Tropical is a versatile table designed in 1994 by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue (EMBT) for their own home in the heart of Barcelona. Created from reclaimed bolondo wood-leftover from the construction of the Icaria pergola, the tables embody the architects’ ethos of reuse, adaptability, and poetic reinterpretation of material.
The Tropical design features two configurations in height: 70 cm for use as a dining table, and 35 cm when serving as a low table. This dual-functionality reflects Miralles and Tagliabue’s deep interest in the temporal and spatial flexibility of objects; how furniture can evolve with context, moment, and need. The tables are conceived not as fixed elements, but as objects in transformation furnishings that adapt to human use and contribute to the lived environment.
Crafted from simple wooden beams and ribbons, the structure is both intuitive and sculptural, showcasing the architects’ characteristic blend of expressive geometry and practical thinking. The form is deeply personal and architectural, carrying the same conceptual DNA found in their buildings—fluidity, tactility, and a sensitive reading of place and purpose.
More than furniture, Tropical is a study in domestic invention an object that captures the playful and inventive spirit of its designers, and a testimony to their ability to infuse architectural thought into the most intimate scale.
