À propos
Doppiocotto means "double fired" in Italian.
It is a direct reference to the ceramics process: every piece made in this studio goes through the kiln twice. The first firing, at around 1000°C, sets the clay and drives out all remaining moisture. The second, at 1220–1280°C, fuses the glaze to the stoneware body and produces a dense, durable, food-safe surface that will stand up to years of daily use.
The name is also, quietly, a nod to espresso. The studio's first collection was a set of handmade espresso cups. They remain at the centre of what Doppiocotto makes.
Bora Cetin — Ceramic Artist
Doppiocotto was founded by Bora Cetin, a ceramic artist based in London.
Bora's practice centres on functional stoneware — objects made to be used, not displayed. Every cup, plate and bowl in the Doppiocotto collection is made by Bora's hands, in the Waterloo studio, using the slab-building technique he has developed and refined over years of practice.
Slab-building is a hand-construction method: clay is rolled into even sheets, cut into precise component forms, and joined together to build a three-dimensional vessel. It is slower and more considered than wheel throwing. The resulting forms have a particular geometry — walls that are even rather than tapered, edges that carry the evidence of hand-cutting, surfaces that hold the impression of the tools and hands that shaped them.
Bora works exclusively with stoneware clay, chosen for its density, its tactility in the hand, and its behaviour in the kiln. Every glaze in the collection is food-safe and has been developed and tested in the studio. Nothing leaves under the Doppiocotto name that Bora would not use on her own table.
The Waterloo Studio
Doppiocotto is based in Waterloo, London SE1.
The studio is a working ceramics space, not a showroom or a branded event venue. The slab roller, the kiln, the drying racks, the glazing equipment — all of it is in active daily use, producing the ceramics you find in the shop. When a new collection is photographed, it is photographed here, against the same walls where it was made.
It is also a teaching space. Doppiocotto runs pottery workshops from the same studio several times a week — participants work with the same clay, the same tools, and the same artist who makes everything in the collection. There is no division between the production studio and the workshop space, because they are the same place.
Waterloo station is a two-minute walk. The South Bank, Borough Market, and the broader SE1 neighbourhood are on the doorstep. It is one of the most accessible locations in central London, and a neighbourhood that has always had a strong concentration of makers, studios and independent businesses.
The Collection
The Doppiocotto collection is built around the rituals of daily life at the table and at the coffee machine.
It begins with coffee ceramics. Espresso cups at 56ml — the precise volume for a single shot. Flat white cups at 150–180ml. Cappuccino cups at 150–200ml. Each size is a decision, not an approximation. A Doppiocotto espresso cup is not approximately the right size for an espresso — it is exactly the right size, because that is how it was designed.
The wider collection includes ceramic mugs, dinner plates, mezze plates, vases, milk jugs and teapots — all made from the same stoneware clay, all slab-built by hand, all finished with glazes chosen for their surface quality as much as their colour.
Every piece is made in small batches. Stock is genuinely limited — not as a device, but because there is one person making everything, one piece at a time. Slight variations in form, glaze distribution and surface texture between pieces are not imperfections. They are evidence of the hand.
Browse our handmade ceramics collection.
Book a pottery class in London.
How Every Piece Is Made
From raw clay to finished ceramic, every Doppiocotto piece follows the same eight-stage process:
Clay preparation: Stoneware clay is wedged by hand — a rhythmic compression process that removes air pockets and homogenises the clay body. It is the first physical decision: how the clay feels, how it responds, what is possible in the making.
Slab rolling: Clay is rolled to a consistent, calibrated thickness using a slab roller. The thickness varies by form: espresso cup walls are thinner than mug walls; plate slabs are rolled to a precise evenness. Inconsistent thickness shows in the kiln.
Cutting and templating: Component forms — base, walls, handle, foot — are cut from the rolled slabs using templates developed for each piece in the collection. The cut pieces are left to firm to a leather-hard state: firm enough to hold their shape when joined, soft enough to bond.
Joining: Components are scored, slipped and joined by hand. Seams are smoothed inside and out. Handles are attached with attention to weight distribution, angle and grip — details that determine how a finished cup feels in the hand.
Drying: Green-ware pieces dry slowly and evenly. Forced drying causes stress cracks. This stage can take several days for larger forms. It cannot be rushed.
