A FRANK CHAT WITH CONTAIN STUDIO
Imagine a place where the quiet discipline of Mallorcan craftsmanship meets contemporary innovation, where stone, metal, glass and light are more than materials; they are memory, emotion and presence. This is Contain Studio, a Lighting Atelier founded by Juan Peralta and Mauricio Obarrio in Palma, Mallorca. Their designs are handcrafted, slow made, and born from a deep connection to place, melding tradition with 3D printing, patina with purpose, and bespoke form with timeless presence.
In this Frank Chat, Juan reflects on how light becomes architecture, how movement between Mallorca and Menorca nourishes the spirit, and how a trace of an artisan’s hand gives lamps their soul.
What do you see as unique about blending heritage with innovation, and what makes the result so special?
At Contain, we never saw tradition and innovation as opposites. Mallorca has this long lineage of craft: stone, brass, glass, and we try to bring those skills into dialogue with contemporary design and new technologies. The result feels alive, familiar enough to carry memory, but fresh enough to belong to today and tomorrow. That tension is what makes it special.
Residential project Mallorca 2024 / BUC Arquitectura with lighting by Contain Studio.
Light has the ability to change how we feel in a space. How do you think lamps can intentionally shape atmosphere?
Light is the invisible architecture of a room. You can have the most beautiful space, but without the right light it will fall flat. Lamps are not just functional objects; they set rhythm, intimacy, drama or calm. By designing with intention, the warmth of alabaster, the weight of brass, the softness of glass, we can actually choreograph emotion in a space.
Mallorca is full of stories and materials. Which one has left the strongest mark on your work?
Stone. Everywhere you go on the island, you find it: ancient walls, dry landscapes, limestone floors polished by time. Working with alabaster felt like a natural extension of that connection. It carries the same Mediterranean light inside of it, and when illuminated, it becomes almost spiritual.
You often collaborate with artisans. Can you share a moment when one of these encounters reshaped your own ideas?
Yes. Once we were developing a new finish, and the artisan showed us “imperfections” in the process. Instead of correcting them, we realized those marks told the story of the hand behind the object. That shifted how we see patina, not as a flaw to hide but as a layer of truth that adds soul.
What vision do you hold for the studio’s future?
To stay small in spirit but ambitious in reach. We want to keep working hand in hand with artisans, but also push into new territories, exploring materials we have not touched yet, collaborating with studios abroad, and continuing to build pieces that carry Mallorca’s quiet strength into different contexts.
You found a second home on Menorca a few years back. What have you come to appreciate most about life there, something that feels different from Mallorca?
Menorca is slower, more elemental. Where Mallorca has a strong cultural rhythm and international pulse, Menorca strips you back to silence and nature. I have learned to enjoy that emptiness, long walks, the sea, the feeling that time stretches. It has been grounding.
How has moving between Mallorca and Menorca influenced the way you work and live?
It gives me balance. Mallorca keeps me connected to energy, collaboration and production. Menorca offers space to breathe and reflect. Moving between both is like tuning between two frequencies, and that duality keeps our work honest and alive.
Contain Studio reminds us that design is not only about objects, but about rhythms, stories and ways of living. Between Mallorca’s craft and Menorca’s silence, Juan and Maurizio shape lamps that are more than sources of light. They are vessels of memory, emotion and atmosphere. A reminder that the simplest details, when made with care, can illuminate life itself.
Quick Questions
What is your greatest source of inspiration right now?
The resilience of craft, how these techniques survive and adapt over centuries.
Your favorite place to eat in Menorca?
A small chiringuito by the sea where the catch of the day is enough.
One thing visitors should never miss on the island?
The evening light on the cliffs. It is simple, but it will stay with you forever.