Stone Furniture

Fuerza stool by Joel Escalona Limited edition of 9 Dimensions: D 150 x W 90 x H 74 cm Materials: oak wood, Negro Monterrey marble. Natural white...

Set of 6 crystal wine glasses. Gold edges and a very elegant. Comes with original Box. Impeccable.

The lightweight structure supports an interesting natural stone surface with its unique texture, unrepeatable between one piece and another. The auxiliary tables are inspired by the...

Volcanic Shade of Marble IV Golden calacatta marble, natural stone Pineapple onyx marble 13.7 x 13.7 x 17.1 in Serving as a visual metaphor for volcanoes that, through thei...

Volcanic Shade of Marble III by Sten Studio Golden calacatta marble, natural stone 14.9 x 14.9 x 15.9 in Serving as a visual metaphor for volcanoes that, through their craters, open ...

Volcanic Shade of Marble IV Golden calacatta marble, natural stone Pineapple onyx marble 13.7 x 13.7 x 17.1 in Serving as a visual metaphor for volcanoes that, through thei...

Teardrop marble wall lamp by Atra Design. Dimensions: D 28 x W 15 x H 38 cm Materials: Taj Mahal marble, brass Atra Design We are Atra, a furnitu...

Noviembre VII Console Table in Oak Wood, Marble Top, Sideboard by Joel Escalona The Noviembre collection is inspired by the creative values of Constantin Brancusi, a Romanian scul...

Yacaman table lamp by Sombra Design Limited Edition of 25 Dimensions: D31 x H22 cm Materials: Recinto stone, leather and aluminium. All our lamps can be wired according to each...

Volcanic Shade of Marble II by Sten Studio Golden calacatta marble, natural stone 13.2 x 13.2 x 16.9 in Serving as a visual metaphor for volcanoes that, through their craters, ope...

VI Sexta side table by Joel Escalona Dimensions: D 50 x W 50 x H 55 cm Materials: oak woo, Negro Monterrey marble. Auxiliary table made of natural white oak and Negro Monterrey ...

Tazón Alto Galeana bowl by Jorge Diego Etienne Limited Edition of 10 + 1 AP Dimensions: D 25 x W 25 x H 12.5 cm Material: alabaster Galeana is a collection of 6 objects designe...

River by Estudio Raffreyre Dimensions: W 200 x 400 cm Materials: Hanging Fibers ESTUDIO RF is located in Lima, Peru. We are dedicated to the research of the contemporary habitat...

Antonia dresser by Lorena Vieyra Dimensions: D 120 x W 47 x H 160 cm Materials: walnut wood, Calcatta marble. Dressing table made of walnut and steel. Includes mirror without di...

XV Décima Quinta credenza by Joel Escalona Dimensions: D 180 x W 75 x H 50 cm Materials: oak wood, marble. Credenza made of white oak with marble details. Joel Escalona He w...

Beautiful pots created in the eighteenth century at the time of the empire, with beautiful details and jeweled materials.

XII Doceava dining table by Joel Escalona. Dimensions: D 240 x W 120 x H 78 cm Materials: oak wood, metal, Negro Monterrey marble. White oak with metal base and Negro Monterrey ...

Plates in Monterrey black marble. Handmade in Mexico by local craftsmen. Dimensions: Small: 20 D x 20 W x 2 H cm Medium: 16 D x 16 W x 2 H cm Large: 12 D x 12 W x 2 H cm. Product...

Magnificent brass and copper fluh mount with a cut crystal frosted globe. Both the brass and copper parts have great patina and you can see the golden shine where it has rubbed off...

Fuerza stool by Joel Escalona Limited Edition of 9 Dimensions: D 40 x W 32 x H 45 cm Materials: oak wood, Negro Monterrey marble. Solid white oa...

Boomerang sideboard by Arturo Verástegui Dimensions: D 200 x W 90 x H 50 cm Materials: walnut wood, metal, Negro Monterrey marble. Walnut with black electro-painted metal and Ne...

Set of 2 Antropología side tables by Raúl de la Cerda Dimensions: D 40 x W 40 x H 50 cm Materials: oak wood, Negro Monterrey marble. Solid holm white oak with Negro Monterrey ma...

