Fernando Setién and his miniature universe
A Uruguayan artisan based in Barcelona who transforms wood into miniature design pieces at a 1:12 scale. Small pieces with big stories.
Fernando Setién turns wood into pocket-sized architecture. From his workshop in Barcelona, this Uruguayan craftsman creates unique pieces of 1:12 scale furniture, inspired by the greats of twentieth-century design. His story is made of memories, craft, passion and a sensitivity that creeps into every tiny detail.
Tell us about yourself and your work. Where did your vocation start? Any first memories?
My job basically consists of creating a parallel world at a 1:12 scale. I make miniature furniture, usually related to 20th-century design up to the present day.
My vocation for woodworking was born when I was a child. At home there were not always the resources to have all the objects that my sister and I wanted. Often there was no choice but to make contraptions with little pieces of wood I found lying around. At that moment I discovered that I liked making my own toys more than playing with them. Over time, that turned into a trade that allowed me to earn a living from carpentry for more than twenty years. A fond memory is when I exhibited a table at the London miniature fair, the most important in Europe.
What do you find most satisfying about your work, and any that you are particularly proud of?
What satisfies me most is watching a small piece of wood that can be transformed in a few days into a scale model of a piece of furniture by Hans Werner or Alvar Aalto.
I feel very proud of a very comprehensive project I carried out a few years ago. It is a contemporary kitchen with a whole series of requirements from a client in New York, which proved to be a great challenge and achieved a very satisfactory result.
What is your creative process like, what are your sources of inspiration, any particular music while working?
Usually my pieces start as an idea in my head. An idea that can appear at any time, on the tube, walking down the street or watching television. Once the piece takes shape, I start making my first drawings. When it is more or less defined, I draw the blueprints and from there I move on to selecting the woods. At that point, everything gets under way.
When it comes to a reproduction, the work involves looking for information about the piece, the author, the period, etc.
«I draw my inspiration from masters of design and architecture, particularly the rationalist architecture of the 1930s.».
As for the soundtrack, I generally put on energetic music: seventies salsa (Fania All Stars, Rubén Blades, Héctor Lavoe) and music from my country (Uruguay): candombe, tango… I need background intensity. When I'm on my own I even hum along to it quite loudly.
Favourite colour, book, film and record - in that order! ;D
Is your home a reflection of who you are? Tell us what it smells like, your favourite corner, your favourite decorative object or piece of furniture, if you treasure a collection...
Let's say it comes pretty close. Just the right furniture, lots of natural light and a few very special designer pieces.
Normally we aim for a subtle scent. We use an incense that is not too overpowering.
My favourite nook is my original vintage 1957 armchair designed by Hans Werner.
I am not much of a collector, but almost without realising it I have a good number of graphic novels and comics that are already taking on a certain significance.
If you could buy anything right now and take it home, what would it be? Anything!
A great sound system. All in good time…
A great plan at home always includes...
An undisputed fine wine.
Do you have a signature dish?
Well, I make a pretty good empanada based on an old recipe my mother got from a Polish neighbour who fled the Nazis. It's a thin pastry filled with vegetables, with leek as the main ingredient.
Where is your favourite place in your city and abroad?
I live in Barcelona and one thing I love is getting lost in the streets of El Raval. As a Uruguayan living abroad, I can now say the same of Montevideo's Rambla.
Where can we follow your work?
Fundamentally on my Instagram account: @fernandosetien
Fernando Setién's miniature world is a tribute to design, memory, and the beauty contained within the essential. His pieces (on sale in his shop in Etsy), although small, encapsulate great stories and a very personal way of inhabiting the craft. Because sometimes, the smallest thing can have the power to deeply move us.
