It is no coincidence that the word „design” appears in the studio's name. Although unique objects and original jewellery are created here, the way they are designed stems from industrial design. The starting point is not only the form, but also the user's needs, the properties of the material, technological possibilities, and the way the item will be used.
A designer cannot stop at searching for an interesting form. They must answer the question of who will use this object, what it should be made of, and how it can be produced. This also applies to jewellery. This is exactly what we teach students – to look at a small object with the same attention as one designs a piece of furniture or an industrial product, says Prof. Sławomir Fijałkowski.
The designer between the artist and the craftsman
This rule well explains the character of the works presented at the exhibition. Among them are experimental realisations using unusual materials, new technologies and non-obvious proportions. Freedom has its limit, however – it is functionality.
The designer is therefore somewhere between an artist and a craftsman. They can shape the form freely, but must remember that the designed object will later reach a specific user. Therefore, each of the presented works is the result of a quest in which aesthetics must go hand in hand with function.
Craftsmanship and digital tools
Run by Prof. Sławomir Fijałkowski and assistant Zuzanna Franczak, MA, the Experimental Design Studio combines goldsmithing and jewellery traditions with digital technologies. Students use 3D modelling, CAD/CAM, 3D printing, scanning, parametric design and CNC technology. These are not an alternative to craftsmanship, but its natural extension.
The objects presented in the exhibition are the result of this way of thinking. These are physically realised works that combine traditional jewellery-making techniques with modern design and prototyping methods, showing that contemporary jewellery is an ideal medium for knowledge about functionality and technological awareness.
Amber still to be discovered
Amber holds a special place among the materials. For Gdańsk designers it is an obvious point of reference, but its potential has still not been exhausted. The variety of colours, transparencies and structures allows it to be used in many ways, while new technologies open up further possibilities for working it and combining it with other materials.
Amber seems like a very well understood material, but working with it, especially when combining traditional and modern technologies, quickly shows how much more it has to offer. It is relatively soft, making it easy to work with, and the richness of its colours opens up a wide range of aesthetic possibilities – also when combined with other materials. Every time, something different can be brought out of it. That is why it is an interesting material for students to experiment with, says MEd Zuzanna Franczak.
For young designers, amber is therefore more than just a material associated with local tradition. It becomes a medium that they are happy to experiment with and that can be constantly reinterpreted.
Small form, big possibilities
„We Design Jewellery” brings together older and newer works by students and graduates of the studio. They differ in form and approach to design, but are united by an interest in function, materials and the possibilities offered by modern technology.
Jewellery requires special precision: it must remain in relation to the body, be comfortable and functional, while at the same time giving the designer ample room for experimentation. This is precisely why it works so well as a field of research into material and form.
The exhibition „Designing Jewellery” shows how diverse the results of such an approach can be. It also demonstrates that even amber – a material deeply rooted in Gdańsk's tradition – can be interpreted in many ways today.
Exhibition „We Design Jewellery”
International Amber Association Gallery, Gdańsk
28.07 – 25.09.2026