Arquería Ocasional Side Table by Algo Studio Dimensions: D 42 x W 46 x H 54 cm. Materials: Plywood, foamular, PVA glue, sand, pigments, polyurethane and granite. Weight: 25 kg. ...

Lea side table by Germán Velasco Dimensions: D 45 x H 140 cm Materials: steel, Calcatta marble. Auxiliary reading table made of Calacatta marble, steel and electrostatic paint. ...

Contemporary marble nesting tables with beautiful hand carved dotted pattern. This tables are surely fun and easy to look and will definitely be an outstanding addition to any space....

The lightweight structure supports an interesting natural stone surface with its unique texture, unrepeatable between one piece and another. The auxiliary tables are inspired by the...

Volcanic Shade of Marble III by Sten Studio Golden calacatta marble, natural stone 14.9 x 14.9 x 15.9 in Serving as a visual metaphor for volcanoes that, through their craters, op...

Set of 3 Tres tables by Andrea Cesarman Dimensions: D 152 x W 152 x H 40 cm Materials: Chechen wood, oxidized steel, Black Sahara marble Coffee tables made in Chechen, oxidized ...

Volcanic Shade of Marble IV Golden calacatta marble, natural stone Pineapple onyx marble 13.7 x 13.7 x 17.1 in Serving as a visual metaphor for volcanoes that, through thei...

Molcajete stool by Casa Gutiérrez Nájer (2021) Dimensions: 33ø x 33h cm Materials: Colorada Stone Since its opening day back in 2011, Casa Gutiérrez Nájera design gallery has be...

Monterrey black marble serving tray. Production time: 6-8 weeks for items without marble / 13-14 weeks for marble pieces. Shipping +10 addit...

Pair of Art Deco Sconces manufactured in hand cut crystal and a metal frame. There is a matching chandelier listed separately in our shop. They each hold 1 e14 bulb. measurments: ...

The source of inspiration is the home of the bees called hives. The honeycomb has a very distinctive hexagonal pattern where we can find the honey, its color will depend on the type ...

Contemporary marble nesting tables with beautiful hand carved dotted pattern. This tables are surely fun and easy to look and will definitely be an outstanding addition to any space....

Gravedad sideboard by Joel Escalona Limited Edition of 9 Dimensions: D 200 x W 80 x H 50 cm Materials: oak wood, Petra Grey marble, steel. Conso...

The lightweight structure supports an interesting natural stone surface with its unique texture, unrepeatable between one piece and another. The auxiliary tables are inspired by the...

Noviembre VI Side Table, Night Stand in Oak Wood and Marble Top by Joel Escalona The Noviembre collection is inspired by the creative values of Constantin Brancusi, a Romanian scu...

One can discover the hand carved mountain underneath by peeking in the lower mirror top. The tabletop is made of a carved block of Monterrey marble or Huichapan marble according to t...

Crafted with precision, the base of the Samara Console Table is meticulously fashioned from Tzalam wood, a Mexican hardwood known for its rich tones and durability. The top, a stunni...

The lightweight structure supports an interesting natural stone surface with its unique texture, unrepeatable between one piece and another. The auxiliary tables are inspired by the...

The collection of temple sculptures are inspired by the postclassic period of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican ceremonial architecture from the center and south of what today makes up the country of Mexico. Temple central is a 3-piece detachable sculpture. Crafted and finished on the shores of Lake Cajititlán, Jalisco, Mexico. This area is recognized for its extensive amount of basalt stone traditionally used to make molcajetes. This type of stone is recolected manually and is a material known for its hardness and aesthetic appeal and texture. Various pre-Hispanic sculptures...

The lightweight structure supports an interesting natural stone surface with its unique texture, unrepeatable between one piece and another. The auxiliary tables are inspired by the...

Noviembre XIX, Console Table in Wood inspired by Brancusi, Sideboard by Joel Escalona The Noviembre collection is inspired by the creative values of Constantin Brancusi, a Romani...

The lightweight structure supports an interesting natural stone surface with its unique texture, unrepeatable between one piece and another. The auxiliary tables are inspired by the...

