smarin installs 85 concrete lookalike floating devices at cannes' beach

smarin installs 85 concrete lookalike floating devices at cannes’ beach
(above) this year, 85 marches will be arranged freely on the beach of la quinzaine des réalisateurs, cannes
all images courtesy of smarin

designed in collaboration by french artist céleste boursier-mougenot and smarin — a french creation house founded in 2003 by renowned designer stéphanie marin — ‘les marches’ is a modular and hybrid set of floating devices. their appearance resembles that of a common raw concrete block, but once touched, they are surprisingly soft to the body. the materials were chosen with great care for their qualities that look like concrete and they include polyurethane foam with a smooth surface and latex paint finish. innovative in their design, they are 100% recyclable, fabricated with non-toxic materials, and can be applied to both indoor and outdoor situations. with each section weighing between 10kg and 14kg, they are easy to handle and their installation can be accomplished within minutes.

this modular system forms a super comfortable plan to welcome the cinema world on the croisette

this year, 85 ‘marches’ will be installed freely on the beach of la quinzaine des réalisateurs, (directors fortnight), the independent section held parallel to the cannes film festival. thanks to their original design, these pieces offer an infinite number of possible assemblies, resulting in classic looking stairs, perfect for the beachside. born in museums from an artistic mind, ‘les marches’ are perfect for chatting, relaxing, working, and meeting. their discrete and intriguing form reveals the possibility of comfort and sculptural scenography, designed to be part of the landscape they inhabit.

‘les marches’ are simple objects, flexible and surprisingly soft

they can be arranged in multiple ways, allowing both to deconstruct the scene or to define flexible areas

the pieces have been designed and developed in collaboration with the contemporary artist céleste boursier-mougenot

they were developed for the french pavilion at the 56th venice biennale, and ‘acquaalta’ at palais de tokyo in paris

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom