'pierre paulin: action house' exhibits legacy of radical design in NYC

A Legacy of Visionary Design on view in new york

In a tribute to the pioneering spirit of Pierre Paulin (1927-2009), the Judd Foundation presents Pierre Paulin: Action House, an exhibition showcasing French designer’s radical approach to furniture and interiors. The show is co-curated by Flavin Judd, Artistic Director of Judd Foundation, and Benjamin Paulin, the late designer’s son and co-founder of the family-run project Paulin, Paulin, Paulin. The works on view range from 1968 to 1972, and include rare modular pieces like Dune and Tapis-Siège. These reflect adaptability, user-centered innovation, and a deep understanding of how furniture shapes human experience. Judd tells designboom, ‘We like good furniture and we like non-corporate furniture. Paulin is both.‘

While Paulin and Judd approached design independently, each shaped a cohesive, self-contained universe that placed individual expression above commercial trends. Judd highlights that this exhibition isn’t about forcing parallels but rather about celebrating Paulin’s consistent vision. ‘They might have qualities that are similar,’ Judd says, ‘but the interesting part is that they each made consistent universes of how things should look.’ Both designers envisioned a world where design is at once purposeful and free from the constraints of mass-market aesthetics. The show demonstrates this shared belief, inviting audiences to reflect on the integrity of design that resists the superficiality of commercial reproduction. Pierre Paulin: Action House will be on view from November 16th, 2024 until February 15th, 2025 at the Judd Foundation’s historic 101 Spring Street location in New York.

Miami Table, 210 × 210 cm (82 5/8 × 82 5/8 × 25 5/8 inches, seat height 13 3/4 inches), Pierre Paulin: Action House, November 16, 2024–February 15, 2025,101 Spring Street, Judd Foundation, New York. photo Timothy Doyon © Judd Foundation

Paulin’s Utopian Modular Vision

For Benjamin Paulin, co-founder of Paulin, Paulin, Paulin, the exhibition embodies his father’s utopian ideal of adaptable design — a concept ahead of its time. ‘Our objective was not primarily commercial; it was to showcase his extensive research and reveal an unknown side of his career,’ he tells designboom, noting how these designs create spaces that adapt to individual needs and lifestyles. The recreation of Paulin’s modular pieces, especially Dune and Tapis-Siège, exemplifies his commitment to personalizing environments. Benjamin continues, ‘We don’t reinterpret; we meticulously follow my father’s original specifications,’ emphasizing the exhibition’s balance of authenticity and innovation.

Paulin’s work reflects a synthesis of global influences, blending the Japanese tradition of sitting close to the ground with the communal nature of Middle Eastern spaces. Benjamin explains that his designs represent a ‘sophisticated art of living,’ informed by his father’s admiration for cultures with a refined relationship to shared spaces. Thus, the show curated together with Judd Foundation offers an insight into Paulin’s legacy and encourages a dialogue on how design shapes our interactions with interiors. Ultimately, Benjamin hopes that viewers leave feeling a deeper connection to Paulin’s vision, noting: ‘the intention was never to be an artist, but to serve and improve the life of his customers.’ Read the full interview below!

installation view, Pierre Paulin: Action House, November 16, 2024-February 15, 2025, 101 Spring Street, Judd Foundation, New York. photo Timothy Doyon © Judd Foundation. Donald Judd Art © Judd Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

dialogue with flavin judd

designboom (DB): What inspired the Judd Foundation to host ‘Pierre Paulin: Action House’ at 101 Spring Street, and what significance do you believe Paulin’s work holds for the space?

Flavin Judd (FJ): We like good furniture and we like non-corporate furniture. Paulin is both.

DB: Both Donald Judd and Pierre Paulin approached design as cohesive, self-consistent systems. How do you see their individual philosophies intersecting or diverging in this exhibition?

FJ: They each had their own design systems because they were each individuals making things. This is not a show demonstrating how they each might intersect or diverge. It is to show Paulin’s work as a cohesive system which is rare to see.

They might have qualities that are similar but the interesting part is that they each made consistent universes of how things should look. We need more of this and less cookie cutter corporate knockoffs of things from seventy years ago. Each designer should be as radical.

Déclive n°5, 273 × 140 cm (107 1⁄2 × 55 1/8 × 39 3⁄4 inches) and Angular Moon Table 70 × 210 cm (59 1⁄16 × 31 1/2 × 15 3/4 inches), Pierre Paulin: Action House, November 16, 2024–February 15, 2025,101 Spring Street, Judd Foundation, New York. photo Timothy Doyon © Judd Foundation

DB: Can you share more about how Paulin’s emphasis on user adaptability and comfort aligns with or contrasts Donald Judd’s design principles?

FJ: I think they each made their furniture as user-friendly as necessary. For Don, it was for a small audience with no thought towards corporations or large quantities so that is likely different. Paulin designed a whole car but Don modified one — the interior of a Land Rover — for himself. It’s a different approach.

