle plays of light, reflection and colour.

The technical challenge has been considerable. Cassina has developed highly complex production processes to ensure the structural stability of the piece—especially at the base that supports the upper volume—and to achieve the delicate engravings that enrich its surface.

The designer is especially drawn to the ambiguity of glass: a material that, when heated, acquires an almost architectural fluidity, allowing it to be shaped like a sculpture. This fascination is evident in every detail of the table, where form and matter engage in a delicate dialogue.

Fluid Joinery – Side Table I is available in a single format—conceived to be displayed individually or in group compositions—and in three refined colours: smoked, amber and blue. Each hue is achieved through the layering of transparent and pigmented glass. As a result of the entirely artisanal process, each table is slightly different, making every piece one of a kind.

Linde Freya Tangelder

Linde Freya Tangelder (Netherlands, 1987) is a Dutch designer who explores the boundaries between art, design and architecture. Founder of the studio Destroyers/Builders, her work is characterised by a strong sculptural sensibility, a deep respect for materials and an approach that combines brutalism with intimacy.

Trained in both the Netherlands and Belgium, her practice revolves around the idea of building by deconstructing—playing with contrasts in texture, proportion and finish. Her pieces—ranging from furniture to installations—reveal a balance between rawness and refinement, often drawing inspiration from architectural fragments, utilitarian objects or industrial elements reimagined through a poetic lens.

Tangelder has collaborated with leading galleries such as Maniera (Brussels), and has exhibited her work at events including Milan Design Week and institutions such as CID Grand-Hornu. Her artisanal approach and distinctive formal language have positioned her as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary European design.

Source: Cassina y Linde Freya Tangelder

Project by Linde Freya Tangelder