Andalusia accounts for 80 per cent of Spain's olive oil production. Olive farming takes up 45 per cent (1,555,475 hectares) of the region’s total arable land. Over 300 settlements in Andalusia cultivate olives, a primary source of occupation for the population. With such a prolific and economically vital industry for the region, the intensification and industrialisation of the processes that go into farming this precious resource are inevitable. While traditionally, olive groves are grown on non-irrigated land, farmers are shifting to irrigation practices to increase output. Moreover, modern approaches to harvesting uproot native species and replace them with systematically planted trees in optimised grids for highly efficient harvesting. This has resulted in a monoculture of olive groves in the area and a definite shift in the ecological balance of the terrain.

Studies show that the increasing reliance on industrial techniques and the proliferation of olive farming in the region have been major factors in soil erosion. Further, production has declined due to climate change. While these issues are vital in considering how industrialisation colonises terrain—leaving it fallow—the flip side of this becomes the waste and the commodities produced because of the industry. What happens to the trees that are uprooted due to the intensive nature of extraction? Are there any uses that this resource can also be utilised for instead of being discarded? Spanish designer Jorge Penadés’ multidisciplinary project Uprooted is focused on a critical rethinking of this 'industrialisation of nature' by the Spanish olive oil industry. Examining the cultivation and extraction of olives and the exploitation of the natural landscape, the project is guided by a 10-year research study and takes on the form of tangible material experimentation.

Displayed at this year's Madrid Design Festival from February 8 – 22, 2025, Uprooted takes the form of a design exhibition curated by Seetal Solanki, founder and director of Ma-tt-er, a material-based research studio. The exhibition comprises a furniture collection designed by Penadés, a visual essay by photographer Max Creasy documenting the designer’s investigation of the region and an installation that stages a dialogue between audience and material through an ‘interview’. The show focuses on reconsidering how we think of olive wood, particularly that which is considered waste. As Penadés' research revealed—once uprooted, native olive roots are often discarded due to the complex nature of their form. As detailed in the official release, the intricate knots, embedded stones, diverse shapes and extreme density of the wood pose a risk to machinery in refining it to be used. This led to Penadés questioning the manipulation of materials to conform to industry standards and developing ways in which to use "often-discarded part of the tree as a material for creating design pieces”.

A more tangible engagement with this issue while redefining traditional approaches to design and woodworking led to the wooden furniture that is part of the showcase. This was achieved through a process that focused on cultivating a meaningful conversation with the wood, working with the knots rather than cutting them down. This approach to materiality, or ways in which the inherent qualities can inform products, is part of Solanki’s approach to design and design education.

The resulting collection is a reflection of this ongoing process of experimentation and prototyping. Sculptural and, at the same time, functional, they display a meticulous balance between the imperfection of the wood and the precise craftsmanship employed by the designer. A shelving unit, a table design, a chair and a wall sconce were crafted by Penadés for the exhibition. The gnarled planks, in their crude form, give the artefacts a certain handmade aesthetic, underscoring the exhibition’s main impetus: a realigning of how we control the environment.

Combined with the research that reveals the need for more considerate ways to deal not only with the landscape but with the refuse of the land, Penadés and Solanki ask the visitor to consider the entanglements of material and design, and how we can incorporate the often disregarded into the design process. Often, it is the effective quality of the material that gives shape to the design. These qualities not only reveal the inherent agency of the materials but also the processes that led the material to where it is. Penadés’ project offers a way to engage deeply with the notion of waste for an industry that contributes greatly to the socio-cultural and economic image of the country.

‘Uprooted' is on view from February 8 – 22, 2025, at Espacio Gaviota in Madrid as part of the Madrid Design Festival 2025.