Santa & Cole is a design company based in Belloch, Spain, dedicated to the production of furniture and lighting. Founded in 1985, it defines itself as an independent, global publisher of design products. The brand's business is to prepare objects for the public, adapting them for common use, just as a book publisher does with stories. Santa & Cole's extensive catalog of products has been created with the collaboration of more than 80 international designers, including such renowned names as Antoni Arola, Miguel Milá, André Ricard, and Ilmari Tapiovaara. Santa & Cole pays attention to quality and detail and relies on an extensive network of suppliers, mainly in Spain but also in other countries such as Japan, for industrial production. Their mission is to build, protect and spread knowledge through quality design objects that enrich people's lives at home or in shared environments. Their philosophy is more present-oriented than future-oriented, and they aim to create environments and atmospheres that enhance habitability, both day and night. Since 2003, Santa & Cole's headquarters have been located in the Parc de Belloch, a vast estate of more than 170 hectares about 30 kilometers from Barcelona, in the direction of France. Far from the hustle and bustle of the city and immersed in nature, the company is developing a knowledge park focused on management, design and ecology, seeking to plant its seed for a future surrounded by trees, optimizing the management of its 120 hectares of forest to reduce its CO2 footprint each year. With its own nursery, Belloch Forestal, focusing on city renaturalization, the company is growing selected species for the city while meeting high quality standards and using the innovative Air-Pot system.
The birth of Santa & Cole lamps
Santa & Cole was founded in 1985 by Nina Masó, Javier Nieto Santa and Gabriel Ordeig Cole during a decade in Spain when anything seemed possible after the dictatorship. In the beginning, the company created lamps for some of Barcelona's famous bars and later lit the homes of those who frequented such establishments. At a time when halogen lamps were all the rage, Santa & Cole advocated the use of natural materials such as wood, stitched cardboard or ribbons. Some products were then revisited and others were developed from the beginning, such as the Básica lamp. In the 1990s, during the joyous atmosphere of the Barcelona Olympics, some of the larger, modular lamps, such as the Estadio or Moaré, were born to meet the need to light public places. Since LED lighting came on the scene at the dawn of the 21st century, Santa & Cole has continued its quest for light that enhances the beauty of objects, shadows, and people. Examples of this are the Cirio and Tekiò series. The company is committed to creating environments and moods, night and day, that serve to enhance habitability in the home or elsewhere.
Santa & Cole, design objects and books
Since its creation in 1985, Santa & Cole has considered itself a publishing company. This craft involves the utmost humility, paying homage to the creative talent of authors. The company selects only what it recognizes itself in, whether it is the form of a lamp, a piece of furniture or a book. Objects are found, designed or modified, and their authorship is protected and registered. The company's research focuses on industrial design, the art of paying attention to everyday objects to find the best user experience. All the products they work on respond to a question or need and support their response. Santa & Cole has developed a catalog that combines classic and contemporary products, with the participation of more than eighty very different designers. The company modifies objects by pursuing the aesthetics of emotion.
