Aro Side Table, by ATRA

The work of architecture and design studio ATRA seamlessly blends the minimalist appeal of Scandinavian modernism with bold Mexican brutalism. Forever seeking to innovate, ATRA founder and creative director Alexander Díaz Andersson continues to embrace woodworking traditions while also working with marble, brass, travertine and more in the design of the studio’s side tables, desks, chairs and other furnishings.

Díaz Andersson was born and raised in Sweden. His Mexican mother and Swedish paternal grandparents worked in the furniture industry. He was naturally drawn to furniture design and architecture and was inspired by the Bauhaus, the clean lines attributed to the work of Finnish furniture designer Alvar Aalto, Italian architect-designer Carlo Scarpa’s building projects and the abstract creations of American sculptor Richard Serra. 

After studying design at the European Institute of Design in Spain, Díaz Andersson moved to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula — where he became fascinated with the local history of woodworking. Impressed with the workmanship and drawn to Mexican furniture, he began to envision a way to marry their traditional construction techniques with modern furniture production technology. 

Díaz Andersson opened ATRA in 2009 in Mexico City. The company’s first architectural commission was to design the Hejal — the holy Torah scrolls’ storage cabinet/altar — for the Birkat Itzjak Synagogue in Mexico City. The design was critically acclaimed and was the company’s watershed project, which launched their success as a prominent player in the design space.

ATRA’s Flow chair won a Gold A’Design Award in 2019. The studio has been featured in several design and architecture magazines, including Wallpaper, Architectural Digest and Surface.

On 1stDibs, find ATRA seating, tables, garden elements and more.