Faire de la lumière une présence sans laisser le luminaire s’imposer dans l’espace : c’est le parti pris de Seagull, imaginée par Thierry Dreyfus. Pour la dessiner, le designer s’est inspiré du Johnson Wax Building de Frank Lloyd Wright, construit à la fin des années 1930, dont les tubes de verre diffusent la lumière extérieure vers l’intérieur. Une sensation que Thierry Dreyfus transpose à l’échelle domestique à travers une succession de tubes lumineux disposés horizontalement, dans une composition aux accents Art déco.

Nouvelles proportions, nouvelles possibilités

Déjà proposée dans une version de 120 cm, Seagull se décline désormais dans un format de 160 cm, pensé pour accompagner des tables plus grandes. Suspendu idéalement entre 80 cm et 1 m au-dessus du plateau, le luminaire étire la lumière plutôt que de la concentrer, dessinant un « toit de lumière », pour reprendre les mots de Frédéric Winkler, président et fondateur de DCW éditions Une nouvelle échelle qui ouvre également Seagull à d’autres usages car plus qu’un simple point lumineux, la suspension peut devenir un véritable trait dans l’espace, capable d’accompagner l’architecture et de guider le regard. Une approche qui prolonge les recherches de Thierry Dreyfus, connu pour ses installations lumineuses et ses collaborations avec Comme des Garçons, Raf Simons ou encore Peter Marino. L’objectif étant de mettre la lumière en scène, ici dans une version pensée pour le quotidien.

From September 10th to 19th, design once again took over the streets of Paris, much to our delight! Whether industrial or collectible, the creative sector made headlines again, both through new collections and new gatherings. It was an opportunity to rediscover certain profiles and meet new minds driven by innovative concepts. Among all the installations we discovered, here are the ones that particularly caught our attention.

Picnic by Cluzel / Pluchon: an invitation to lunch

Following Marianna Ladreyt last year, designers Cluzel / Pluchon took over the courtyard of the Hôtel d’Albret to present the Picnic installation, created in collaboration with manufacturer Guyon Mobilier Urbain. Conceived as an invitation to share and wander, Picnic was unveiled as a life-sized picnic table over seven meters long. Continuing the Gier duo's well-known collection, it combined locust wood slats with a powder-coated steel structure, drawing a generous curve to create a dialogue between urban furniture and conviviality.

‍GOOD SELECTION by Lucas Zito and Marika Caputo: new scenes

‍Organized by Lucas Zito and Marika Caputo, the second edition of GOOD SELECTION was held this year in the heart of the Fondation Fiminco in Romainville. Now disused, the former pharmaceutical factory—reminiscent of some of the most surprising Milanese venues chosen by Alcova—was taken over for the occasion by 47 international designers. Favoring dialogue between creations rather than formal classification, the exhibition offered various living spaces. A combination of styles and atmospheres provided visitors with a new, more embodied perspective on this so-called "collectible" design.

Volt Face by Studio 5.5 and Schneider Electric: high-voltage collection

Studio 5.5 teamed up with Schneider Electric to imagine the Volt Face lighting and furniture collection, designed using the Odace range and presented at the Galerie Joseph on Rue des Minimes. Faithful to their taste for repurposing everyday objects, Vincent Baranger and Anthony Lebossé chose to make the socket and switch the main element of their creation, rather than an afterthought. Developed as wall lights, pendants, lamps, tables, and even nightstands, each piece plays with the repetition and assembly of the modules. Conceived as a true creative palette, the Odace range thus becomes a material to be composed, but also to be touched and operated, making these pieces playful and offering a fresh look at these familiar yet often undervalued objects.

‍Tout est Chaos by PLI Office: ordering the desirable

‍After initiating "Pour que tu m’aimes encore" in 2024 and "Design Disco Club" the following year, Christopher Dessus returned this year with "Tout est chaos." Presented at the Gaîté Lyrique, the exhibition brought together a body of work that acts as a vector for surprise. A feeling conveyed by the material or the form, but also and above all by a freer consideration of usage. It is a counterpoint to modernist design, which is generally serial and fundamentally utilitarian, here abandoned in favor of narrative. It was an opportunity to see very personal research collide, such as the non-linear or even random work of the series, the reinterpretation of industrial archetypes reworked by hand, or new explorations blending industry and craftsmanship. Driven by a nearly free participation, the 66 selected designers delivered a specific idea of design, claimed by 10 of them through installations and even a projection imagined as a manifesto.

‍Victoria Wilmotte: Stainless Steel Collection

‍For this year's Paris Design Week, Victoria Wilmotte unveiled nearly a dozen pieces. Whether brand new or reimagined existing typologies, this collection continues to explore a world defined by geometry and a distinct industrial spirit. Crafted from stainless steel—sometimes featuring textures that evoke the technique of hammering—the various objects diffused light, along with the signature blue hue championed by the designer.

