matali crasset fills renzo piano-designed atrium in paris with archipelago furniture

french designer matali crasset is known for her eclectic and unconventional approach to design where she develops new typologies articulated by appropriation, flexibility and modularity. titled tonic archipelago, her latest project is a collection of island furniture stations which she has design to take over the atrium of the renzo piano-designed ENS paris-saclay.

images by philippe piron / matali crasset © ADAGP

‘when entering the ENS paris-saclay’s atrium, which was realized by renzo piano, the first image that comes to mind is that of a liquid space,’ comments crasset on the motivation behind the project. ‘the color and fluidity of the orange resin flood the entire space, directing the gaze from the floor to the ceiling. my project consists of different islands forming an archipelago: an ensemble of designed units relatively close to one another.’

in geography, archipelagos refer to specific modes of appropriating the space between elements that are isolated, yet maintaining important, if not primordial links. with this is mind, the furniture pieces presented by matali crasset  aim to create a sense of centrality to the otherwise long atrium. presenting five different iterations, each island responds to different temporalities, typologies of comfort and ways of being together, unfolding complementary life scenarios.

the overall artistic installation is dynamic as it can move and be arranged in different ways to follow the school’s program. all the units have a basic form in common — a loop borrowed from the graphic language of archipelagos, declined to result in different structures.

project info:

name: archipelago

project management: ENS paris-saclay for the artistic 1%
contractor: matali crasset
matali crasset productions assisted by: florian bédé, francis fichot
associate contractor: marianne homiridis, bureau des projets réalisations
metal structure, carpentry: art project
sitting furniture: mac mobilier
saddlery: sherpa