Two design worlds will collide this year in Miami as the Mexico City-based design duo Pedro&Juana will debut Sobremesa, an interactive installation created for Design Miami/ in collaboration with Airbnb. The translucent house-like structure will serve as a gathering space that will be a hub for the duration of Design Miami/. Visitors are invited to socialize and to collaborate on the completion of the space, as anyone can add to it with a series of colorful tiles.

The interior space of Sobramesa will be filled with objects and artisan pieces from Mexico City, sourced by Pedro&Juana and designed by locals. Sobramesa will be connected to an outdoor space, blending indoor and outdoor living—a tradition in both Miami and Mexico City

Literally translated as ‘over the table,’ “sobremesa” is a concept, deeply rooted in Mexican culture, that loosely translates as the indeterminate amount of time people spend together lingering around a table after a meal to share in casual conversation. “The Mexican idea of ‘sobremesa’ is about not rushing but instead enjoying shared company and connecting on a personal level,” said Mecky Reuss, co-founder of Pedro&Juana. “It is something special to Mexican and Spanish culture that can be enjoyed by people everywhere.”

Pedro&Juana will host a series of “sobremesas” in the space during the week, where they will invite visitors to share in meals, cocktails, and music at designated times. In addition, the designers will curate a playlist with Mexico City-based musicians including Trio Martino, Rulo, Los Shajatos, Sonido Changorama, and NAAFI, among others. “A lot of our work examines social spaces and how individuals interact with the built environment,” said Ana Paula Ruiz Galindo, co-founder of Pedro&Juana. “Working with Airbnb on this project is a great opportunity for us to build on this experience while also exploring elements of our home city, Mexico City.”

Sobremesa is the latest in Airbnb’s collaborations with up-and-coming designers from around the world, exploring the concepts of domesticity, gathering, and shared living. Past projects include Sugi No Ie (Yoshino Cedar House) (Yoshino, August 2016), Makers and Bakers (Milan, April 2016), belong. here. now. (Miami, December 2015), Housewarming (Milan, April 2015), and A Place Called Home (London, September 2014).

“What excites me about a project like this is that we can apply what we learn from it to the larger Airbnb experience,” said Joe Gebbia, CPO & Co-Founder of Airbnb. “Working with emerging designers like Pedro&Juana and giving them free reign to explore concepts around travel and sharing is enormously beneficial for us. Having a background in design myself, I am always curious to see how other designers think and what unique perspectives and insight they’ll bring to our brand.”

Sobremesa will be on view at Design Miami/ November 30-December 4, 2016.

Meridian Avenue & 19th Street
Adjacent to the Miami Beach Convention Center
Miami Beach, FL