‍Opus by Studio CHHO: A New Trajectory

‍Launched a decade ago, the interior architecture firm Hoch unveiled Studio CHHO, the creative force behind Opus. This debut furniture collection, whose name suggests both a first chapter and a technical term for stone masonry, consists of five pieces. Developed over a year and a half, it highlights taut lines and 90° and 45° angles, delivering a bold aesthetic language with generous forms. Enhanced by a restrained palette of three materials—stained birch veneer, hammered glass, and vibrated stainless steel—the pieces were conceived as "objects of presence." This term, unique to the studio, reflects creations made in the south of France that embody the firm's sober yet characterful DNA.

‍"The Light Library" by Studio Meaningfull: Coloring Light

Continuing their research into color, which began with the Agora du Design grant they won in 2021, Studio Meaningfull—comprising Marine Rouit-Leduc, Galilée Al Rifaï, and Nicolas Rouit-Leduc—presented "The Light Library" at Galerie Ideal Place. The exhibition showcased nearly four years of experimentation with the color of light, conceived not as a material, but as a means of interaction. Each shade was developed with reference to natural phenomena, such as the aurora borealis, dawn, and twilight, to achieve a realistic and natural effect. The trio displayed several light-based objects and sculptures, including the Milan lamp, which recently joined the Mobilier National collections. The exhibition was designed to engage the senses and emotions while establishing new chromatic references for light, through an approach that is both sculptural and architectural.

For its first participation in Paris Design Week, Frgmnt selected 43 designers and 11 material manufacturers, brought together to showcase a process and pieces imagined from forgotten or discarded industrial materials, scraps, and waste. Initiated by Meryl Benitah, the Frgmnt project began as a creative challenge launched last June. Over 48 hours, groups of designers, paired up for the occasion, imagined pieces using mediums often considered "undesirable". From wood to metal, the project also incorporated new materials, such as the one designed by Etnisi from windshields, or the Tissium developed by the company Maximum. "It was a bit like a hackathon format, but dedicated to design. We started with materials that were either salvaged or upcycled to show that reuse or even a second life can be desirable. Even though the participants didn't know each other, a certain creative synergy quickly emerged, and groups formed rapidly, managing to produce pieces in just two days", says Meryl Benitah.

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This initiative caught the attention of Sabrina Piperno, manager of the Heureux les Curieux space, who wanted to support the project by inviting Frgmnt to exhibit during Paris Design Week in September. "For this edition, the idea was to invite other material manufacturer partners to create, on one hand, this material library, and on the other, to bring in designers with the same approach. Whether through the material itself or the design manufacturing process", continues Meryl Benitah.

A new way of thinking about material

Spread over two floors, the exhibition presents unique worlds, united by a single ambition: to create from what already exists or to explore the potential of new materials. "There are many ways to make a well-designed object that meets market needs. Some use reuse, others respond through the material, while some do it through function. But they all tell a story through a piece, always asking how to create objects that are desirable in the long term." This inquiry led designers to partner with manufacturers, such as hors-studio, whose Caretta Caretta lamp was made from Celullio, a material developed in collaboration with Matériaux Urbains. The latter is also the creator of Paperio, a new medium that Atelier Alcova used to bring Tecto to life. Meanwhile, other creators are presenting original pieces born from their own unique processes. Notable examples include Atelier Perret, creator of the Séléné pendant light made from coffee grounds; the T65 vase designed from bread by studio Copain; and Emma Batsheva Cohen’s concept focused on optimizing vegetable leather.

Fostering connections

These diverse profiles and explored avenues aim to demonstrate that materials, initially overlooked, can become desirable once design takes hold of them. "My personal goal is to foster this link between manufacturers, designers, and specifiers by creating a beautiful ecosystem that will encourage them to collaborate and allow these pieces to find their way into hotels, restaurants, and support their development on a larger scale." With this exhibition, Meryl Benitah intends to build new bridges between key sectors of the design industry.

Neither a gallery nor a showroom, 28—located at 28 rue Jacob in the 6th arrondissement—aims to offer a new exhibition format. Conceived by Jacques Barret, founder of Triode, this new space invites the designers represented by the firm to go beyond simply showcasing their collections. For each exhibition, they are given carte blanche to reveal a more personal side of their creative world. For this inaugural invitation, Triode reunites with Jean & Oliver Pelle, four years after their first joint exhibition in Paris.

Two perspectives on material and light

Architects by training and based in Brooklyn, Jean and Oliver Pelle have developed a practice that sits at the intersection of architecture, craftsmanship, and experimentation. For the "Metallic Reverie "exhibition, the duo created ten works specifically for 28, all united by a single material: metal. Jean Pelle presents her Fountain lighting series, inspired by memories and landscapes observed in Korea and along the American coast, while Oliver Pelle explores the intersection of light, material, and space through his Light Objects. Two distinct styles, yet united by a shared focus on materiality. It is a fitting way to inaugurate 28 by showcasing exactly what this new venue aims to reveal: the intimate personality of the designers.

Created by Iratzoki Studio in 2011, Kuskoa established itself as one of Alki’s best-sellers with its oak shell design set on a solid wood trestle. During Paris Design Week, the brand unveiled Kuskoa M. Comprising a chair, two stools of different heights, and a bench, the collection was designed for restaurants, bars, canteens, and kitchens alike. With its various heights and typologies, this set can offer multiple configurations within a single space.
Featuring a powder-coated tubular steel frame, the seat develops a new graphic expression. Available in several finishes, it offers everyone the opportunity to compose their own piece, celebrating monochrome or, conversely, contrasts between metal, wood, and textile. Note that the shell can be upholstered in its entirety or only on the front.