Side table in carved black Monterrey marble. Handmade in Mexico. Production time: 6-8 weeks for items without marble / 13-14 weeks for marble pieces. Shipping +10 additional busines...

Amazonas Table by Ayres Dimensions: W 120 x D 80 x H 62.5 cm. Materials: Marble. In the great culture of the amazonas, they always believe the con...

Configurable Geometry II by Sten Studio Obsidian, stainless steel and natural stone 15.7 x 17.7W x 18.5H in The geological meeting between materials produces forms whose geo...

These marble bookends from Casa Almasi are an exquisite addition to any home or event, crafted by skilled Mexican artisans. These bookends are available in five different types of ma...

Volcanic Shade II by Sten Studio Blue calcite marble Lava stone and natural stone 13.2 x 13.2 x 16.9 in Serving as a visual metaphor for volcanoes that, through their crate...

Arrebol Tibor diffuser by STUDIOROCA Dimensions: W 18 x D 18 x H 30.5 cm Materials: Volcanic rock, polished brass plated steel, glass. Includes 1 essential oil 20mL bottle. STUDIOROCA is a Mexico City design studio focused on architecture, interior design and contemporary furniture. Its penchant for collaboration, the promotion of local talent, artisanal skills and natural materials, and its ever-present pull toward sustainable practices have seen the studio create highly emotive environments and unique functional pieces that speak of a forward-thinking, borderless approach to design. Intro Through architecture, interior design and furniture, STUDIOROCA portrays a distinct Mexican aesthetic, where sophisticated, elegant designs become bold statements of strong masculine lines and dark moody shades that contrast dramatically with elongated curves and highly textured surfaces. Based in Mexico City, the studio has, since its inception, offered much more than simple design solutions, its impetus always being to meaningfully improve lives through design. By promoting, supporting and offering a platform for other Mexican designers in its two stores in Polanco and Condesa, STUDIOROCA has been at the forefront of the modern-day Mexican design movement for over 15 years. The studio’s ability to artfully blend its own architecture and interior design with both local and international product is testament to its glocal outlook. While proudly Mexican and inherently influenced by the country’s culture and craftsmanship, its designs talk to a cosmopolitan, international sense of style. STUDIOROCA’s respect for the environment and reverence of traditional skills has led to the pursuit of sustainable practices, while its affinity for collaboration and promotion of artisanal skills has seen the studio produce work in conjunction with countless talented designers and craftspeople. Its confidently utilitarian designs are the result of risk-taking, boundary-pushing processes that emerge from STUDIOROCA’s constant quest to establish innovative solutions, while simultaneously respecting each of its projects’ unique locations, incorporating the surrounding environment into the design language. Working closely with clients, a personal rapport ensures delving into the core of every design requirement, leading to the ultimate achievement of deeply embedded needs. Ultimately, what STUDIOROCA presents is a fresh iteration of Mexican design, a version which is at once moving, intoxicating and comforting. History STUDIOROCA was founded by Carlos Acosta and Rodrigo Alegre. When, in 2002, the two independent Mexico City architects were commissioned to work collaboratively on the architecture and interiors of a new spa, they were frustrated by the lack of affordable furniture available, and embarked on designing their own pieces for the project. And so STUDIOROCA was born. Initially a furniture store in the heart of the then up-and-coming leafy suburb of Condesa, it has developed into a fully fledged architecture and interior-design studio, with another store in the city’s high-end design district of Polanco, which opened in 2011. Its line of furniture, all designed and manufactured in Mexico, had humble production beginnings in a small kitchen-design factory, a foundation that has carried through into the studio’s current philosophy of small-scale, high-quality production. In conjunction with its own range of functional pieces, STUDIOROCA has always invited other local designers to showcase their work in its two stores, and, what started with three additional designers’ pieces in 2002, has led to collaborations with many more, now presenting the limited-edition work of 28 Mexican designers through its UNION- brand, while continuing to retail exclusive international brands such as Tom Dixon, Moooi and GAN. 2 More recently, the studio’s architectural and interior projects have included large housing developments and hotels, fully employing STUDIOROCA’s 360-degree approach to design. Founders and team Architects by training, founders Carlos Acosta and Rodrigo Alegre prefer to follow an unconventional, integrated model of design that incorporates its many varied facets, allowing their two unique approaches to complement one another. Rodrigo, who graduated from Universidad Anáhuac Norte, is able to envision how color and texture will combine as he explores the emotive nuances he wishes to create within a new