De La Tierra is an ongoing industrial design and material research initiative exploring how agricultural byproducts from California’s Salinas Valley can be transformed through design, CAD/CAM workflows, fabrication, and material experimentation. Having grown up and continuing to live in the Salinas Valley, I draw inspiration from its agricultural landscape, local industries, and community while exploring how overlooked materials might open new possibilities for design and fabrication.

Through iterative prototyping, localized fabrication, and hands-on experimentation, the project investigates how design can deepen our relationships with people, place, and the resources that surround us.