It is a sentiment some might find overused, but design, beyond its commercial and aesthetic dimensions, must be utilitarian. This philosophy, often challenged in the context of collectible design and shifting trends, is shared by Athime de Crécy and Quentin Frichet. Both ECAL graduates, having trained under Philippe Starck and Erwan Bouroullec respectively, the two young designers have taken over Espace Brownstone in Paris until September 19. It is a white-box space where 35 stools are displayed—not for visitors to look at, but for users to experience. "We had wanted to create a self-service exhibition for a long time. We initially thought about doing it in a bar, but in the end, the typology of the object took precedence over the venue," explains Athime de Crécy. Here, behavior is not dictated by the decor—which is nonexistent, save for a central table and drink storage at the entrance—but by the very nature of the pieces themselves. Presented without pedestals or labels, the seats invite everyone to pick them up, move them around, and sit down, effectively transforming the gallery into a living space. "We believe that a design exhibition that separates objects from the public invariably loses an essential aspect of what makes the discipline so powerful." The social dimension is an imperative here, carried by the stool and its characteristically lighthearted tone.

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A shared idea expressed in every form

If a single object can spark different visions from one mind to another, *Bar stool* is the perfect illustration. A true synthesis of forms and materials, the exhibition is an ode to creativity. From the technical mastery of molded wood by Arthur Desmet to the high-tech 3D-printed stainless steel by the German studio Wint, the exhibition reveals a paradoxical coherence driven by the balance of diverse ambitions. "We didn't have to look far to find the designers. They are friends with whom we share a common sensibility for utilitarian and expressive design. We simply gave them total creative freedom, without even imagining that the projects might end up looking alike." A curation that gives this ephemeral refreshment bar its unique character and connects the aesthetic experience with everyday life. "It’s an approach that, in our view, draws the maximum amount of meaning from the minimum amount of resources."

With Aurora, Garnier & Linker blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces. For this first foray into outdoor design, the studio does not break from its formal vocabulary but chooses instead to extend it. Several existing pieces have been reinterpreted, notably through the introduction of a new material: cast aluminum. Previously available in bronze or plaster, these light fixtures now take on a more architectural expression, adapted to the demands of outdoor use without sacrificing the studio's unique identity.

Material as a guiding thread

Used on its own for the Nezu and Kora wall lamps, or paired with alabaster for the Teree and Theo models, cast aluminum enhances the duo's ongoing exploration of materials and their interaction with light. In addition to these models, the collection features six new pieces: Aura, Cronos, Eos, Gaia, Retina, and Thala. Developed in the studio's workshop near the Fontainebleau forest, the collection continues a design philosophy where material and texture define the object. While aluminum naturally meets the requirements for outdoor use, these pieces are also designed to fit seamlessly into interior spaces. Presented as the first chapter of a growing range, Aurora aims to rethink outdoor lighting by breaking free from traditional conventions to fully integrate it into the studio's design language.

Set along a path imagined as an apartment—complete with a hallway, dining room, and living room—Polimair, Lucas Zito, and Tapicheri presented the aptly named "Trois-Pièces" exhibition. More than just a succession of objects, the exhibition plays on the dialogue between them and the complementarity of practices that pay special attention to materials and manufacturing processes. "The starting point for Trois-Pièces was the idea of bringing together three Parisian designers with very different yet complementary practices, following a 'curated ensemble' logic where we present a bench, a rug, and a light fixture—the fundamental elements of a welcoming space." says Arthur Gaudenz, co-founder of Polimair.

Three rooms, three worlds, three interpretations of material

For this exhibition, the designers offered new pieces from their respective worlds. First, Polimair presented its Baiji bench, a continuation of the stool of the same name introduced a few months earlier. The bench, developed in collaboration with Gabriel Fabrics, is a modular system with limitless configuration and assembly possibilities. Lucas Zito continued his experiments with 3D printing through his Patch collection, unveiling a large 240cm-long table in the dining room area, displayed alongside his Buoy lamps. Finally, the French rug design house Tapicheri, founded by Camille de Villartay, revealed the La Cité Perdue wool rug collection, designed specifically for the exhibition, with a 350 × 210 cm model as the centerpiece. "The biggest challenge of the exhibition was bringing together these three sets of ideas that are difficult to combine. On one hand, there's us, doing mass production; Camille from Tapicheri does bespoke work; and Lucas is focused on collectible, one-off pieces. So, these are projects that don't usually coexist," continues Arthur Gaudenz.

Pieces from very distinct worlds, then, but ones that, once brought together, assemble with perfect coherence. The "Trois-Pièces" exhibition successfully brought industry, technology, and craftsmanship together to offer a shared vision of contemporary living, while championing a design approach where innovation lies as much in the form as in the production method.

