Dezeen Magazine

Mura Table by Bandido Studio

Bandido Studio's Mura table features droplet-shaped marble base

The bulbous black base of this table, which Bandido Studio is launching at this year's Design Week Mexico, is sculpted using a traditional technique developed by the country's stone artisans.

Based southeast of the country's capital, in Puebla City, Bandido Studio drew on the craft history of nearby town Tecali de Herrera for the marble design called Mura.

Mura Table by Bandido Studio

"The inspiration came through the site visits to Tecali de Herrera, which is a place characterised by the artisanal work on marble and volcanic rocks," said Bandido Studio in a project statement.

"Tecali comes from the Náhuatl word tecalli – from tetl (stone) and calli (house)," the studio added.

Mura Table by Bandido Studio

The designers enlisted a workshop named Meza, which has practiced marble turning for four generations, to help sculpt a solid piece of Mexican black Orizaba marble into the table's rounded base.

"They provided the expertise to work and develop the marble for this table," said Bandido Studio.

The marble rounds out at the bottom and then narrows towards the top, like the shape of a water drop, and has a matte finish. It comes in two different heights, either 40 or 60 centimetres tall.

A circular piece of smoked-glass is attached to the top using a round piece of anodised aluminium. This is also black to continue the object's colour palette.

Mura Table by Bandido Studio

Mura will launch during Design Week Mexico at Expo DW – an contemporary design trade fair taking place from 12 to 14 October 2018, at Mexico City's Expo Reforma building, Calle Morelos 67.

Bandido Studio was founded by Alejandro Campos and Joel Rojas, who have previously created a folded table lamp.

Mura Table by Bandido Studio

The duo are among a number of Mexican design studios making the most of their country's rich natural materials and historical practices. More examples include design collective EWE Studio's fired glass and marble furniture collection, and Davidpompa's lamps made of volcanic rock.

Marble has long been a popular choice for table bases, thanks to its weight, patterning, and ability to be carved into desired shapes. Mathieu Lehanneur, Olga Bielawska and Apparatus are among designers to have recently experimented with the material for this purpose.