‘Uprooted’ exhibition by Jorge Penadés at Madrid Design Festival 2025 – Courtesy of MDF.
Design. At Madrid Design Festival 2025, Spanish designer Jorge Penadés celebrated 10 years of his career with the Uprooted exhibition at Espacio Gaviota. Curated by Seetal Solanki of the material research design studio Ma•tt•er, the designer’s showcase focuses on the unique aesthetics and properties of olive wood, a neglected material usually destined for the fireplace.
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Uprooted exhibition – Courtesy of Madrid Design Festival.
The Uprooted project and furniture collection emerged from extensive research into the extreme industrialisation of nature driven by olive oil production systems in Andalucía, Penadés’ birthplace. The Spanish region is the largest olive oil producer globally, accounting for 20-25% of worldwide production and 80% of Spain’s output.
Uprooted exhibition – Courtesy of Madrid Design Festival.
The designer discovered that a substantial amount of discarded native olive roots is usually chopped up and sold as firewood. The wood’s intricate knots, embedded stones, unique shapes, and high density greatly increase the risk of damaging machinery during production. Nonetheless, Penadés believes that the neglected material has significant potential and could be more valuable if we learned how to utilise it effectively.
Uprooted exhibition – Courtesy of Madrid Design Festival.
From here, he experimented with olive roots. Instead of challenging the features that compromise processing, the designer embraced these characteristics and embarked on a material-led experimentation.
The result is the Uprooted collection, which includes stools, a coffee table, chairs, shelves, and a bookshelf. Every item is treated with virgin olive oil to highlight the wood’s natural beauty, tactile essence and olfactive personality.
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An L-shaped chair features interlocking olive wood planes glued together, highlighting the material’s structural potential. Another seat is crafted from CNC-turned olive roots, balancing precision and the wood’s natural density. A stool made from a single olive root emphasises raw and organic forms.
Uprooted coffee table – Courtesy of the designer.
The Uprooted collection values deep material engagement over industrial standardisation. The functional and sculptural works reflect a harmony between the material’s natural inconsistency and the meticulous craftsmanship required to honor it. Composed of olive root slabs connected at 90-degree angles, the bookshelf reveals the interplay between geometric simplicity and the material’s irregular textures.
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The Uprooted collection values deep material engagement over industrial standardisation. The functional and sculptural works reflect a harmony between the material’s natural inconsistency and the meticulous craftsmanship required to honor it.
Uprooted collection, detail – Courtesy of the designer.
All photos of the Uprooted exhibition and collection are courtesy of Madrid Design Festival and Jorge Penadés.
- RELATED STORIES: Read more about Madrid Design Festival on Archipanic.
Uprooted stools – Courtesy of the designer.
