Who is Ursula Futura? Even two hours in Salzburg’s Café Bazar are not enough to understand the artistic figure in all her facets. And that’s a good thing, because Ursula can’t be pigeonholed. Neither can the creative mastermind behind the design studio or the brand for high-quality glass objects: Kathrin Schaden (née Zelger). For her, Ursula is both an alter ego and a role model – an “embodiment of our bravest self”. A conversation about poetic visions and practical missions.
FACES: Kathrin, who are you?
Kathrin Schaden: I think I am many things. Entrepreneur, mom, friend, partner – but also a designer. And it was precisely this versatility that led me to found Ursula Futura.
F: Who is Ursula to you?
KS: Ursula is an alter ego on the one hand and a role model on the other. I wanted to create a character that reflects many aspects of myself – but also motivates me to be braver, to be more daring, to take the unconventional path. And a character that others can relate to. Ursula dares to do exactly what she feels like doing. She doesn’t think long and hard about what is too little, too much or just right – if it feels good, she just does it. The idea was to create an identity that is inspiring and open at the same time. She embodies courage and independence.
F: So how much Kathrin is in Ursula?
KS: She is perhaps the bravest version of me. When I’m hesitant or unsure, I often ask myself: What would Ursula do? What we share is a very optimistic attitude. Of course, there are days when things don’t work out. But I don’t dwell on this emotion for long. I prefer to ask myself: How can I solve this? And what can I learn from it? I firmly believe that things usually work out – or that there is a good reason why they don’t work out. This is not naïve optimism, but a very active one. I like being in the driver’s seat!
F: How did you come to work with glass?
KS: The path was not entirely linear. I went to a very artistic secondary school – with lots of dance and drawing – but then actually studied law and graduated. At the same time, design has always been an important aspect of my life. So I applied to study design in Hamburg. The concept of design that was propagated there was very open. It wasn’t about strict guidelines, but rather about the question: What can design be? That totally suited me. One of my professors was Julia Lohmann, who made lamps out of sheep stomachs, for example. Very conceptual, very experimental – and with a clear message: design is also attitude. During my studies, I went to Israel for a year abroad, came back to Hamburg for my degree – and then went back to Tel Aviv to work there. I ended up at an agency that specialized in designer collaborations. We designed large installations in Milan, real worlds of experience. I found it incredibly exciting how it is possible to create a feeling for a brand without directly showing products. I remember an exhibition by Cos – there wasn’t a single item of clothing on display. But you immediately understood what the brand stood for. Back in Austria, I worked briefly as Head of Brand for a luxury hotel chain. Then came Corona. And short-time work gave me time to ask myself a very honest question: What do I really want to do? The answer quickly became clear: my own thing.
“Glass reminds me how important it is to be careful.”
F: So then came the glass…
KS: For a long time, I had felt the need to work with water and light – two elements that fascinate me greatly. Glass was an obvious material. It has this liquid quality, then becomes solid, it is transparent, it refracts light – that totally appealed to me. I then reactivated contacts, absolute specialists in the field of glassblowing, from my time in the hotel industry in the Czech Republic, made sketches, asked if I could produce with them – and then it started. The first collection was created step by step.
F: How much courage did this step require?
KS: A lot. Looking back, it often sounds so easy – you just “set up your own business” – but it was a big leap into the unknown. And of course there were also a lot of doubts: Will anyone buy it? Is it good enough? Especially when you show your own designs, you make yourself vulnerable. I had worked for other brands for years – suddenly it was about my ideas, my expression. Ursula was important again. I often thought about what she would do. And the answer was: just do it!
F: Is there anything you’ve learned from working with glass that can be applied to life in general?
KS: Yes, quite a lot. When you watch the glassblowers, it’s almost like a dance. They coordinate with each other without words, move so precisely that they don’t burn each other, even though they are working with extremely hot material. There is a lot of communication in this, without words, empathy and trust. And glass itself is such a poetic material. It is strong and fragile at the same time. Fluid, solid. It can take on so many states. I think there’s something very human about it. A strong person can also be fragile. Glass reminds me how important it is to be careful – with things, with our fellow human beings.
F: What inspires you?
KS: That’s difficult to answer because inspiration is not linear. There is no single source of inspiration for me. Sometimes it’s a topic that has been on my mind for a long time. Sometimes it’s a glass-blowing technique that appeals to me. For me, however, inspiration is not something that comes all by itself – rather, it is conscious work. Constant observation, thinking, taking notes. And sometimes it’s not about a concept at all, but about a feeling that I want to convey.
“The most important step is to get into action.”
F: When do you know a product is ready?
KS: That’s an exciting question. The process itself often helps: I make the first glass, realize it’s still too small or unwieldy. Then we make a second or third one until it fits. It’s all about testing: Does it sit well in the hand? Does it hold enough water? At some point, I get the feeling that everything is right. And then sometimes I add something else and realize: now it was too much. The crucial thing is that it feels right at the moment. That the function and aesthetics are right.
F: On your website, you write about a fusion of poetic vision and practical mission – in other words, exactly that mixture of functionality and design that you just mentioned. What is the right balance for you here?
KS: That depends very much on the object we’re talking about. When I think of a drinking glass, it’s an everyday object that you hold in your hand several times a day. The function is very important. My “Wet Bowl”, on the other hand, can be used, but doesn’t have to be. It’s great for serving fruit or pasta, but it can also simply exist as a sculpture without having to fulfill a function. That shifts the balance. But I find the idea very exciting: the function often provides a kind of basic structure over which an emotional level is then placed. Finding the right balance is the key.
F: What do you absolutely need in your studio?
KS: Light. And space, in the sense of room. To be able to leave things lying around and feel how they work.
F: And in your home?
KS: The answer is similar: Light. And a feeling of lightness. Our apartment is deliberately designed to be very bright and colorful, but not overloaded. I like this mixture of art with a wink – and clear, calm surfaces. This allows individual things to shine. And then there are a few pieces that mean a lot to me. Our dining table in Vienna, for example. It’s made of oak and its oval shape is very conducive to communication. A real place for community, if you like. Nobody has to be afraid of spilling anything because the material can withstand it. For me, this again describes the right mix between function and creativity: design must remain open for life.
Q: One last question: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
KS: “Done is better than perfect.” That doesn’t mean that you should act rashly or simply get things done quickly. But I am convinced that it is important not to get lost in perfectionism. The most important step is to get into action – talking to others, going out, sharing ideas. To ask yourself what Ursula would do… just do it! (laughs)
URSULA FUTURA
You can view a glass as a purely functional object – or, much more excitingly, build an entire design studio including an alter ego around the material glass. This is exactly what Kathrin Schaden has done with Ursula Futura. Experimental pieces merge here with functional objects, with the transition as smooth as the glass itself. Emotions, nature and creative collaborations ensure that Ursula Futura never runs out of inspiration.
Enter the fabulous world of Ursula Futura at your own risk – because a shopping spree is guaranteed.
Photos: Susanne Einzenberger, Alberto Mora, Matthias Nemmert
You can find more design inspiration here.
