Caterina Moretti and Alejandra Carmona release UMO, a volcanic-stone fireplace

Austrian designer Caterina Moretti, in collaboration with Alejandra Carmona – head designer and director of Mexican design studio PECA – designed UMO, a fireplace made of volcanic stone, metal and marble. UMO is a handmade piece inspired by man’s ancestral link with earth and nature. With a diameter of 140 cm and 40 cm high it brings natural energies to the interiors in a contemplation approach. As explained by the designers, “the volcanic stone has a synergy with the fire from its origin, and the stone contains and calms the flame.”  

As a monolith, UMO is meant to become the centerpiece of outdoor and interior spaces. In this project fire is not meant to be set aside to simply create some atmosphere but becomes a ritual element to be observed and contemplated. In a way it transforms a regular gathering into a spiritual moment. Flames are reflected by the metallic structures and the volcanic rock becomes a natural reference for the Guadalajara-based studio PECA, due to its proximity and relationship with the Tequila Volcano and the Colima Volcano in the Jalisco region in Mexico.