Creative Minds

Alexander & Andreas Diaz Andersson

The brothers blend their Scandinavian heritage with Mexican craftsmanship in their art-meets-design practice, Atra

March 10, 2020

Modern art gallery interior with white couches, abstract wall art, dark wood flooring, and large windows. — At Atra’s solo exhibition in New York the Oberon Sofa is paired with marble Geometrik Nesting Coffee Tables. In the foreground are the Baby Beluga chairs. Photo: Courtesy of Atra

Letting the materials talk is at the heart of the diverse practice of Swedish-born brothers Alexander and Andreas Diaz Andersson, who founded the industrial-design-meets-art firm Atra. In their Mexico City studio, artists, designers, and architects work alongside metalworkers, upholsterers, and woodworkers, infusing the traditional handicrafts of Mexico with their Scandinavian background.

Alexander takes the lead on sculptural furniture, like the rounded Baby Beluga love seat, while Andreas focuses on geometry-based artworks that play with the idea of volume. Installed together this past winter at Design Miami/, the pieces created quite the buzz, although it’s Alexander who does most of the talking.

Two people sitting on a black sofa in a modern room with geometric wall art in the background. — Alexander and Andreas Diaz Andersson. Courtesy of Atra

Homegrown: “For me, hygge is what we always try to do. There’s also a level of simplicity. Things have to be usable and show character and reflect personality.”

Up next: “Right now, we’re creating a mural in Cabo, and we’re making a multidimensional piece for a residence in Mexico City, mixing painting and sculpture.”