Mexican design studio Peca has created a monolithic table made entirely from black volcanic stone, which is shaped and finished to express the material’s unique natural qualities.
Led by designer Caterina Moretti, Peca developed the Petra dining table to celebrate the varying textural properties of the porous black stone as well as its cultural significance.
The natural, local material was formed through the same volcanic activity that has shaped Mexico’s terrain and is deeply embedded in the region’s traditional craft culture.
“When conceiving the Petra table, two things were in our minds: the appreciation we have developed over the years of working with the volcanic stone but also the symbolism of it,” Moretti explained.
“The Petra table calls to mind the mysteries of nature and their sacred play in our day-to-day lives.”
Moretti’s studio, which is based in Guadalajara, designed Petra to showcase the skill of local artisans who are able to shape the stone into practical objects that harness its unique structure.
The table is entirely hand carved from volcanic stone, taking around 10 to 11 weeks to produce.
It consists of three chunky columns supporting a pill-shaped tabletop, with each point of intersection marked by a polished stone disc on top.
A series of straight lines carved by hand across the width and length of the tabletop draw the eye towards these three polished sections.
The smooth, shiny discs were designed to symbolise the molten rock that was thrust up from the Earth’s core to form the rugged mountains of Mexico.
“The piece’s design is one of a kind: a contrast between massive proportions and graceful lines, a harmony formed of delicate forms and bold textures,” Peca said.
Alongside the tabletop’s raw natural surfaces, the lines and circles create what Moretti describes as “an abstract map” of shapes and textures.
Peca says the table, designed for both indoor and outdoor dining, is “filled with the force, warmth and raw beauty that defines what being Mexican at its core means”.
The Petra table is among five projects shortlisted in the furniture design category at this year’s Dezeen Awards. Other projects in the running including a worktable with integrated storage by Snøhetta and a low-slung seating collection made from solid oak by EBBA Architects.
The photography is by Andrés Alejo.
