Our friendship—and ongoing partnership—with Artek is truly special: a deep kinship, rooted in shared reverence for materials, process, and timeless design. After many years of mutual admiration, a chance encounter in New York led to our first collaboration back in 2018, and then another in 2022. Now, we’re continuing the story with a new collection, celebrating more than 150 years of shared design expertise and boundless passion for fresh, exciting expressions.
Few names loom larger in the pantheon of modern design than Artek, which was founded in Finland in 1935 and continues to be a leader in the field today. The company’s name—a portmanteau of “art” and “technology”—hints at its ethos: strong design principles, informed and enhanced by technical expertise, quality materials, and innovative production methods. You can find Artek’s iconic stools, tables, and chairs at museums around the world, but they’re made for everyday use. Naturally, that balance resonates at Heath—and serves as the animating spirit behind our latest collaboration.
Few names loom larger in the pantheon of modern design than Artek, which was founded in Finland in 1935 and continues to be a leader in the field today. The company’s name—a portmanteau of “art” and “technology”—hints at its ethos: strong design principles, informed and enhanced by technical expertise, quality materials, and innovative production methods. You can find Artek’s iconic stools, tables, and chairs at museums around the world, but they’re made for everyday use. Naturally, that balance resonates at Heath—and serves as the animating spirit behind our latest collaboration.
What keeps us coming back to this collaboration with Artek is a shared reverence for natural materials—clay, glaze, and wood—and how they respond to use over time.
The Tile Table was first developed as a new system for our 2022 collaboration, showcasing the unique strengths of each partner: Heath’s clay and glaze expertise, Artek’s iconic wood bending technique. It returns here in two shapes (Square and Rectangular) and a range of tonal glaze combinations: White+, Green+, and the new Red+, which is inspired by the rugged deserts of California. Each table features hand-arranged tiles and a unique “keystone” tile that functions as a maker’s mark. No two are quite alike.
We call the Tile Table a system because its simple, versatile design serves as the perfect foundation for evolution—in the same way that it may evolve in your life, shifting from one room to the next, one purpose to the next.
We call the Tile Table a system because its simple, versatile design serves as the perfect foundation for evolution—in the same way that it may evolve in your life, shifting from one room to the next, one purpose to the next.
The Chess Table
Back in 2023, Tung Chiang—who leads the Heath Clay Studio, where we experiment with hand-thrown forms and special glazing techniques—encountered a Max Ernst chess set during a visit to Villa Mairea, an architectural masterpiece designed by two of Artek’s founders. This experience prompted a question: What would it look like if Heath made a chess set?
Now we have an answer.
Using a tonal black version of the square Tile Table (which conveniently features an 8x8 grid) as a base, Tung set to work designing a series of sculptural chess pieces—each thrown and glazed by hand in the Clay Studio. In the spirit of balancing form with function, the chess pieces serve a second purpose: in between matches, they can be displayed as single-stem flower vases.
There were only six Chess Tables made for this collection (available exclusively at Heath San Francisco, Heath Los Angeles, Artek Helsinki, and Artek Tokyo), and each one comes in a custom box hand-numbered by Tung. To inquire about purchasing, please contact our SF or LA showrooms.
Now we have an answer.
Using a tonal black version of the square Tile Table (which conveniently features an 8x8 grid) as a base, Tung set to work designing a series of sculptural chess pieces—each thrown and glazed by hand in the Clay Studio. In the spirit of balancing form with function, the chess pieces serve a second purpose: in between matches, they can be displayed as single-stem flower vases.
There were only six Chess Tables made for this collection (available exclusively at Heath San Francisco, Heath Los Angeles, Artek Helsinki, and Artek Tokyo), and each one comes in a custom box hand-numbered by Tung. To inquire about purchasing, please contact our SF or LA showrooms.
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Artek + Heath: a match made in material. Wood, clay, and glaze, coming together in new, inspiring ways—and showcasing the best of both makers. More than just beautiful products, these are functional, flexible systems, designed to be used, loved, and adapted throughout both your home and your life. While the pieces in this collection won’t be around for long, we’re grateful to have found lifelong friends in the Artek team—and to share the fruits of that friendship with you. If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of design history, now’s your chance.
Artek + Heath: a match made in material. Wood, clay, and glaze, coming together in new, inspiring ways—and showcasing the best of both makers. More than just beautiful products, these are functional, flexible systems, designed to be used, loved, and adapted throughout both your home and your life. While the pieces in this collection won’t be around for long, we’re grateful to have found lifelong friends in the Artek team—and to share the fruits of that friendship with you. If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of design history, now’s your chance.
