Banquito Tecalli (Tecalli Stool)

The Tecalli stool is an expression of our perceptions of Mexican heritage. We believe that our impression of design is hugely influenced by our identity. Although concrete is a human-made compound material one that offers the possibility of creating complex pieces it still possesses stone-like characteristics that give an honest and raw finish to our work. Using our archeology as a starting point, we seek to transmit the meaning of Mexican design, even if we recognize that it is nearly impossible to distill an entire culture into a single piece. We found ourselves analyzing Quetzalcatl, the feathered serpent deity, which we understood as a portrayal of time and its significance. Approaching it as a real archeological piece that is reshaped through time, the idea of abstracting it from its habitual context to reveal its evolution in a contemporary environment articulates the history behind it. After that, the piece was broken into a more simplified object to reach a purer vision of its main elements to linger with the bare minimum, with its true formal essence, while also adding a crucial aspect of design: function. Throughout the many stages of transformation, in reaction to the hidden shapes, we allowed the piece to transform itself. A design that is almost seemingly undesigned. We see the Tecalli itself as a design process, a philosophical representation. A way to materialize the change of history and evolution throughout centuries. A piece that is starting change while being changeless. The fact that our resulting piece is also a representation of the raw material where the first Quetzalcoatl piece was once carved is no coincidence. It is just one of the many signs proving that duality will always be a part of design itself.