Sustainability also means preserving the industry

Talking about product design in Colombia often seems abstract, but the Metate project seeks to change this perspective. In Medellín, an industrial city, disorderly urban expansion resulted from the concentration of industries near the Medellín River. The automotive sector grew with workshops specialized in high-quality parts, even challenging imports. However, in 2023, the preference for new parts after collisions has affected these specialists, relegating them to tasks such as manufacturing counters for social interest and minor industrial solutions. Metate was born as a response to this situation, being a furniture object that fuses function and social context. Its design highlights Latin American industrial skill and the improvement of processes such as welding and finishing that this dedicated work has, done by hand by people who see the work with passion. This design approach connects past and future, representing an industrial, aesthetic and conceptual evolution.

Metate is a way of seeing sustainability through design since jobs of minor or worthless consideration through design breaks the paradigm of these workers and, most importantly, gives them industrial recognition and a higher-profit economy. Design must not only be beautiful but directly and indirectly impact the life of a community. This is Latin America with a global vision.

This piece of furniture, which can be a table, a chair or a sculpture, its function is defined by interpretation, inspired by pre-Columbian objects with a Post-Columbian vision. The design studio connects with its past but gives a strong message of preserving talent and quality of their industry and see this space to connect with the world and give new opportunities to communities and artists producers in their country, the same opportunity for many nations that do not see options to carry their crafts and industries.

Metate is a way of seeing sustainability through design since jobs of minor or worthless consideration through design breaks the paradigm of these workers and, most importantly, gives them industrial recognition and a higher-profit economy. The design must not only be beautiful but directly and indirectly impact the life of a community. This is Latin America with a global vision.