Jorge Penadés’ work with discarded olive trees isn’t just an exercise in furniture design, it’s an indictment of the olive oil industry’s effect on the Andalusian landscape.
What happens to the old olive trees uprooted to make way for the new, hyper-efficient groves that are beginning to monopolise the landscape of Andalusia in Spain? Are they simply discarded? Spanish designer Jorge Penadés’ project, “Uprooted”, addresses this question with an interrogation of how the olive oil industry is reshaping one of the most beautiful parts of the world.
Displayed at this year’s Madrid Design Festival, “Uprooted” was the culmination of a decade of research. Curated by London-based materials designer, researcher and author Seetal Solanki, it featured Penadés’ furniture collection, a visual essay by photographer Max Creasy documenting the designer’s exploration of the region and an installation inviting visitors to have a “conversation” with the discarded trees.
The aim of the exhibition is to rethink perceptions of olive wood, particularly the parts often considered unusable. Penadés’ research revealed that the gnarled roots of native olive trees, once uprooted, are frequently thrown aside. Their intricate knots, embedded stones, irregular shapes, and sheer density pose a challenge to standard woodworking. But instead of seeing these characteristics as flaws, Penadés wanted to work round them. He decided to examine how these “often-discarded” parts could become the essence of his design pieces.
This engagement with the material led to a beautiful and unique collection of wooden furniture. Penadés’ approach wasn’t about cutting the wood into conformity, it was about embracing the knots and imperfections.
The resulting shelving unit, table chair, and wall sconce – a fixture for lights – are both sculptural and functional. There is a beautiful juxtaposition between the raw, untamed wood and the precise skill of the craftsman. The crudeness of the gnarled planks lends a rustic aesthetic, powerfully underlining the exhibition’s core message: ‘it is time to reconsider how we control our environment’.
By using his research to make these designs, Penadés, challenges us to contemplate the relationship between material and design. They urge us to consider how we can integrate the overlooked, the so-called “waste,” into the creative process—a process vital for the future of the planet.
