Studio Tlalli is an architecture and furniture design studio based in Miami, with a fabrication workshop in Pedasí, Panama. Co-founded by Ivan and Kristin Morales, the
studio creates handcrafted furniture using sustainably sourced wood from a private 1,600 acre ecological reserve. Deeply rooted in conservation, Tlalli blends ancient Mesoamerican
design influences with local craft.

Project Name: Studio Tlalli
Studio Name: IM-KM ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
Location: Florida
Image Credits: Emily Kinskey

Furniture will be available for sale in the U.S. beginning in 2025, offering a collection that reflects ecological integrity, material honesty, and timeless form.

Studio Tlalli – Architecture and Furniture Rooted in Conservation

Studio Tlalli is an architecture and furniture design studio based in Miami, with a fabrication workshop in Pedasí, Panama. Founded by Ivan and Kristin Morales, the studio
blends contemporary design with ecological stewardship, crafting architecture and handmade furniture from sustainably sourced materials. Every piece reflects a deep commitment to place, process, and purpose.

The name Tlalli — meaning “earth” in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs — embodies the studio’s ethos: to create works that are rooted in the land and in dialogue with its
ecosystems. The studio’s design philosophy is informed by ancient Mesoamerican principles, particularly the Aztec tradition of engaging architecture with the environment in a way that ensures durability, meaning, and balance. These themes continue to influence Tlalli’s work today—both in its buildings and its furniture.

All Studio Tlalli furniture is fabricated in Panama by a team of local ebonistas (carpenters) using wood harvested sustainably from Reserva Ecológica Panamaes, a 1,600-acre private
reserve co-founded by the studio. Over the past 15 years, more than 80,000 native trees have been planted on the reserve as part of an ongoing reforestation and land restoration initiative. The reserve ensures full chain-of-custody for the studio’s forest products—from seed to mill to finished object—making each piece traceable, regenerative, and deeply site specific.

Studio Tlalli creates custom furniture for IM/KM Architecture and Planning’s projects, as well as a curated line of collectible pieces for the broader market. The studio’s design
approach is material-driven: each piece is a response to the natural qualities of the wood— its texture, grain, density, and strength. Rather than force the material into a predetermined
form, the studio reveals what is already inherent within it. Furniture will begin to be available for sale in the U.S. starting in 2025.

With roots in both Miami and Panama, Studio Tlalli operates across geographies but is grounded in a singular vision: to design from the earth, for the conservation of the earth. It is a studio where design, ecology, and craft are one and the same.