Bisque firing: Bone-dry pieces are loaded into the kiln and fired to approximately 1000°C. This first firing — the first of Doppiocotto's two fires — removes all remaining moisture and transforms fragile dried clay into stable, porous bisque-ware.
Glazing: Each bisque piece is glazed individually by hand — dipped, poured, or painted, depending on the form and the effect. Several glazes in the current collection have been refined over years of test firings and have not changed because they do not need to.
Glaze firing: The second and final firing, to 1220–1280°C. At this temperature the glaze fuses to the clay body, the stoneware vitrifies, and the piece acquires its final density, durability and surface character. This is the second fire that gives the studio its name. From here, the piece is done.
The whole process takes two to three weeks per batch. This is not a slow supply chain — it is the time required to make something properly.
What Doppiocotto Is For
There is one question behind every piece Doppiocotto makes: does the handmade version justify the time?
The answer has to be that it is genuinely better — better to hold, better to use, better to look at across a table at seven in the morning. A handmade espresso cup has a weight, a lip geometry, a surface temperature, a presence, that a moulded cup simply does not. It is not precious or fragile. It is just more itself.
Doppiocotto makes functional objects for daily use. They are made with care, in a real studio, by a person in London. That is the whole proposition.
Press & Recognition
Doppiocotto's work has been featured in Meraki magazine and in architectural and design projects including work associated with Philippe Starck and YOO. The studio's ceramics have been collected by customers across the UK and Europe, and its approach to functional stoneware has been cited as a reference point by interior designers and independent coffee businesses.
For press enquiries, image requests, or information about commissions and collaborations, please contact hello@doppiocotto.com.
Pottery Workshops at the Studio
Alongside the ceramics practice, Doppiocotto runs hands-on pottery workshops from the Waterloo studio. Sessions are taught personally by Bora and are designed for complete beginners — no experience is assumed, expected, or required.
Workshops include pottery painting, mug making, plate making, and general hand-building sessions. Private events — hen parties, corporate team-building days, date nights, and birthday celebrations — are available for groups of two to twenty, with exclusive use of the studio for the duration.
Every participant's finished work is glazed and kiln-fired by Bora after the session and ready to collect approximately two to three weeks later.
Get in Touch
The Doppiocotto shop is at doppiocotto.com. All pieces are available to purchase directly online, with shipping to the UK and internationally.
For commissions, bespoke sets, trade or wholesale enquiries, and private workshop bookings, contact hello@doppiocotto.com. Bora reads and replies to every message personally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is behind Doppiocotto?
Doppiocotto was founded by Bora Cetin, a ceramic artist based in London. Bora makes every piece by hand at the studio in Waterloo, SE1. There is no production team and no outsourced manufacturing — every espresso cup, mug and plate comes directly from Bora's hands.
What does Doppiocotto mean?
"Doppiocotto" is Italian for "double fired" — a reference to the twice-fired process: a bisque firing at 1000°C followed by a glaze firing at 1220–1280°C. The name also reflects the espresso culture behind the studio's founding collection.
Where is the Doppiocotto studio?
The studio is in Waterloo, London SE1, a short walk from Waterloo station. Pottery workshops take place here in person. The shop at doppiocotto.com ships worldwide.
What ceramic technique does Doppiocotto use?
Doppiocotto uses the slab-building technique. Stoneware clay is rolled into sheets, cut into forms, and joined by hand — no moulds, no wheel. Each piece takes two to three weeks from raw clay to finished ceramic.
Are Doppiocotto ceramics food-safe and dishwasher-safe?
Yes to both. All pieces are made from food-safe stoneware clay, fired to 1220–1280°C, and finished with food-safe glazes. Dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe. Top rack recommended.
Does Doppiocotto run pottery workshops?
Yes. Pottery workshops run from the Waterloo studio for individuals and private groups. Sessions include pottery painting, mug making, plate making and hand-building. Hen parties, corporate workshops and date nights are all available as private bookings.
Can I commission a bespoke piece?
Yes. Bora accepts commissions for bespoke pieces, matched sets and corporate gifting orders. Contact hello@doppiocotto.com with details.
How long does delivery take?
In-stock items are dispatched within three to five working days. Workshop pieces are glazed and kiln-fired after the session and ready to collect approximately two to three weeks later.