MADIRA

An Age-Old Material, Given a New Ritual.

Madira began with a simple observation: terracotta has always known how to keep things cool. For generations, terracotta vessels have been used to naturally cool and store water. We wanted to take this familiar property out of the vessel and give it a new role — one that belonged around a table, rather than beside a well.

The form emerged through that exploration. Every curve responds to the natural behaviour of the cane — where it bends willingly, where it holds its shape, and where it begins to resist. A custom metal structure gives the piece its foundation, while the weave remains at the centre of its identity.

The form emerged as a composition of stacked volumes, recalling the proportions and memory of traditional water vessels. Each section carries a distinct shape and surface, creating a gradual transition from the grounded base to the wide circular top. At its centre, we introduced a recessed well designed to hold ice. The natural cooling properties of terracotta become part of the experience, helping keep the ice and bottle cool while turning the material’s age-old function into something more social and contemporary.

The wine sits around the recessed well, while the ice remains at the centre. What began as a functional property of the material became the reason for the object’s form. Madira is not simply a side table or a wine cooler. It brings together both. Designed for serving, gathering and lingering, it reimagines terracotta through a new ritual — one that moves from holding water to holding a moment.