environment. His abstract thoughts are brought to life by Carlos, the rational half of the design duo. Trained at Universidad Iberoamericana, with a student exchange to the University of Texas, Carlos’ ability to grasp volumes and spaces brings dreams to fruition through the perfect positioning of wall divisions, furniture pieces and light-streaming windows. Their small dedicated team of designers and architects plays an integral role in realizing the studio’s ambitious visions, with over 200 projects having been completed by this intimate team. Beyond designing, these passionate professionals offer practical solutions, bringing their experience in all forms of design to manifest in big-picture thinking that pays attention to detail, celebrates collaboration and goes the extra mile. The approachable, personal style with which the STUDIOROCA team works is a reflection on the responsibility its people place on themselves as architects and designers who venture beyond the drawing board. Sustainability STUDIOROCA’s focus on sustainability has seen the company establish itself as a trailblazer in the realization of buildings and furniture pieces that are produced with a sense of conscience and responsibility, taking into account the full production chain, from material source to distribution of wealth. The studio has done away with environmentally harmful varnishes on its furniture pieces, and now only use FSC-certified hardwood. It also pledges to keep materials to a minimum, a consideration most appreciated in its 77 range of furniture, where only the necessary functional structures have been designed, and where small leftover pieces of wood from bigger cuts are utilized, rather than sourcing new pieces. This approach continues in its architecture and interior designs, with 80% of materials sourced locally. This, coupled with its use of solar panels, the harvesting of rainwater, and the inclusion of indigenous gardens in its projects, has led to STUDIOROCA’s application for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which is currently under review. For the studio, sustainability has a much further reach than the natural environment, however. Its projects take into account social, cultural and economic sustainability too, by ensuring its production chain – from the craftspeople producing hand-worked elements, to its low-environmental-impact manufacturing line – all sits within Mexico so that the 3 communities benefiting financially are those who have been an integral part of the process. Architecture In STUDIOROCA’s architectural projects, authentic materials that are true to their Mexican origin, such as local mountain rocks, regional marble and indigenous wood, are utilized in new ways to highlight their natural rawness, deep texture and prized imperfections, imbuing buildings with unique character. It’s through such character that every structure portrays its personality, suited to the people who live, work and relax within it. This unpretentious use of materials follows through to metals, which are encouraged to rust and patinate as the building interacts with nature’s elements and becomes part of the environment surrounding it, giving projects an essential sense of place, where the here and now is as important as the then and there. Interior design STUDIOROCA’s interior style leans toward textured materials and dark hues contrasted with paler wood and lighter accent tones. These evocative, luxurious interiors are enlivened by carefully considered lighting that enhances the tonality of moody dark browns, deep blues and a spectrum of blacks, and highlights textures through illuminated reflections. Where environments dictate a paler palette, textures and materials make up the necessary contrast. Local willow wood on wall panels, flooring made from recinto volcanic rock, and countertops decorated with Mexico’s retapado marble become talking points, made even more appealing with plant life and greenery introduced indoors. Furniture Combining its deep respect for handcrafted, artisanal product, and its future-forward approach to technology and innovation, STUDIOROCA’s range of furniture places emphasis on high-quality offerings, producing its ranges in low quantities, often customized to suit the specific requirements of its varied projects. Veering away from industrialized production lines, it employs sophisticated hand-worked machinery, in line with its approach to sustainability and simplicity. The studio’s premiere collection (2002-2008) was shaped by a groundbreaking application of materials and forms, resulting in award-winning designs that set contemporary Mexican design on the map. Pieces from this collection were shown at Fabrica Mexicana and Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City and in the MoMA store in New York. The 2008 Eco collection initiated a change in the production of STUDIOROCA’s furniture pieces, adapting a sustainable view regarding design – a philosophy that continues to guide the studio’s practices today. Sourcing FSC-certified wood, eliminating varnishes, and using local materials wherever possible, this collection was the start of a conscious undertaking to work with local artisans and support local industry, an outlook that was celebrated at the launch of the Eco range at the Mexican Gallery...

