Carved Landscapes: A Conversation with Alejandro Estrada

For the first time in its history, Piegatto will present its work at Salone del Mobile, one of the most influential stages in the international design world. Known for its expressive sculptural forms and deeply rooted craftsmanship, the Guatemalan studio arrives in Milan with a new collection titled Carved Landscapes, a series of pieces that explore the relationship between material, nature, and the quiet poetry of handmade design.

At the heart of Piegatto is a family story. Founded by architects turned partners, Alejandro Estrada and Sandra Ovalle, the studio has built its identity around the idea that furniture can carry the spirit of a place. Drawing inspiration from sculpture and the natural world, Piegatto’s work transforms wood and natural fibers into living narratives. These materials are not simply elements of construction but storytellers that reflect the landscapes of Guatemala and the hands that patiently shape them.

With Carved Landscapes, Piegatto continues this exploration. Each piece feels as though it has been uncovered rather than designed, emerging organically from the textures of the earth and the movement of natural forms. The collection places particular emphasis on functional art, objects that exist in a space between sculpture and design, where beauty carries a deeper meaning and purpose.

As the studio prepares for its debut in Milan, co-founder Alejandro Estrada describes this moment as both a milestone and a natural progression. For a brand that has grown steadily over the past two decades, Salone represents more than visibility. It is a statement. “For anyone who takes the furniture industry seriously, this is the place where you show what your brand stands for” he reflects. “For us, it has always been a step we knew we had to take.

Reaching this stage has required both patience and risk. Coming from Guatemala, a context often distant from the traditional centres of design, the journey has been marked by additional challenges. Yet it is precisely this distance that gives the work its distinct voice. Presenting at Salone signals not only growth, but the ability to stand alongside some of the most established names in the industry.

For Estrada, the moment also carries a personal resonance. Having lived and studied in Italy, where he and Sandra immersed themselves in art restoration, architecture, and traditional sculpting techniques, returning to present in Milan feels like a full circle. “We learned the importance of craft at its deepest level,” he explains. “Now, with this exhibition, we are bringing together art, architecture, and furniture into one single expression.”

This convergence is at the core of Carved Landscapes. Rather than approaching the stand as a conventional display, Piegatto has conceived it as an immersive environment. The starting point was an empty space, a temporary condition that became part of the concept itself. “Everything is temporary,” Estrada notes. “So the question is not only what you create, but how it exists in that moment.”

The result is an installation that reads initially as a landscape. Large, rounded forms inspired by stones are arranged as a scenographic composition, more akin to a theatrical set than a traditional exhibition. At first glance, the visitor encounters an abstract terrain, something intuitive and emotional.

Only through movement does the narrative unfold. As one walks through the space, these sculptural forms begin to reveal a second layer. What appeared as landscape becomes architecture, guiding circulation and defining spatial sequences. And then, more subtly, each element discloses its function. A stone becomes a bookshelf, another a console, another a bar.

“It is something that evolves as you move,” Estrada explains. “The idea is not immediate. It reveals itself step by step.”

Nature remains a constant reference throughout this process, though not in a literal sense. The forms are informed by observation, by the act of collecting and studying stones, by an intuitive engagement with material rather than a direct replication of a specific place. This organic approach is mirrored in the way the collection is developed.

While Piegatto remains a family-led studio, its creative process is inherently collaborative. Designers, craftsmen, engineers, and architects all contribute to the evolution of each piece. Ideas are built collectively, layered over time, until they take form. “Someone says something, someone else adds to it,” Estrada describes. “And little by little, a larger idea appears.”

This integration of disciplines allows Piegatto to operate fluidly between concept and production. Unlike studios that separate design from making, the studio’s approach embraces the entire process, allowing inspiration to emerge at any stage.

Ultimately, the ambition for Salone is not only to present a collection, but to create a moment of connection. “If something is well made, it does not need explanation,” Estrada says. “It communicates on its own.”

For visitors encountering Piegatto for the first time, the intention is simple: to feel something immediate, and then to discover more as they engage with the work.

Beyond Milan, this debut also marks the beginning of a new chapter. Having established a strong presence across the Americas, the studio now looks towards Europe as its next horizon. Salone becomes the point of entry, a place to build relationships, to be seen, and to be experienced.

For now, however, the focus remains on the present moment. On the space, the objects, and the quiet dialogue they invite.

A landscape, carved not only from material, but from time, memory, and the act of making.