Muuto Katalog 2023

38
the drying times to do something with the little one, then go
back to work... We’re not very fond of the idea of the weekend;
instead, we try to organise ourselves and make the most
of the flexibility that working on our own allows. We have
gone through stages in which we worked intensely when Rita
slept, for example. Now it is easier for us to combine with
her: we take turns, we divide ourselves... For the moment, we
love this rhythm. We hope to be able to maintain it over time.
Workshop Chair p. 97
Beam Table Lamp p. 135
From hour to hour, day to day, their young family
eludes regularity and routine. Instead, their time is
ruled by how they feel, what they need in the moment,
and how much longer one of their newly created
sculptures might need to dry in the studio, before
they can resume work on it.
How do you approach designing your home?
In some ways, the house project started, and has been growing
in parallel with, our artistic project. The fact that the process
has been so slow—there are still unfinished parts—has
given us time to live in the space, reflect and change when
necessary. We have learned from it, and in some ways it has
been a testing ground. We did most of the renovation work
and furnishings ourselves, as we moved into the space. Of
course, it also adapts to the growth of our daughter Rita, as
different needs arise at each stage of her life.
Where do you spend most of your time here?
The living room-kitchen is the most versatile space in the
house. It is also the brightest, so we use it for various workshop
tasks, and for photography. It is the space where we spend the
most time: we play, cook, eat, receive visitors and meet.
Are there any smells that make you feel at home?
The smell of wood from the workshop, or the smell of good
homemade food.
What kinds of materials are you drawn to?
The materials of traditional construction are undoubtedly
the ones that interest us the most: stone, terracotta, lime
mortar, wood. We like to talk about the language of materials;
we understand that each material has its own implicit,
ancient symbology, somehow inscribed in our collective
unconscious. In this way, materials act as symbols, clues or
triggers about the whole set of ideas they contain. In fact, the
material itself is the starting point of many of our projects.
What do you collect?
We collect a lot of objects from nature when we travel. We
have a special fixation on stones and geology. But we also
have all kinds of things! Industrial and mechanical pieces,
objects that catch our attention because of their color, texture,
material, deterioration... what we call “selected junk”
and we accumulate in various boxes that we call “boxes of
wonders”, that we use for our still lives.
Do you live with anything that you have made?
We dedicate a lot of time to each of the pieces, so we establish
a very close bond with them. We take them from one
place to another and find a place for them, so that we can see
them every day and in different situations.
What does ‘home’ mean to you?
Wow, that’s a difficult one. We would quote a text by Bachelard,
in answer to this: “The house is our corner of the world; it is, as
has been said, our first universe. It is really a cosmos. The house,
like fire, like water, allows us to evoke gleams of reverie that illuminate
the synthesis of immemorial and memory. The house shelters
the reverie, protects the dreamer. The house allows us to dream in
peace. The house is the first world of being. Before being launched
into the world, man is deposited in the cradle of the house. And
always in our dreams the house is a great cradle.” •
What about sounds?
That would be the silence, or the rehearsals of Lucía, Mateo's
sister who lives upstairs, and is a musician. We are lucky not
to feel like we are in a city.
What do you see when you look out of your windows?
We only see the sky, and sometimes a flying cat. Much of the
living room ceiling is made of glass on which Tofu, Lucía's cat,
sometimes lies.
Your home and workshop are attached. How do you divide
your work life and your home life?
Our way of working is not very conventional, we don't have a
very clear schedule or routine. We organise ourselves daily as
much as possible, and adapt to the rhythms set by our daughter,
Rita. We’ll work for a few hours, then take advantage of
Sketch Toolbox p. 144
Beam Table Lamp p. 135