Crafted from 3 carefully constructed blocks, the curved figure of the M_005 Bench emphasizes the connection between its parts. It’s heavily proportioned parts appear to ‘float’ effor...

Arrebol Rayado Side Table by STUDIOROCA Dimensions: W 30 x D 30 x H 50 cm Materials: Stone, Brass Plated Steel STUDIOROCA is a Mexico City design studio focused on architecture, interior design and contemporary furniture. Its penchant for collaboration, the promotion of local talent, artisanal skills and natural materials, and its ever-present pull toward sustainable practices have seen the studio create highly emotive environments and unique functional pieces that speak of a forward-thinking, borderless approach to design. Intro Through architecture, interior design and furniture, STUDIOROCA portrays a distinct Mexican aesthetic, where sophisticated, elegant designs become bold statements of strong masculine lines and dark moody shades that contrast dramatically with elongated curves and highly textured surfaces. Based in Mexico City, the studio has, since its inception, offered much more than simple design solutions, its impetus always being to meaningfully improve lives through design. By promoting, supporting and offering a platform for other Mexican designers in its two stores in Polanco and Condesa, STUDIOROCA has been at the forefront of the modern-day Mexican design movement for over 15 years. The studio’s ability to artfully blend its own architecture and interior design with both local and international product is testament to its glocal outlook. While proudly Mexican and inherently influenced by the country’s culture and craftsmanship, its designs talk to a cosmopolitan, international sense of style. STUDIOROCA’s respect for the environment and reverence of traditional skills has led to the pursuit of sustainable practices, while its affinity for collaboration and promotion of artisanal skills has seen the studio produce work in conjunction with countless talented designers and craftspeople. Its confidently utilitarian designs are the result of risk-taking, boundary-pushing processes that emerge from STUDIOROCA’s constant quest to establish innovative solutions, while simultaneously respecting each of its projects’ unique locations, incorporating the surrounding environment into the design language. Working closely with clients, a personal rapport ensures delving into the core of every design requirement, leading to the ultimate achievement of deeply embedded needs. Ultimately, what STUDIOROCA presents is a fresh iteration of Mexican design, a version which is at once moving, intoxicating and comforting. History STUDIOROCA was founded by Carlos Acosta and Rodrigo Alegre. When, in 2002, the two independent Mexico City architects were commissioned to work collaboratively on the architecture and interiors of a new spa, they were frustrated by the lack of affordable furniture available, and embarked on designing their own pieces for the project. And so STUDIOROCA was born. Initially a furniture store in the heart of the then up-and-coming leafy suburb of Condesa, it has developed into a fully fledged architecture and interior-design studio, with another store in the city’s high-end design district of Polanco, which opened in 2011. Its line of furniture, all designed and manufactured in Mexico, had humble production beginnings in a small kitchen-design factory, a foundation that has carried through into the studio’s current philosophy of small-scale, high-quality production. In conjunction with its own range of functional pieces, STUDIOROCA has always invited other local designers to showcase their work in its two stores, and, what started with three additional designers’ pieces in 2002, has led to collaborations with many more, now presenting the limited-edition work of 28 Mexican designers through its UNION- brand, while continuing to retail exclusive international brands such as Tom Dixon, Moooi and GAN. 2 More recently, the studio’s architectural and interior projects have included large housing developments and hotels, fully employing STUDIOROCA’s 360-degree approach to design. Founders and team Architects by training, founders Carlos Acosta and Rodrigo Alegre prefer to follow an unconventional, integrated model of design that incorporates its many varied facets, allowing their two unique approaches to complement one another. Rodrigo, who graduated from Universidad Anáhuac Norte, is able to envision how color and texture will combine as he explores the emotive nuances he wishes to create within a new environment. His abstract thoughts are brought to life by Carlos, the rational half of the design duo. Trained at Universidad Iberoamericana, with a student exchange to the University of Texas, Carlos’ ability to grasp volumes and spaces brings dreams to fruition through the perfect positioning of wall divisions, furniture pieces and light-streaming windows. Their small dedicated team of designers and architects plays an integral role in realizing the studio’s ambitious