Objects of desire that soothingly elevate one’s bathroom rituals
Designed in collaboration with ISAD and a collective of creatives, Forma&Cemento’s Una gota en la arena collection of minimalist concrete wash basins is bathed in symbolism.

How to weave stories into washbowls? Forma&Cemento has some ideas. In collaboration with ISAD (Institute of Higher Specialization in Architecture and Design) and a string of talented creatives, Alessandro Gorla, René Navarrete, Sebastián Molina, Jesús García, Jesús Benavides and Fernanda Martínez, the luxury product maker has rolled out an absorbing assortment of concrete wash basins entitled Una gota en la arena (A drop in the sand).
Each one of the five, Agave, Bloque, Cobre, Nopal, and Pilar, celebrates water as a precious and scarce resource through artisanal craftsmanship and a pure and timeless aesthetic approach. Chiefly inspired by the arid landscape of northern Mexico and presented during EDIT Napoli in 2024, all pieces embody harmony through fervent formulas.

Their surfaces gently textured, Cobre and Agave both romantically reflect routines of movement. Designed by Alessandro Gorla and René Navarrete of Studio Algoritmo based in Rome, Agave’s exterior takes cues from the shapes created by a machete’s rip across the surfaces of agave leaves. The machete used to cut agave plants is called Coa. Its circular blades cut through the plant to extract the valuable water stored inside it that jimadores later transform into tequila. Jimador, a craft devoted to the manipulation and harvesting of agave, is a deeply respected Mexican tradition passed down generationally from father to son.

Cobre conveys Sebastián Molina’s musings on the hammered craftsmanship typically applied to copper artifacts and pays tribute to nature and artisanal tradition. Its reddish hues reminiscent of copper and spectacular sunset skies, the wash basin celebrates perseverance and skill and can accentuate just as it can seamlessly blend in.

In contrast, Pilar and Bloque render a more dynamic design. Jesús García’s Pilar almost seems extracted from a storied building, its interior a marriage between baroque and colonial architecture. For centuries, Mexican cathedrals have been symbols of hope and cultural rebirth. Despite the many challenges and conflicts along the way, these awe-inspiring constructs have endured as hosts of faith and artistic expression. With a name enveloped by nuances of femininity, Pilar pays homage to architectural pillars as foundational elements of grand structures.

Jesús Benavides’s Bloque honors the millennia-old bond between humans and stone, and how we express emotion through the shaping of matter. Its rugged surface ornate in irregular shapes, the wash basin is rooted in the concept of leaving a mark (or a trail behind) and how different modes of interaction can bear many, open-to-interpretation meanings.

Gazing upon Nopal, one is instantly overcome by the need to reach out and make contact–to feel and make sense of the rhythm enclosed inside it. The surface mimics the pads of the plant. The nopal, or prickly pear, can be viewed as a symbol of a bond between Mexico and Italy as it happens to thrive in both countries. Native to the desert regions of northern Mexico and brought to Europe by Spanish conquerors, the nopal adapted to harsh climates and quickly spread throughout central and southern Italy. In a way, Fernanda Martínez’s composition seems characterized by a dance between turbulence and tameness–upon touch and through contemplation.
All the wash basins that make up Forma&Cemento’s soothing collection can be customized in a rich variety of colors. They are handmade with meticulous attention to detail in Ultra High Performing Cement mortar and artisanally produced so that each is unique. As a drop of water in the desert symbolizes hope and renewal, so does the wash basin allow us to let go of the past, to comprehensively cleanse our minds and spirits. It only seems of value for this object to have a singular aesthetic and an enriching story that defines its inner life.