While Paris Design Week is keen to celebrate design in all its diversity, the field remains a relatively closed concept. It was based on this observation that Alexandre Delasalle and Pierre Castignola conceived an exhibition for this September edition to celebrate alternative typologies. "Over the years and editions, we were frustrated to see that the pieces presented were generally the same, ranging from chairs to tables to mirrors. Yet, my pop-culture aesthetic and Pierre’s very classic, everyday objects don’t fit into the codes of postmodern design.", analyzes Alexandre Delasalle. Convinced that the sector is more abundant than it lets on, the duo created an exhibition celebrating neglected objects.

A heterogeneous gathering

To help illustrate this diversity, the two friends invited 27 different profiles—designers and artists alike—to rework object archetypes. "Originally, Pierre and I thought of objects like a pizza cutter or a bucket, because these are objects that don't have a name in design. The former is usually inhabited by something else, like a superhero shape or an offbeat color, while the latter is so forgotten it becomes the zero degree of writing." Two opposing approaches—one loud and one silent—quickly expanded by the unique visions of the other creators. From the leather dishwashing gloves by Alice Clermont to the industrial toilet paper dispenser by Tim Teven, and the ceramic box topped with a spiked collar by visual artist Sacha Lefèvre, the approaches, sometimes very literal or more embodied, intertwine within the exhibition. "What seemed most important to us was to establish a corpus capable of surprising us. Overall, we knew all the profiles to varying degrees, but our discussions and reflections now allow us to exhibit very different objects, whether they were designed specifically for the event or not."

A creative bazaar

Inspired by the multitude of invisible objects that inhabit our storage spaces, Alexandre Delasalle and Pierre Castignola took an interest in bazaars. "These are spaces that bring together very contradictory elements, ranging from classics that can last a lifetime, like a frying pan, to very striking but sometimes very ephemeral things, like slippers." Drawing on the idea of these markets, the exhibition space, formerly a garage, has been shaped into a long, narrow layout. "What was interesting is that the notion of a bazaar isn't the same from one country to another. I have the one in Belleville in mind, but for other creators, it might be chain stores like Action. However, the idea of a small storefront with longitudinal aisles is common. We wanted to capture that feeling of entering the space.", explains Alexandre Delasalle. In keeping with this vision, the exhibition space features a long central shelf where a neo-futuristic hand brush and a baroque mini-fan straight out of a Disney movie engage in dialogue. "The scenography is DIY, using cinder blocks and storage racks, but it serves the concept. It’s the accumulation of a certain number of objects that gives the bazaar its spirit, not the other way around. And it’s this idea that gives 'take one just in case' a polyphonic quality," concludes the designer.

Drawing on a world of hip-hop and sports influences, Hall Haus presents its collaboration with Monoprix. As the studio's first large-scale project, the collection brings a trendy industrial style to a wide range of home furniture and accessories. We spoke with Sammy Bernoussi, one of the collective's four co-founders, about this contemporary approach.

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Hall Haus is often associated with an industrial aesthetic featuring perforated steel plates. Why did you choose to maintain this signature look for this collection?

While you do see plates with holes, I think we’ve moved away from that slightly by building a bridge to Prisunic, specifically through the use of bent tubing. We had experimented with this technique before, but it was difficult for us due to our small production volumes. The collaboration with Monoprix opened new doors in terms of form and materials—like chrome, which is prohibitively expensive for small runs. Furthermore, working with Monoprix gave us the opportunity to create a truly comprehensive range. Aesthetically, we wanted it to reflect our past work while also realizing ideas we hadn't had the chance to bring to life yet. There’s a lot of talk about Bauhaus these days, so we had fun blending Breuer’s tubular structures with our own DNA. This collection is a mix of history and our own language, particularly when it comes to color. As a reminder, "Hall" comes from apartment building lobbies and the sense of community those spaces evoke, while the second part of our name is a nod to our affinity for the modernist Bauhaus movement.

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The collection stands out for its wide variety of typologies. Why is that?

We were given total creative freedom. The initial idea was to offer back-to-school essentials since we were launching in early September. We wanted a student to be able to furnish their new apartment with something beautiful and affordable—maybe spending just 10 euros more to get a customized piece. We started by designing over 45 objects and ended up manufacturing 27. We selected accessible typologies, but we also decided to hybridize others. For example, we removed the dryer, but added bars to the room divider to give it a new function as a drying rack. It resulted in a really interesting piece for small apartments. I’m convinced that everyone can find something useful for their home in this collection.

Collectors are used to seeing color in your previous work. Yet, the collection you’re offering now seems to favor sobriety.

It’s true that the studio’s creations are often customizable in bright colors, but for our collaboration with Monoprix, we had to rationalize. We removed the pink, kept blue only for the shopping cart, and opted for yellow and beige—a neutral tone that remains in high demand. Then, we simply accented the collection with a touch of red as a nod to Monoprix. With the modernist chrome base, we had a lot of freedom in our color choices, so it all felt very natural.

Long associated primarily with manufacturing, China is now carving out a new position in the international design landscape. During Paris Design Week, designers, artists, architects, and publishers are unveiling three spaces in Paris that offer diverse approaches. Far from a single aesthetic, they are united by a shared focus on craftsmanship, materials, and the dialogue between heritage and contemporary creation.