visions, with over 200 projects having been completed by this intimate team. Beyond designing, these passionate professionals offer practical solutions, bringing their experience in all forms of design to manifest in big-picture thinking that pays attention to detail, celebrates collaboration and goes the extra mile. The approachable, personal style with which the STUDIOROCA team works is a reflection on the responsibility its people place on themselves as architects and designers who venture beyond the drawing board. Sustainability STUDIOROCA’s focus on sustainability has seen the company establish itself as a trailblazer in the realization of buildings and furniture pieces that are produced with a sense of conscience and responsibility, taking into account the full production chain, from material source to distribution of wealth. The studio has done away with environmentally harmful varnishes on its furniture pieces, and now only use FSC-certified hardwood. It also pledges to keep materials to a minimum, a consideration most appreciated in its 77 range of furniture, where only the necessary functional structures have been designed, and where small leftover pieces of wood from bigger cuts are utilized, rather than sourcing new pieces. This approach continues in its architecture and interior designs, with 80% of materials sourced locally. This, coupled with its use of solar panels, the harvesting of rainwater, and the inclusion of indigenous gardens in its projects, has led to STUDIOROCA’s application for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which is currently under review. For the studio, sustainability has a much further reach than the natural environment, however. Its projects take into account social, cultural and economic sustainability too, by ensuring its production chain – from the craftspeople producing hand-worked elements, to its low-environmental-impact manufacturing line – all sits within Mexico so that the 3 communities benefiting financially are those who have been an integral part of the process. Architecture In STUDIOROCA’s architectural projects, authentic materials that are true to their Mexican origin, such as local mountain rocks, regional marble and indigenous wood, are utilized in new ways to highlight their natural rawness, deep texture and prized imperfections, imbuing buildings with unique character. It’s through such character that every structure portrays its personality, suited to the people who live, work and relax within it. This unpretentious use of materials follows through to metals, which are encouraged to rust and patinate as the building interacts with nature’s elements and becomes part of the environment surrounding it, giving projects an essential sense of place, where the here and now is as important as the then and there. Interior design STUDIOROCA’s interior style leans toward textured materials and dark hues contrasted with paler wood and lighter accent tones. These evocative, luxurious interiors are enlivened by carefully considered lighting that enhances the tonality of moody dark browns, deep blues and a spectrum of blacks, and highlights textures through illuminated reflections. Where environments dictate a paler palette, textures and materials make up the necessary contrast. Local willow wood on wall panels, flooring made from recinto volcanic rock, and countertops decorated with Mexico’s retapado marble become talking points, made even more appealing with plant life and greenery introduced indoors. Furniture Combining its deep respect for handcrafted, artisanal product, and its future-forward approach to technology and innovation, STUDIOROCA’s range of furniture places emphasis on high-quality offerings, producing its ranges in low quantities, often customized to suit the specific requirements of its varied projects. Veering away from industrialized production lines, it employs sophisticated hand-worked machinery, in line with its approach to sustainability and simplicity. The studio’s premiere collection (2002-2008) was shaped by a groundbreaking application of materials and forms, resulting in award-winning designs that set contemporary Mexican design on the map. Pieces from this collection were shown at Fabrica Mexicana and Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City and in the MoMA store in New York. The 2008 Eco collection initiated a change in the production of STUDIOROCA’s furniture pieces, adapting a sustainable view regarding design – a philosophy that continues to guide the studio’s practices today. Sourcing FSC-certified wood, eliminating varnishes, and using local materials wherever possible, this collection was the start of a conscious undertaking to work with local artisans and support local industry, an outlook that was celebrated at the launch of the Eco range at the Mexican Gallery...

This, in turn, puts the smoothness of the upper bowl in sharp relief. The intricate detailing gives the Massena glass the appearance of impressive heft, as if it were a modern-day ch...

