At the latest edition of Maison & Objet, ECAL students Aurélie Mathieu and Philippe Karrer presented Brick, a layered, stacked crystal vase that evokes the formal language of construction games, part of the new Baccarat Vase-O-Rama collection, developed by Baccarat in collaboration with ECAL — Ecole cantonale d'art de Lausanne. The project continues a relationship initiated in 2011 between the educational institution and the luxury brand.

This year, the students of both the Masters in Design and Luxury Industry and the Masters in Art Direction have worked together in a project for the French crystal manufacturer, under the direction of London designer Bethan Laura Wood and Parisian photographer Philippe Jarrigeon.

Reflecting on the universal concept of "vase", the students — of fifteen different nationalities, and over the course of six months — created Vase-O-Rama, an eclectic collection where they were encouraged to use cutting, engraving, carving, sanding and gilding techniques, fully exploring the potential of crystal.

Aurélie Mathieu and Philippe Karrer's Brick vase is one of the first models of the collection to be put into production. The ingenious vase evokes the language of simple construction games, while also drawing inspiration from previous design currents such as the Italian Memphis movement. The stacked vase can be customised and reassembled, inserting a playful element into an archetypal element of everyday life.