DB: Judd Foundation exhibitions often reflect the public aspect of Donald Judd’s legacy. How do you see ‘Pierre Paulin: Action House’ contributing to the ongoing dialogue about design and its relationship to everyday living?

FJ: ‘Everyday living’ is a set of assumptions and based on the historical record, 90% of those assumptions at any given time are incorrect. What is nice about design is that you still need chairs and other things so there is a base necessity that has remained since the stone age or something. The ‘style’ is the assumptions so that should be seen as arbitrary and open to being upended and I think both Paulin and Judd did that for their time. Design is everyday living considered and thought about, which is what Don did for almost everything.

Ensemble Dune, 350 × 350 cm (137 3⁄4 × 137 3⁄4 × 19 3⁄4 inches) Pierre Paulin: Action House, November 16, 2024–February 15, 2025,101 Spring Street, Judd Foundation, New York. photo Timothy Doyon © Judd Foundation

dialogue with benjamin paulin

DB: Paulin, Paulin, Paulin has played a pivotal role in preserving and producing your father’s unrealized projects. What were the biggest revelations or challenges in bringing his maquettes to life for the exhibition?

Benjamin Paulin (BP): The project aimed to bring some of my father’s grandest unrealized visions to life on a real-life scale — dreams that unfortunately never materialized in his lifetime. Our objective was not primarily commercial; it was to showcase his extensive research and reveal an unknown side of his career. I grew up on the rejected prototypes that industrials were giving back to my father, to me those pieces were the most incredible. Every step of our family project presented a challenge, as there were no existing companies or workshops for these projects, and we were diving into unfamiliar territory. Yet, our passion drove us, transforming challenges into a rewarding experience. We were also fortunate to witness the right alignment of circumstances that finally favored these designs.

Module Rectangle, 334 × 196 cm (variable) (131 1/2 × 77 3⁄16 inches), Pierre Paulin: Action House, November 16, 2024–February 15, 2025, 101 Spring Street, Judd Foundation, New York. photo Timothy Doyon © Judd Foundation

DB: In what ways do you feel the modern reinterpretation of Paulin’s modular and adaptable designs speaks to current trends or needs in interior design and living spaces?

BP: We don’t reinterpret; we meticulously follow my father’s original specifications. We produce tangible evidence of Pierre Paulin’s creative vision, viewing the physical object as merely a testament to the work itself. Our role is limited to carefully curating and re-contextualizing his work, never altering the original designs. It’s true that the generous nature of my father’s designs, combined with the visibility of certain clients, has sparked a trend that has inspired many young designers and industrial brands to create their own versions of iconic pieces, such as the Dune sofa or the Alpha collection. This ambivalent feeling — a mix of frustration and gratitude — stays with me constantly.

Inspiration is a good thing; that’s how the world evolves. My father himself was influenced by many creators, like Alvar Aalto and the Eames. However, I believe that when you borrow, you have a responsibility: to give back with interest. At the very least, there should be a genuine intent to enrich or add something new, rather than settling for an opportunistic and shallow gesture.

DB: The exhibition highlights pieces like Tapis-Siège, which incorporate influences from Japanese design traditions. How did Pierre Paulin’s exposure to diverse cultural elements inform his creative process?

BP: My father constantly integrated influences from his travels across the world, from Japan to Saudi Arabia. The Tapis-Siège indeed was influenced by the Japanese tatamis and the Arabic Majlis. He was particularly captivated by cultures that engage with the floor in their daily lives; for him, this represented a sophisticated art of living. He often spoke of these civilizations with admiration, seeing in them a level of delicacy and refinement that he felt our own culture could learn from.

installation view, Pierre Paulin: Action House, November 16, 2024–February 15, 2025, 101 Spring Street, Judd Foundation, New York. photo Timothy Doyon © Judd Foundation. Donald Judd Art © Judd Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

DB: How do you think your father’s vision of creating a user-directed, personalized space contrasts with or complements current design thinking around interactive and flexible environments?

BP: My father’s philosophy was deeply user-centered, rooted in the idea that spaces should adapt to their users, enhancing their lives rather than imposing a designer’s vision. In today’s design world, where flexibility and interactivity are key, his approach feels particularly relevant. His emphasis on personalization anticipated the modern shift towards adaptable.

DB: Reflecting on the exhibition’s context, what do you hope audiences take away from experiencing these seven designs, and how do they encapsulate Pierre Paulin’s broader legacy and vision?

BP: We always like to create experience, emotional relation to the designs, my father intention never been to be an artist, he wanted to serve and to improve the life of his customers. We want people to be happy and to find the best context to feel safe and share emotions and moments.

Ensemble Dune, 350 × 350 cm (137 3⁄4 × 137 3⁄4 × 19 3⁄4 inches) Pierre Paulin: Action House, November 16, 2024–February 15, 2025,101 Spring Street, Judd Foundation, New York. photo Timothy Doyon © Judd Foundation