Perspicere console by Andres Monnier One of a Kind. Dimensions: W 30 x L 150 x H 100 cm. Materials: Coralina Clasica. Stone Options Available: Grey, Black and White Marble, Natur...

Rebeca Cors (México,1988). Cors' work oscillates between sculpture and function, studying its limits and meeting points. As a result, Cors creates abstract sculptures -and- utility sculpture...

Fractus sculptural seating by Andres Monnier. One of a Kind. Dimensions: W 50 x L 90 x H 50 cm. Materials: Coralina clasica. Stone options available...

Sprawling galaxies by Sten Studio Semi-precious stones, copper pleated brass Scene available with different options. Semi-precious stones, copper pleated brass Galaxies are systems...

Arrebol Escalonado by Studioroca. Dimensions: 18 x 18 x 30.5 cm. Materials: volcanics rocks essential oils diffuser. Studioroca is a Mexico City design studio focused on architecture, interior design and contemporary furniture. Its penchant for collaboration, the promotion of local talent, artisanal skills and natural materials, and its ever-present pull toward sustainable practices have seen the studio create highly emotive environments and unique functional pieces that speak of a forward-thinking, borderless approach to design. Intro Through architecture, interior design and furniture, STUDIOROCA portrays a distinct Mexican aesthetic, where sophisticated, elegant designs become bold statements of strong masculine lines and dark moody shades that contrast dramatically with elongated curves and highly textured surfaces. Based in Mexico City, the studio has, since its inception, offered much more than simple design solutions, its impetus always being to meaningfully improve lives through design. By promoting, supporting and offering a platform for other Mexican designers in its two stores in Polanco and Condesa, STUDIOROCA has been at the forefront of the modern-day Mexican design movement for over 15 years. The studio’s ability to artfully blend its own architecture and interior design with both local and international product is testament to its glocal outlook. While proudly Mexican and inherently influenced by the country’s culture and craftsmanship, its designs talk to a cosmopolitan, international sense of style. STUDIOROCA’s respect for the environment and reverence of traditional skills has led to the pursuit of sustainable practices, while its affinity for collaboration and promotion of artisanal skills has seen the studio produce work in conjunction with countless talented designers and craftspeople. Its confidently utilitarian designs are the result of risk-taking, boundary-pushing processes that emerge from STUDIOROCA’s constant quest to establish innovative solutions, while simultaneously respecting each of its projects’ unique locations, incorporating the surrounding environment into the design language. Working closely with clients, a personal rapport ensures delving into the core of every design requirement, leading to the ultimate achievement of deeply embedded needs. Ultimately, what STUDIOROCA presents is a fresh iteration of Mexican design, a version which is at once moving, intoxicating and comforting. History STUDIOROCA was founded by Carlos Acosta and Rodrigo Alegre. When, in 2002, the two independent Mexico City architects were commissioned to work collaboratively on the architecture and interiors of a new spa, they were frustrated by the lack of affordable furniture available, and embarked on designing their own pieces for the project. And so STUDIOROCA was born. Initially a furniture store in the heart of the then up-and-coming leafy suburb of Condesa, it has developed into a fully fledged architecture and interior-design studio, with another store in the city’s high-end design district of Polanco, which opened in 2011. Its line of furniture, all designed and manufactured in Mexico, had humble production beginnings in a small kitchen-design factory, a foundation that has carried through into the studio’s current philosophy of small-scale, high-quality production. In conjunction with its own range of functional pieces, STUDIOROCA has always invited other local designers to showcase their work in its two stores, and, what started with three additional designers’ pieces in 2002, has led to collaborations with many more, now presenting the limited-edition work of 28 Mexican designers through its UNION- brand, while continuing to retail exclusive international brands such as Tom Dixon, Moooi and GAN. 2 More recently, the studio’s architectural and interior projects have included large housing developments and hotels, fully employing STUDIOROCA’s 360-degree approach to design. Founders and team Architects by training, founders Carlos Acosta and Rodrigo Alegre prefer to follow an unconventional, integrated model of design that incorporates its many varied facets, allowing their two unique approaches to complement one another. Rodrigo, who graduated from Universidad Anáhuac Norte, is able to envision how color and texture will combine as he explores the emotive nuances he wishes to create within a new environment. His abstract thoughts are brought to life by Carlos, the rational half of the design