Debuting at Design Miami last week, “Sobremesa,” an interactive installation created by Airbnb with Mexico City–based design studio Pedro&Juana, was an indoor-outdoor space filled with artisanal objects created by Mexican artists and designed to host gatherings over a shared table. 

Sobremesa means “over the table,” and is best translated as the time spent lingering around a table after sharing a meal together. The installation hosted gatherings over the course of Design Miami. 

“A lot of our work examines social spaces and how individuals interact with the built environment,” says 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.” 

“The Mexican idea of sobremesa is about not rushing but instead enjoying shared company and connecting on a personal level,” says Mecky Reuss, co-founder of Pedro&Juana. “It is something special to Mexican and Spanish culture that can be enjoyed by people everywhere.”

The exhibit is part of Airbnb’s series of working with local talent, including “Makers & Bakers” (Milan Design Week, April 2016), “Housewarming” (Milan, April 2015), and “A Place Called Home” (London Design Festival, September 2014). 

“Traveling with Airbnb is very much about the shared experience and the cross-cultural exchange that naturally happens between our hosts and guests,” says Jonathan Mildenhall, chief marketing officer for Airbnb. “‘Sobremesa’ is the type of experience inherent to our brand. We often hear from our hosts and guests that the best thing about traveling with Airbnb is the authentic connections they are able to make. Working with Pedro&Juana on this installation allows us to bring a piece of this experience to the wider Design Miami audience.”