Wu Bin gives shape to time

In the heart of the Palais-Royal gardens, the signature style of designer and interior architect Wu Bin is showcased through The Pavilion of Time, from September 9 to 17. Crafted from mirror-polished stainless steel and wrapped in a membrane inspired by Xuan paper, the structure evolves with the light and movement of its surroundings. Divided into three segments, the pavilion transforms throughout the day into a contemporary sundial, blurring the lines between art, design, and architecture.

"Good taste" according to Chinese design

From September 10 to 14, the China Creative Pavilion brings together around twenty brands and talents at the Paris Design Week Factory. Under the theme " Good Taste!, the exhibition explores the relationship between aesthetics, sensory experience, and utility. Among the featured projects, Anta has partnered with artist Liu Tong for a paper installation inspired by its ANTA FOLD technology, while SDCC transforms discarded ceramics from Jingdezhen into architectural cladding, blending porcelain craftsmanship with a circular economy.

When art meets everyday life

Finally, the "Form Before Form" exhibition, presented at Espace AUBE from September 9 to 19, marks the European debut of YUAN, a project founded in Beijing by Song Tao. Ceramics, painting, floral art, and organic installations converge here, reflecting a vision of design as an extension of artistic research and a way of living. Notably, ceramicist Du Qinfen presents the YUAN Collection 01, which translates her artistic vocabulary into everyday objects.

For a long time, we have confused novelty with progress. As if moving forward necessarily meant replacing. As if an object, a material, or a building lost all value the moment it had been used. This logic has shaped our interiors as much as our economy: produce, entice, sell, forget. Then start over. Again and again. Now, reality forces us to look at what already exists in a new light. It is not about giving up on creation, and certainly not about giving in to nostalgia.

On the contrary, it is about expanding the scope of design. Repairing, transforming, reusing, reconditioning, repurposing. All these actions require as much intelligence as creating from scratch. Perhaps even more. Because working with what exists imposes constraints, a history, and, sometimes, scars. The designer no longer starts with a blank page. Today, they are writing the next chapter.

Contents

Design 360

Design Story

Second life, The age of secondary materials

In the meshes of Iranzo

Maximum, matter in a state of change

James Shaw: Colorful aggregates

Issey Miyake, biophilic experience

Furniture for Good: matter takes shape again

Sander Wassink, making do

Lucie Gholam, reconstructing a narrative

Rikkert Paauw, composing with the existing

SEA LÍA: plastic surgery

.Oddity Fragrance, scented design

Dirk van der Kooij, the memory of plastic

ecoBirdy: at a child's height

Semper & Adhuc, time reclaimed

hors-studio, raw materials

deco.and, extravagant silence

Redesign, (Re)embodying the object

Publishers, collective consciousness

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Materials

Fab.BRICK, rebuilding the wall

Antonin Mongin, the design fiber

Loumi Le Floc’h, summer light

Rezign, textiles reinvented

pierreplume, the fibers of reuse

Kami-Kami, when materials change status

In-situ

What is already thereOne Yard, from one industry to another

K5: Constant value

Atelier Craft, untold stories

Experimenta

Sustainable Practices Laboratory: when material reshapes the project

In the Air

Artisans of Excellence Fair: spotlight on materials

Technogym x Intramuros Competition: winners of the second edition

Hyline: blurring the boundaries

Studio MTX: embroidery on a grand scale

EquipHotel: highlights from the 2026 edition

Events

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As a legendary architectural duo, Charles and Ray Eames helped bring modernism into the residential sector. Nearly a century after their most famous projects, publisher Phaidon is releasing "The Eames Houses." More than just a monograph, the book—developed over two years—revisits eight projects that explore prefabrication, flexibility, and industrial materials. Here, architecture is not a stylistic exercise, but a generous system designed to serve daily life. To delve into this philosophy, we asked a few questions to Eckart Maise, former creative director at Vitra and a long-time collaborator of the Eames family, and to Antonio Navarro, artistic director of the Spanish company Kettal, which launched the Eames Pavilion last April.

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To start, could you provide some context on how the Eames houses came to be?

Eckart Maise: These houses emerged in the United States after World War II. At the time, a severe housing shortage coincided with an industrial model that was finally capable of producing standardized components on a massive scale. In California, the population was growing rapidly, and changing work and family life patterns called for new forms of domestic architecture. Consequently, the Case Study House program was launched in 1945 by John Entenza’s magazine, Arts & Architecture. The goal was to ask architects to apply advancements in materials to modern, affordable housing. Charles and Ray Eames conceived the house as a system rather than an object in the traditional sense. They favored a lightweight structure assembled from readily available components, capable of adapting to different sites, occupants, and lifestyles.

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So, was the fundamental idea behind the Eames approach to create industrialized, modular design?

