Estudio Material Unveils FRAGMENTS Furniture Collection at Alcova Milano

At this year’s Alcova group exhibition during Milan Design Week, San Francisco-based Estudio Material presents its FRAGMENTS MILANO collection as an extension of its ongoing series centering on the raw beauty of upcycled stone off-cuts.

For the latest edition of the series, founding designer Damaso Mayer collaborated with Sacco Natural Stone in Italy’s Chiavenna Valley to handpick stone residues for his open-air installation at Villa Borsani. Representing a dialogue between natural and human-made materials, the collection uses various raw-edged stones combined with smooth aluminum surfaces. Together, the materials create a palette inspired by the lakes and mountains of Italy’s terrain.

Comprising a bench, several tables, and a sculptural tower, the collection juxtaposes jagged and ultra-smooth surfaces for a poetic contrast. The tables and benches showcase flat stone facades floating in the foggy metal surfaces, evoking a stripped-down, industrial form of terrazzo.

At his previous exhibition at Design.Space LA, Mayer presented similar pieces from the series made in collaboration with quarries and stone yards in California, Mexico, further south of Los Angeles. The designer’s attention to site-specific materials highlights the growing affinity for local fabrication, as an expression of sustainability and heritage. Given the weight of Mayer’s key medium, using repurposed stones from local sources reduces the carbon footprint associated with transportation. Simultaneously, the initiative highlights local industries and serves as a poetic appreciation of the local environmental character.

See the gallery above for detailed images of Estudio Material’s FRAGMENTS MILANO collection at Alcova. The installation will be on view at Alcova – Villa Borsani until April 13.