Albert Potgieter
Albert Potgieter is a Rotterdam-based designer whose practice explores the relationship between sculptural form, craftsmanship, and functionality. Through Albert Potgieter Designs, he creates handcrafted furniture and collectible pieces defined by bold geometric compositions, tactile materials, and a strong architectural sensibility.
Originally from South Africa, Potgieter worked as a physiotherapist before relocating to the Netherlands and establishing his design studio in 2017. His multidisciplinary background continues to inform an intuitive and human-centered approach to design, resulting in works that balance visual impact with usability. Using both reclaimed and new materials, his creations reflect a thoughtful dialogue between structure, texture, and form.
Interview
I was born in Stellenbosch, South Africa, grew up in South Africa, but currently I live in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
My first memory of the art world is seeing my grandmother doing wood carving with her chisels on her kitchen table.
No, I was a Physiotherapist in South Africa and started my business in 2017 when my wife and I moved to Rotterdam, Netherlands, but I only started designing and making functional art in 2019.
I had an idea to design a sustainable furniture piece, and as I started to play around with the idea and with some off-cut pieces of wood, it started to develop into the first Optique Bench. From this design developed a whole range of different pieces and a style that is now seen in all my pieces.
My creative process most often starts with me drawing really rough sketches of the ideas I have in my head. Then, I begin to sift through them to determine which design works best. After this, the process can take two different directions:
- I draw the design using the CAD program I work with and then begin the building process, or
- I simply start playing around with scrap wood pieces and begin building straight away.
The second approach has often produced really beautiful pieces, and it is also a very interesting and enjoyable process for me.
I would start most days with a coffee at my workshop, follow up on some emails, and then do the planning for the day. This looks like writing my to-do list for the day on the whiteboard in the workshop. After this, I would be in the workshop either designing a new piece, making an existing design, or teaching someone on a design piece
I fell in love with wood for its versatility and because every piece is different. It’s alive. It’s amazing. I am intrigued by the lines and patterns that wood produces. It’s like it gives back while I’m working on it.
The most technical part of my designs is in the gluing process. Making sure every piece is glued strongly and at the right angle, and this needs to be repeated for every piece.
Don’t be afraid to start. We often wait for the perfect idea or design before we want to start and mull it over and over, but most of the time, you have to just start with what you get. A small idea often develops into something more.
It would probably fit in between Modern Art Deco and brutalist, because of its repetition and strong lines. I like to think of my pieces as elegant brutalist pieces 😉
Arno Declercq, George Nakashima, Ishinomaki, Fernweh Woodworking, David Kruynauw.
Arno Declercq, George Nakashima, Angelo Mangiarotti, Pierre Chapo, Ishinomaki, Antoni Gaudí, Ishitani.
Functional Art.
“Don’t be afraid to start. A small idea often develops into something more.”
The Questions
(The Proust Questionnaire is a set of questions answered by the French writer Marcel Proust.
Other historical figures who have answered confession albums are Oscar Wilde,
Karl Marx, Arthur Conan Doyle, Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Cézanne…)
BBQ in a park on a summer sunshine day with my Wife and playing with my daughter.
Failing.
Double guessing myself.
Being fake, pretending.
Gary Snowzell.
Buying knives.
At peace.
Pride, a very dangerous virtue.
Humility.
Generosity.
“Lekker” – means ‘nice’ in Afrikaans, my native language (South Africa).
Good communicator.
Exchange my doubt into confidence.
Catching a great woman like my wife.
I would come back as a dog, they have the greatest time.
South Africa, Cape Town.
My little Martin guitar.
Losing a child.
Being a designer.
My Smile.
Loyalty.
John Bevere, Craig Groeschel.
Captain America.
Nelson Mandela. He had a big impact in South Africa and I admire him very much.
My dad
My previous Physiotherapy boss
The head Pastor at our church – Inspirational man
Alexander, Joshua, Daniel.
Tomatoes.
Not being more confident when I was younger.
Without me knowing it.
Don’t be afraid of failing and when you do fail, stand up and fight harder.
“I like to think of my pieces as elegant brutalist pieces.”
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