Kauri Stools

Noelia Marzal is an industrial designer whose practice is rooted in eco-innovation and the relationship between design, material, and territory. After completing a degree in Technical Industrial Design Engineering at the University of Málaga in 2009, she began her professional career in product design, exploring sustainable processes and the value of design connected to natural resources.

Her work is developed through Kauri, a project based on natural design, where the conscious selection of materials and production processes results in simple, durable objects with a strong identity. From this perspective, design is understood as a tool to promote responsible resource use and create meaningful products.

The piece presented in this exhibition —a stool made from olive wood— exemplifies this material and sustainable approach. The wood is sourced from controlled pruning processes, without tree felling, and undergoes a long natural drying period that enhances its durability and reveals unique grain patterns, making each object one of a kind. This project reflects the connection between craftsmanship, sustainability, and Mediterranean culture that characterizes her practice, without defining it exclusively through this material.

Naelia Marzal is a Technical Engineer in Industrial Design from the University of Málaga (2009). After completing her studies, and supported by the University of Málaga’s Spinoff Awards, she began her professional career in the field of product design together with a colleague. Her work is grounded in the principles of eco-innovation, understood as a way of creating value through the responsible use of natural resources, with the aim of contributing to human well-being. This philosophy led to the creation of Kauri. At Kauri, natural design is practiced: a careful selection of materials and a conscious, reflective design process result in simple, unique products. Each piece, shaped by the singularity of its raw material, is different—just like every tree from which it originates; in short, products with their own identity, with a name and a story.