Vrokka
Juan Carlos Franco, a Colombian industrial designer from Medellín, created Vrokka as a personal project. He offers high quality objects and interiors crafted and created to last over time.
Vrokka believes that design should express simplicity in its shapes and preserve the features of timelessness and neutrality. The name Vrokka is inspired by one of the most important tools in woodworking, la broca (drill). Vrokka uses handpicked oak and wallnut tree wood as primary materials and local manufacturing for the development of its products.
The designs reflect the culture of Colombia, permeating its unique features such as tropical forests and the excellent workmanship of its craftsmen. From conception to execution, each object and interior design piece is focused on sustainability as its foundation.
Fauna
Raising awareness through design, Vrokka created a project in collaboration with Mexican designer with José Bermúdez that addresses a global issue. Today the declining diversity of flora and fauna is a matter of concern. More than 30% of the worlds species lives in Latin America. At the same time it is also the region with the biggest loss of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish. We are left with only a percentage of the Earth’s species due to pollution, hunting and the invasion of the ecosystem.
For this first Fauna series, José and Juan Carlos focused on wildlife, abstracting the essential form of three animals in danger of extinction in Latin America. The concept is inspired by the unique characteristics of each species. The manufacturing process of each animal piece takes time. Low-tech machinery and handcrafted processes are used to transform certificated oak and walnut wood into unique pieces. The purpose of this project goes beyond the object itself. Fauna is a tribute to those animals that are in danger of extinction or are already extinct.
Each of the three animal pieces come in a limited edition for Jooki of only 4 per animal.
GUACAMAYA AZUL
Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay.
The Blue Macaw is a bird with a beautiful blue plumage and a big beak specially shaped to help get its food. In 2018 it was declared extinct in the wild due to hunting and illegal trade. However, in 2019 a baby was born in Paraguay, which could signal the first step in bringing back this beautiful bird.
AXOLOTE
Mexico.
Axolote means water monster in the Nahuatl language. It is an amphibian capable of regenerating its extremities and parts of its vital organs. This quality is sought to be imitated in the field of medicine. Due to the contamination of its habitat, it is believed that by 2022 this species will be completely extinct. As it is such a unique species, it is considered to be a part of Mexican wildlife heritage.
OSO DE ANTEOJOS
The Andes.
The Andean bear lives in the mountains that span from Colombia to the north of Argentina. The reason for its survival has been its agility and way of hunting. In 2004 it was estimated that there were 18,250 Andean bears left in the wild in all of South America, a figure that has been decreasing over the years. However, its role in the ecosystem is very important, since it is an excellent seed disperser and opens up paths through the bushes, making the mobility of other species easier.
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