Design
The Tableware Collection - Emotions Around the Table
Everything begins at the table. This is where flavors, people, and emotions come together. The Tableware Collection, created for Anawa Restaurant and InterContinental Warsaw, is a story of shared experience, designed with relationships and mindful celebration of the moment at its core. Developed in close collaboration with the F&B team and the chefs, we created a dedicated tableware system: a collection of 30 elements that replaced more than 60 previously used forms. Among them are sharing plates, thoughtfully designed to support the idea of a communal table and to build a rich, multisensory dining experience.
Collaboration with Anawa Restaurant and InterContinental Warsaw
Wise Habit Agency for the Future is a strategic agency specializing in design, product development, and strategy. Our projects have gained recognition primarily abroad, being featured in places such as The Glass House in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and MSN in Warsaw. The collaboration with InterContinental Warsaw for Anawa Restaurant marks our first commercial project of this kind, where the entire collection was created in close cooperation with the client, tailored to their specific needs.
Anawa is a newly established space within the InterContinental - a place where time takes on a new dimension. Every bite becomes a moment of contemplation, and every conversation at the table builds connection. Here, true respect means celebrating not only flavor but the entire ritual of shared dining in its most beautiful form.
We were united by a passion for quality and a shared vision that places the guest at the center. Our goal is to design and create experiences that stay in memory and invite people to return.
Emotions Around the Table
Guided by the key values of the space: tradition, local rituals, and Warsaw’s modernity and innovation, we gradually cultivated warmth and emotion around the shared table. The combination of dishes and their presentation, framed by our porcelain, creates a complete and immersive experience. The tableware acts as a subtle supporting player, providing structure while allowing the food to remain at the center of attention.
The concept of the sharing plates draws on the tradition of communal meals and the act of sharing. Dishes designed for sharing harmonize with versatile tableware, interwoven across the table. By providing a backdrop, support, and a sensory foundation, they enhance the visual, tactile, and gustatory experience.
Experimental dishes in a limited edition introduce a new sharing-plate concept, exploring novel flavors, techniques, and presentation styles in an intimate setting. This approach allows guests to focus on the flavors, savor the moment, and share meaningful connections at the table.
Adaptive Design - Tableware as a System
In the spirit of adaptive design, we created a tableware system for Anawa consisting of 30 elements, replacing over 60 previous products. Each piece was developed in close collaboration with the InterContinental F&B team and executive chefs.
The porcelain was crafted in a Wałbrzych manufactory, made from high-quality porcelain clay and finished with a satin, unglazed surface, giving it elegance and refinement. Its matte texture develops smoothness and depth of color over time, providing subtle, tactile sensory experiences.
The system combines traditional artistic principles with an adaptive approach to ceramic design. The tableware is configurable and actively engages diners in a full culinary experience. It does not compete with the cuisine but subtly enhances it, creating a cohesive, multi-sensory experience at the table.
Blending Tradition and Innovation
In our design work, we drew inspiration, among other sources, from the approach of InterContinental’s chefs, who seamlessly combine tradition with innovation. We merged traditional table elements, such as a knife stand inspired by old Warsaw, with a modern approach to tableware design in the spirit of adaptive design.
While the chefs approach every ingredient with care and respect, for us the key ingredient is the material itself. That is why we focused on porcelain, glass, and metal in this project.
Warsaw’s culinary philosophy embraces tradition while evolving - blending historical influences with a contemporary approach. It tells a story of adaptation and cultural diversity, making Warsaw’s gastronomy scene one of the most fascinating in Poland.
Local Production
InterContinental is a global brand, and our goal was to combine global thinking with local production. The objects we designed are simple yet universal, making them appreciated by guests from all over the world, regardless of culture or origin.
Our idea of locality goes beyond production in the Wałbrzych manufactory. It also draws inspiration from Warsaw - its table culture, local traditions, and architectural elements, which we translated into the collection.
Locality also encompasses sustainability, which at InterContinental is realized in practice through the Journey of Tomorrow program. The Warsaw F&B team actively promotes this initiative, serving as a living example of shared care for the planet.
In addition to local production, we introduced another dimension of sustainability: some elements of the collection were sourced through Warsaw circular economy, giving them a second life and creating a tangible connection between innovation and the city’s dining traditions.
Let’s Meet at the Table
The project for Anawa and InterContinental offers a thoughtful, meaningful, and fresh approach to a true dining experience: savoring exceptional dishes, celebrating the moment, and being together at the table. As co-creators of this project, we warmly invite you to share in these special moments.
In Polish culture, coziness is deeply rooted in simple, natural pleasures: a warm loaf of bread, fresh flowers, or the comfort of a home filled with life and tradition. These elements create an atmosphere of warmth and nostalgia with a uniquely Polish character.
Let’s come together at the table and enjoy this exceptional experience.
Wise Habit Team.
Join us on social media and stay tuned.