Antonio Navarro: Absolutely. Charles and Ray demonstrated that this idea was viable through the Eames House. However, its transformation into an industrial system that could be produced and distributed on a larger scale did not succeed. The concept was likely just too far ahead of its time. In the late 1940s, many of the materials, components, and technologies required to efficiently produce this type of architecture did not yet exist or were not sufficiently accessible. The Eames House itself was built using industrial components originally manufactured for other purposes. In fact, Charles and Ray developed a prefabricated house for Kwikset intended for mass production, but the company changed ownership and went bankrupt before the prototype could be built.
Architecture is much harder to industrialize than furniture. Each project must respond to its climate, location, foundations, local regulations, utilities, and logistics. So, the idea was sound, but the technical and industrial ecosystem needed to make it possible was missing. Today, many of those conditions are finally in place.

This was demonstrated in April at the Milan Triennale with the launch of an Eames Pavilion. How did Kettal and the Eames Office collaborate to design this 2026 version, which is not a replica of a blueprint, but an extension of a vision?

EM: The pavilion was born from archival research into the experimental houses and construction systems developed by Charles and Ray between 1945 and 1955. The Eames Office and Kettal translated their recurring principles—a structural grid, prefabricated components, and interchangeable infill panels—into a contemporary kit of parts. For Kettal, the brand was a natural fit because it already had experience in aluminum construction, particularly with modular pavilions. Its engineering and manufacturing capabilities allowed the Eames' ideas to move beyond the prototype stage. The goal was not to reproduce a single historical project, but to develop an adaptable system that could be manufactured, configured, and expanded to meet current requirements.

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And those requirements have surely led to some changes?

AN: I wouldn’t say we changed the architecture. Our intention was to translate the original system into a contemporary production while preserving its logic, proportions, and visual character. From the start, we wanted the technical work carried out by Kettal to be almost imperceptible in the final result.
We therefore studied the Eames House as a built prototype, measuring and analyzing its components, profiles, surfaces, colors, and construction details. This study was combined with research conducted by the Eames Office on their other built and unbuilt architectural projects.

But moving from an unbuilt project to a product available for sale requires standardization, particularly regarding technical elements?

AN: Indeed. We reduced the number of elements, streamlined the assemblies, and established clear configuration rules. Paradoxically, simplifying the system increases its possibilities, because the same components can create many different structures.
So, it is the technical aspect that we primarily modified by introducing high-precision extruded aluminum profiles, improving thermal and acoustic insulation, and taking into account contemporary requirements regarding waterproofing, tolerances, weather resistance, durability, and local regulations. We also integrated lighting, ventilation, climate control, and connectivity. There is novelty, then, but the underlying architectural intelligence remains that of Charles and Ray Eames.

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How do you explain that this intelligence, nearly a century old, still meets contemporary needs and aspirations?

AN: Perhaps the most surprising thing is that many of the questions Charles and Ray sought to answer have become even more urgent today. In any case, there are multiple factors.
From a technical standpoint, they conceived of architecture as an adaptable system rather than a fixed object. A rational grid and a limited number of interchangeable components allow a structure to be configured for different uses, expanded, reduced, dismantled, or moved. Elements can be repaired or replaced individually, and components that are no longer needed can be reused elsewhere. This is a much smarter use of materials than when every building is considered a permanent and inseparable whole.
From a sociological perspective, our lives have become increasingly mobile and fluid. Families grow or shrink; businesses expand, contract, or relocate; and the boundaries between home, work, and hospitality continue to blur. A space that is suitable today may need to function very differently in five or ten years. The Eameses understood that architecture should support these changes rather than resist them.
There is also an environmental dimension. In certain contexts, architecture should be reversible, allowing a structure to be removed and the landscape restored rather than permanently transformed.

What must be remembered is that they were not designing architecture to fit a particular image of modern life. They were thinking of a structure capable of responding to life as it evolves.

Beyond their functionality as living spaces, the Eames buildings were also visual. What role did the Eameses and their wireframe architecture play in modernist aesthetics and the famous Case Study Houses program?

EM: Of the 36 Case Study Houses proposed, Charles and Ray Eames developed the original design for the Bridge House as well as the Entenza House with Eero Saarinen, followed by the Eames House, which was the one actually built. Although all 36 projects followed the same brief for affordable, contemporary housing, their architectural approaches differed significantly.

The Eameses' unique contribution was to treat exposed steel structures, standardized industrial components, glass, and colored panels as both a construction system and a visual composition. Their importance lay not in defining a single aesthetic for the Case Study Houses, but in demonstrating that industrial standardization could foster architectural freedom and highly individualized ways of living.

