The SaloneSatellite is a section of the annual Milan furniture fair that is dedicated to young, emerging design talent and was one of the areas of the fair that we were most excited to see this year.

One of our favourite exhibitors was Spanish design collective WOW Studio, so we were delighted to learn that one of their products, the elBOTIJO water cooler, was awarded 2nd Prize at the Salone Satellite Awards.

elBOTIJO is a collaboration between two of Studio WOW’s members, Mariana Lerma and Monica Thurne. Made from a special porous ceramic, elBOTIJO’s design is inspired by traditional Spanish cooling vessels that use the ancient technique of evaporative cooling.

The vessel is filled with water, some of which is slowly absorbed by the ceramic. When the water reaches the outer surface it slowly evaporates which in turn keeps the contents cool. Simple but effective.

The judges concluded “elBOTIJO retrieves tradition in a targeted way, proposing the commercialization of an useful and sustainable object, modernizing the shape but respecting it.” We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.

- A.Morris