duo. Trained at Universidad Iberoamericana, with a student exchange to the University of Texas, Carlos’ ability to grasp volumes and spaces brings dreams to fruition through the perfect positioning of wall divisions, furniture pieces and light-streaming windows. Their small dedicated team of designers and architects plays an integral role in realizing the studio’s ambitious visions, with over 200 projects having been completed by this intimate team. Beyond designing, these passionate professionals offer practical solutions, bringing their experience in all forms of design to manifest in big-picture thinking that pays attention to detail, celebrates collaboration and goes the extra mile. The approachable, personal style with which the STUDIOROCA team works is a reflection on the responsibility its people place on themselves as architects and designers who venture beyond the drawing board. Sustainability STUDIOROCA’s focus on sustainability has seen the company establish itself as a trailblazer in the realization of buildings and furniture pieces that are produced with a sense of conscience and responsibility, taking into account the full production chain, from material source to distribution of wealth. The studio has done away with environmentally harmful varnishes on its furniture pieces, and now only use FSC-certified hardwood. It also pledges to keep materials to a minimum, a consideration most appreciated in its 77 range of furniture, where only the necessary functional structures have been designed, and where small leftover pieces of wood from bigger cuts are utilized, rather than sourcing new pieces. This approach continues in its architecture and interior designs, with 80% of materials sourced locally. This, coupled with its use of solar panels, the harvesting of rainwater, and the inclusion of indigenous gardens in its projects, has led to STUDIOROCA’s application for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which is currently under review. For the studio, sustainability has a much further reach than the natural environment, however. Its projects take into account social, cultural and economic sustainability too, by ensuring its production chain – from the craftspeople producing hand-worked elements, to its low-environmental-impact manufacturing line – all sits within Mexico so that the 3 communities benefiting financially are those who have been an integral part of the process. Architecture In STUDIOROCA’s architectural projects, authentic materials that are true to their Mexican origin, such as local mountain rocks, regional marble and indigenous wood, are utilized in new ways to highlight their natural rawness, deep texture and prized imperfections, imbuing buildings with unique character. It’s through such character that every structure portrays its personality, suited to the people who live, work and relax within it. This unpretentious use of materials follows through to metals, which are encouraged to rust and patinate as the building interacts with nature’s elements and becomes part of the environment surrounding it, giving projects an essential sense of place, where the here and now is as important as the then and there. Interior design STUDIOROCA’s interior style leans toward textured materials and dark hues contrasted with paler wood and lighter accent tones. These evocative, luxurious interiors are enlivened by carefully considered lighting that enhances the tonality of moody dark browns, deep blues and a spectrum of blacks, and highlights textures through illuminated reflections. Where environments dictate a paler palette, textures and materials make up the necessary contrast. Local willow wood on wall panels, flooring made from recinto volcanic rock, and countertops decorated with Mexico’s retapado marble become talking points, made even more appealing with plant life and greenery introduced indoors. Furniture Combining its deep respect for handcrafted, artisanal product, and its future-forward approach to technology and innovation, STUDIOROCA’s range of furniture places emphasis on high-quality offerings, producing its ranges in low quantities, often customized to suit the specific requirements of its varied projects. Veering away from industrialized production lines, it employs sophisticated hand-worked machinery, in line with its approach to sustainability and simplicity. The studio’s premiere collection (2002-2008) was shaped by a groundbreaking application of materials and forms, resulting in award-winning designs that set contemporary Mexican design on the map. Pieces from this collection were shown at Fabrica Mexicana and Museo de Arte Moderno in Mexico City and in the MoMA store in New York. The 2008 Eco collection initiated a change in the production of STUDIOROCA’s furniture pieces, adapting a sustainable view regarding design – a philosophy that continues to guide the studio’s practices today. Sourcing FSC-certified wood, eliminating varnishes, and using local materials wherever possible, this collection was the start of a conscious undertaking to work with local artisans and support local industry, an outlook that was celebrated at the launch of the Eco range at the Mexican Gallery...