September 5-7 : Shoppe Object Paris Trade Show, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, 75015 Paris

September 8-27 : "Contrepoint" exhibition by Anthony Guerrée, Musée Bourdelle, 16, rue Antoine-Bourdelle, 75015 Paris

September 9 and 10 : "Trames" exhibition by Heju Studio at Tarkett, 43 Rue de Saintonge, 75003 Paris

September 9-13 : "The Light Library" exhibition by Studio Meaningful, Ideal Place Gallery, 38, rue des Gravilliers, 75003 Paris

September 9-19 : "Sotto Voce" exhibition, 3 rue Paul Bert, 75011 Paris

featuring: Clément Pasquier, Justine Ménard, Florie Berger, Mélissa Wago-Lala, Mathilde Martin and Sòler Paris

September 9-20 : The "Re-prise de la Bastille" by studio 5.5, Place de la Bastille, 75004 Paris

September 10-13 : "Trois Pièces" exhibition with Polimair, Lucas Zito and Tapicheri, 52 rue Charlot, 75003 Paris 

September 11-13 : "Take one just in case" exhibition, 10 rue Tesson, 75010 Paris initiated by Pierre Castignola and Alexandre Delasalle 

featuring: Augustin Puzio, Atelier Burrata, made by ASTRONAUTS, Lana Arih, Jules Barton, Tin Alaya, Pierre Castignola, Laura Casañas Maya, Alice Clermont, Alexandre Delasalle, Laura Dominici x Basil Schu, Lewis Duckworth, e8 Tableware, Tim Teven, Diego Faivre, Lucas Muñoz Muñoz, Helene Falgayrette, Olga Flor, Lino Gasparitch, LS Gomma, Ebba Studio, Flora Lechner, Anna McAllister, Mark Malecki, Johanna Pichlbauer, Jovien Panné, Sacha Lefèvre, Sigurd Schelde, Marie Verdeil

September 10-14 : Paris Design Week Factory:

Espace Commines: 17, rue Commines, 75003 Paris 

Galerie Joseph: 116, rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris 

Galerie Joseph: 16, rue des Minimes, 75003 Paris 

Galerie Ellia: 10, rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris

September 11 and 12 : IKEA "Home of the Year", 4 rue François Miron, 75004 Paris

September 10 to 19 : PICNIC installation by Cluzel / Pluchon, Hôtel d’Albret, 31 rue des Francs Bourgeois, 75004 Paris 

September 10 to 19 : "Bar Stool" Exhibition, Espace Brownstone, 26 rue Saint-Gilles, 75003 Paris, initiated by Athime de Crécy and Quentin Frichet 

featuring: AC/AL, Antonin Fassio, Arthur Desmet, CPRV, Athime de Crécy, Camille Donias, Claire Lavabre, Cluzel & Pluchon, Denise Merlette, Formel Studio, François Lafortune, Guillaume Bloget, Guillaume Gindrat, Gini Moynier, Giuseppe Formica, Hugo Chaffiotte, Marine Quéré, Meta, Paul Tubiana, Quentin Frichet, Romain Sillon & Clara Ormières, Sacha Parent & Valentine Tiraboschi, Sara Decampos, Théo Leclercq & Camille Viallet, Thelonious Goupil, Tobias Brunner, and Wint Design Lab.

September 10 to 19 : Frgmnt Design Week at Heureux les curieux, 23 rue du Pont aux Choux, 75003 Paris 

featuring: Alexandre Veillon, Alicia Bonnard, Amalgame Studio, Ariane Ronot, Atelier Anova, Atelier Apara, Atelier Perret, Benoit Porte-Proust, Claire Buet, Clémence Birot, Clémence Lucchini, Clément Thevenot, Céline Proust, David Jacquinot, Emma Batsheva Cohen, Faustine Perret, Florence Boujnah, Judith Chauvel-Levy, Kr.Atelier, Louis Daigre, Mahée Billères, Marine Gaillard, Marion Gaudino, Maxime Wan Meenen, Mickaël Gayet, Mileno Guillorel-Obregón, Nessim Kaufmann, Nicolas Guillamot, Olive®, Post Industrial Crafts, Richard Rondelez, Sarah Remy, Studio CoPain, Studio Évaporer, Studio Jumel, Tancrède de Beaumont, Théo Laverne, Valentin Bony, Vincent Cassat, Yohan Thomas in collaboration with Etnisi, La Tête Dans Les Nuages, La Fabrique Materia, Matériaux Urbains, NaturLoop, Pierre Plume, Reed Material, Renature Materials and Tissium

September 10 to 27 : Paris Design Week at BHV Marais, 52 rue de Rivoli, 75004 Paris

featuring: Jean-Baptiste Durand and Simon Geringer, Théo Charasse with Vous pouvez dormir dans la grange, Gaspard Fleury-Dugy, Laure Philippe with studio BrichetZiegler, Gregory Lacoua and BehaghelFoiny

September 10 to October 3 : "Multiples" Exhibition, Galerie des Ateliers de Paris, 30 rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris 

featuring: Camille Viallet & Théo Leclercq, Cluzel / Pluchon, CPRV, Jules Levasseur, Julie Richoz, Kevin Lebouvier - Klaes studio, Laure Philippe, Lila Guédin, Lucien Icard, Nicolas Verschaeve, Selah Creative Office, Studio Poirier Bailay, Valentine Tiraboschi & Sacha Parent, Thelonious Goupil and Unknown Untitled

September 10 to October 4 : "La Tempête" Exhibition by Jérémy Pradier-Jeauneau with Fermob, Arc de Triomphe, Place Charles de Gaulle, 75008 Paris

September 10 to October 10 : "Under Pressure" Exhibition by Marie and Alexandre, Galerie Signé, 33 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris 

September 11 to October 31 : "Petals" exhibition by Patrick Jouin, Galerie de Sèvres, 4 place André Malraux, 75001 Paris

Long relegated to the status of domestic ornament, textiles have now established themselves as a medium of the moment. A key player in structural and aesthetic revolutions, the medium is being showcased at the Hôtel des Arts in Toulon until October 31. The exhibition "Follow the Thread! Design & Textile" offers a historical deep dive through a hundred works from prestigious collections such as those of the Centre Pompidou and the Mobilier National. Opening with pioneering figures like Sonia Delaunay and Élise Djo-Bourgeois, the exhibition highlights the dialogue initiated between different sectors such as furniture, fashion, and architecture. It is an opportunity to recall not only the role women have played in the history of textiles but also the beginnings of a modernity where pattern and weave become one with space.

