Zurich Design Weeks have a way of transforming the entire city into a studio you didn't even know you had access to—pop-ups in old garages, talks in shop windows, a walk that ends somewhere you want to return to. This year they take place from September 17th to 27th, 2026 Instead, db pottery opens its doors at Schiffbaustrasse 9a with four hands-on workshops — each a unique way that clay can surprise you.
Watching someone work with clay can be fascinating. But to press your own thumbs into the clay, to see glass melt on a porcelain plate and become your very own creation—those are memories that last. We've put together this year's program so that there's something for everyone: some workshops require nothing more than curiosity, while one assumes you're already familiar with the potter's wheel. No matter where you are in your clay-working journey—we have a place for you.
At a glance
We have organized the workshops from easiest to most challenging, so you can quickly find your level.
| Workshop | Date | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Glass on Ceramics | Fri, Sept 18 | Beginners, Drop-in |
| Clay Collages | Fri, 25 Sept | Beginners & color lovers, drop-in |
| Mirror, Mirror | Sat, Sept 19 | Beginners with a free day |
| Clay X Breakfast | Sat & Sun, 26th & 27th Sept | For those who are already experienced with the turntable |
These four workshops are just our small part of it — take a look at the full program too Zurich Design Weeks Program, so you don't miss anything else that's going on in the city this September.
Glass on Ceramics
with Attua Aparicio, in collaboration with Suisse Langenthal
Attua Aparicio hands you a pre-fired porcelain plate—ready to become your own. You arrange pieces of colored glass on its surface, either intuitively or sketching them on paper first if you prefer to plan ahead. You decorate your plate with glass and watch as patterns emerge: a miniature landscape, an abstract splash of color, sometimes even a face looking back at you. This workshop is a collaboration with our project partner, Suisse Langenthal, who provides all the plates for the day. Before your plate goes into the kiln, we document your design and explain the fusing process—how the heat permanently fuses the glass to the surface. After the workshop, we fire your plate, and your design becomes a permanent part of it. We then display your work, along with all the others, as a small ZDW exhibition before you can pick up your plate in about four weeks. Attua also shows you how to hang your finished piece — these plates are made to be hung on the wall, not just to stand on a shelf.
- Date: Friday, September 18, 2026
- Time: Drop-in, 4:00 PM–8:00 PM (last drop-in at 7:00 PM)
- Price: CHF 40, including material and firing costs for one plate
- Level: No prior knowledge required — children up to 12 years old accompanied by an adult are welcome.
- Language: English
Clay Collages
with guest mentor Andrea Roman
Andrea Roman will have you start on paper—cutting, layering, building a small collage of vibrant colors and geometric shapes. Then you'll move on to colored clay, and something will change. Clay doesn't hold straight lines like paper. It offers a bit of resistance, warps where you least expect it—and your composition comes alive on the clay. This very difference between plan and result is art. And that's precisely what gives your work character. Children are welcome accompanied by an adult; no prior experience is necessary.
- Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
- Time: Drop-in, 2:00 PM–8:00 PM (last drop-in at 7:00 PM)
- Price: CHF 40 + material and firing costs will be charged separately, CHF 35/kg depending on the finished weight
- Level: Open to all experience levels — children accompanied by an adult are welcome.
- Language: English
Mirror, Mirror
with Attua Aparicio
Take that feeling for color, tone, and glass—and this time give it a frame! At Mirror, Mirror, you design a unique wall mirror with a handcrafted ceramic frame: different types of clay can be freely combined, and then there's the glass, which melts during firing, creating surfaces you couldn't have planned. Keep the frame purely decorative, or make it functional as well—with a candle holder, a hook, or a small shelf. After firing, we finish the mirror for you—mirror glass, hanging hardware, ready for your wall.
- Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
- Time: 10:00–16:00, 6 hours total (1 hour lunch break)
- Price: CHF 290, including material and firing costs
- Level: No prior knowledge required
- Language: English
Clay X Breakfast
with guest mentor Andrea Roman
This workshop demands a bit more from you: experience on the potter's wheel is a prerequisite and pays off in this intensive two-day format. You'll work with colored stoneware and throw a complete breakfast set—six pieces in total: a cup, bowl, and plate, made twice—choosing from six different clay colors. It's not about individual pieces, but about proportion and cohesion within the set, about the consistency that only emerges when you repeatedly throw the same form until your hands have internalized it. This is precisely what Andreas's own practice is based on: colored clay, clean lines, unglazed surfaces, functional ceramics for everyday life. Two days, six pieces, a breakfast table, entirely made by you.
- Date: Saturday–Sunday, September 26–27, 2026
- Time: Both days 10:30–17:30 (1 hour lunch break)
- Price: CHF 410
- Level: Prior experience with the turntable is recommended.
- Language: English
See you in September
Four workshops, four different paths to clay — that's exactly what makes the Zurich Design Weeks From: They give you permission to simply try it out. Come along to design a plate, build a mirror, cut clay, or spend a whole weekend at the potter's wheel. Take a look at our gallery and on Pinterest, Come see what previous workshops have produced—and simply drop by to clear your head with dirty hands. Stay with the clay—subscribe to the newsletter! Sign up for updates as September approaches.
We're excited to see you in the studio! 🧡
