Home and desk accessories that celebrate the beauty of tactile surfaces.
When Monterrey-based architect Diego Garza realized in the early 2010s that he enjoyed designing and crafting objects more than creating buildings, he enrolled at RISD to complete an MFA in Furniture Design. In 2019, four years after completing his degree, he founded his own design firm in Mexico, Algo Studio. Believing that beauty lies not only in an object’s visual features, but also in its tactile qualities, the designer creates contemporary products that explore the character of different materials in ingenious ways. The Algo Studio collection comprises various types of home and desk accessories, from candle holders and vases to incense holders, plates and trays, mugs, and bookends. The collection changes constantly, as the studio launches new products in limited editions. Made in small batches, the objects are beautifully crafted as well as distinctive.
The designer uses materials with exceptionally tactile surfaces, from terrazzo and marble to ceramic and cast concrete. Some of the designs remind of ancient artifacts thanks to organic forms and rough surfaces. Others offer a tongue-in-cheek take on simple, everyday objects. The best example is the Zig Zag ashtray, a fun design that pays homage to the bold and highly influential work of the Memphis Group. Or Masas I, a concrete candle holder that resembles soft wax “poured” on the table in an organic, curved shape. The Algo Studio collection also enhances textures with the use of color. Bright green and orange objects bring a vibrant accent to a kitchen, dining room, or office space. Likewise, materials like marble and terrazzo transform simple objects into refined, decorative items. Photography© Algo Studio.