An intimate history is followed by the more impersonal yet universal story of synthetic fibers. The 1960s saw the birth of jersey, and stretch fabrics broke free from their frames to embrace the shapes of the body as well as structural armatures, driven by designers like Pierre Paulin and Olivier Mourgue. From then on, textiles became a tool for industrial innovation. At the same time, artists and creators like Sheila Hicks and Simone Prouvé explored the porous boundaries between art, structure, and habitat.

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Textiles: A Flexible Universe

The exhibition also highlights the creative repurposing of materials. From the radical proposals of Gaetano Pesce or the Droog Design collective in the 1990s, to the sculptural metal meshes of Dominique Perrault, Gaëlle Lauriot-Prévost, or Muller Van Severen, the thread sheds its flexibility to become a rigid architectural language. This evolution opens new horizons for a new generation embracing these fibers in an era of high technology and environmental responsibility. From the hybrid pieces of Hella Jongerius and Jeanne Goutelle, which blend digital weaving with ancestral craftsmanship, to the modular acoustic walls of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, this exhibition invites you to trace the thread of a sector that is omnipresent in our lives.

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Left: Pauline Esparon Arso Armchair, 2024 ©Adagp, Paris, 2026 © Les Arts Décoratifs / Christophe Dellière

Right: Marcel Wanders Knotted Chair, 1996 © Gaetano Pesce © Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI/Bertrand Prévost/Dist. GrandPalaisRmn

"We are celebrating one of the most precocious designers of the 20th century this year" says Stéphane Legue, Sales Director for France at Fritz Hansen. A central and iconic figure for the brand, Poul Kjærholm is being honored on the 70th anniversary of his PK22 chair. It is an iconic piece of the Scandinavian modernist movement so dear to the creator, whose collaboration with the Danish manufacturer began with The Element—since renamed the PK25—an innovative graduation project he completed at age 21.

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Structure in the service of thought

A Danish cousin to Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair, the PK22, designed in 1956, embodies a vision of design that was resolutely modern for its time. "Poul Kjærholm’s approach to design was stripped back. He didn't want upholstery, the metal wasn't supposed to reflect light, and because he believed that even perfect welds would always be imperfect, he incorporated Allen screws into his pieces—fasteners previously reserved for the aeronautics industry." The designer also distinguished this ingenious design through the use of flat metal. "Kjærholm was a socialist at heart, and for him, metal was a way to ensure consistency in the industrial process. But unlike Breuer, who had imagined a tubular structure inspired by a bicycle frame, he favored flat uprights that offered different structural possibilities." This attention to detail meant the PK22 would never become a mass-market chair due to its production costs. Regardless, the model was awarded the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennale in 1957, bringing its creator international acclaim.

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Simplicity as a collection aesthetic

Over the course of his sixteen-year collaboration with Fritz Hansen, Poul Kjærholm developed a particularly rich body of work. Showcasing a wide variety of materials (steel, leather, canvas, granite, wood, rope, etc.), the collection champions a discreet and balanced aesthetic, favoring pieces that use no more than three different mediums. " He was very inspired by what he saw outdoors and often said, 'There are no blue or red cows in the fields, so I only want natural colors.' This approach is still evident today", says Stephen Legue.

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Unchanged for over half a century—with the exception of the steel, originally nickel-plated chrome, which became stainless steel in the early 2000s—the furniture designed by the designer has nonetheless evolved with the times. For its anniversary, the PK22 is enhanced with a new, exceptional leather called Haze, with a lightly sanded surface. At the same time, Fritz Hansen is introducing a new grey-white polished granite for the top of the PK61 table, whose geometry echoes the work of Piet Mondrian, and is producing the PK111 screen for the first time. Composed of clip-on Douglas fir plywood panels, this new 140 cm high typology was designed to provide a sense of privacy while seated at a table, while offering an unobstructed view of the room when standing; a design directly linked to Poul Kjærholm’s home, which opens onto the outdoors. Both pieces testify, each in their own way, to his interest in the principles of modernism and his search for a balance between functionality, architecture, and space. A lineage extended by the PK3 chair, reissued since late 2025, and the PK23 lounge chair, unveiled during 3daysofdesign 2026. Recognizable by their split backrests, the seats were cut to achieve a 3D backrest at a time when only two-dimensional bending was possible. More than just an anniversary, it is above all a tribute to the ingenuity of a mind that the Danish brand honors.