AO-25 is a minimalist furniture collection created by Buenos Aires-based studio Valuarte. In the stark geometries of Antonio Llambías’s AO25 Exterior Series, a conversation unfolds between the purposeful and the poetic. The galvanized steel pyramid doesn’t merely occupy space—it negotiates with it, establishing a dialogue between human precision and natural entropy. “I never intended to emulate or compete,” said the straight line. “I coexist.” This sentiment captures the essential philosophy behind this collection, where engineered forms acknowledge their relationship with the organic world rather than attempting to conquer it.

This capsule collection speaks to our conflicted relationship with permanence. The choice of industrial materials—galvanized steel, aluminum, and stainless steel—reveals a pragmatic consideration of the outdoors, where weather and time assert their influence on human creation. Yet these are not merely functional decisions. The materials carry cultural weight, connecting to modernist traditions while speaking to contemporary concerns about sustainability and durability.

The thoughtful drainage details in the design demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of material behavior. Water and dirt, those persistent agents of change, are not resisted but accommodated—guided away through carefully positioned stainless steel inserts and legs. This technical solution transforms a potential weakness into an aesthetic statement, highlighting the designer’s grasp of both craft traditions and industrial processes.

Llambías’s pyramid form references one of humanity’s oldest architectural achievements—structures that have withstood millennia of environmental forces. But unlike the monumental stone pyramids of ancient civilizations, these pieces maintain a contemporary lightness, achieved through modern materials and manufacturing techniques. The laser cutting and folding processes speak to our current technological moment, where precision at scale has become possible in ways unimaginable to previous generations.