the (Cloud)lounger-project
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
— What belongs to everyone, what matters to us, the modern tradition. There is no break with the past without a desire for the (re)generation of our aspirations and our permanent inherited values; the changing world, transfigured by the emergence of the phenomena of mutation, a dynamic espoused by novelty and characterised by lasting modernity, a legacy have passed for us into universal heritage.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
1| the tech transition, the furniture migration (today) : the transition, digital or not, inspires creativity but also conveys confusion. Technological and ecological innovation take on a planetary awareness that is forced onwards by the climatic emergency. More than ever, the general aspiration of well-being is confronted with mutations of the whole of society, the proliferation of community ties exposed to new ways of living (quite radical on behalf of progress) that reforms the ways of thinking and behaviour of the world of before into the world of after.Today’s office has become commonplace or cooperative, delocalised, or even virtual, to the benefit of the residence that has since become eligible for remote work, for the desire to work wherever you live. No matter what, due to crisis circonstances, the ordinary office space archetype is fragmented in its functionality, a must for today’s transfigurations, as soft as safe it’s possible, as global as the worldwide village can be.
— how to modelise complexity to become a natural, growing modern life’. Thus it goes for a place as it does for the furniture that inhabits it, a sharing spot or an individual zone of refuge and (re)positioning (a personal comfort zone whence to reboot). The facts have changed as have the forms of cohabitation and of generic spatiality of private/public life, social/professional or family. A brand new world, as multifaceted and subject to metamorphosis as it is, calls for the sufficiency of the efforts of those dedicated to the latent, crucial (re)-foundation of their social life, to the durability of their values — both conservative and innovative — driven by their desire for symbiosis in their microcosm, or even relative osmosis with the other. The acute relationship of the permanent being in the spotlight on the stage of the innovative world. The modern way of life, managing a changing world.
Key objectives for sustainability
3| Sustainability is not a project, but a core attitude that finds expression in every aspects of the ethical approach of the concept as it should fundamentally drive the whole engineering design process as well. Choice of raw materials, from natural sources to recycled uses, preferential trades and partnerships with craftspeople and manufacturing industry who already have integrated this crucial value in their own supply chain in terms of impact. The new technologies available today – thanks to progress – allow us to think different in many ways using for example wind or sun to create self-sufficient energy and connected furniture object. Parts and component accessories as well can rather be made in 3D-printing to substitute the traditional process of manufacturing. No matter what, sustainability shouldn’t be ignored and has become an elementary essence of the entire original design value.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
4| No need to say that aesthetics comes up in mind in purpose at first sight as a thorough tribute to the Bauhaus legacy principles, while in another hand as a prospective design proposal characterized to become a disruptive classic. As It goes in terms of quality of experience beyond functionality, the very essence of the (Cloud)lounger project within its inspirational ready-made furniture family, is to become an user-friendly hybrid outdoor collection for individual people as well collectivities needs. A beautiful set-up as joyful as it's useful that really provides a constant multi-fonctionnal home (nest)work. Ordinary seat has becomes a welcoming nest, virtually an advantageous work-station as well among unlimited utilities. From high standard handcraft finish to complex mainstream new technology integration in its quality, indoor | mid-door | outdoor solutions, wherever but ideally suited for personal, mixed or professionnal uses, practical but stylish. Whatever you wish, the options are available to meet yours needs, like resting, relaxing, thinking, chatting, writing, web-surfing, calling, zooming, working from a distance, hosting, eating or drinking, even sunbathing among other suggestions. Colorful indeed within a strong aesthetic identity, hand-made touch within high-tech aspect, sustainable materials, mobility, multipurpose. A disposable comfort-zone linked to natural environnement landcape while looking for connected furniture, easy to remove or simply happy to move on, between tradition and migration. How to stay cool at 37.5°and keep a mind wide open in all circumstances, fully aware in 360° to the true progress under way. Even outdoors anything can happen (but the sun still shine)… How to modelise complexity to become a natural growing modern life. This study explores the function (its potentate) of the desire of an object (its value), As Charlotte Perriand so perfectly declared —"the most important thing isn't the object but the person"
Key objectives for inclusion
5| Since I have started this furniture design project, i always thought that the entire purpose of it was a global call for a prodigious know-how to produce way beyond the projective vision. Which was a constant exchange for experienced advices shared in close relationships with co/3D-designers, craftspeople or potentials furniture editors and industrial manufacturers, while i was pushing the bundaries of creativity and devoting myself from drawings to prototypes now ready-made for mass production. As every innovative design project driven by virtues of well-being achievements, the core sense of it claims for an ethical approach that embrace sustainability but also equitable and knowledgeable collaboration promoting circular economy and virtuous inclusion for the benefit of the community. Becoming virtually a kind of better life factory business model project, that give the opportunity to extend the scope of this design experience to respond by the way to local initiatives in terms of social and economic issues.
While thinking to local perspective, I am also submitting this innovative project to institutions who (inter)nationally promotes French design (VIA, Ministry of Culture, Mobilier National), in the meantime to major distributors in the furniture market, to potential investors in partnership as well and naturally to interior-designers and architects network as leading prescribers or influencers.
Results in relation to category
7| the results and impacts of the project need to be considered in real time as in its current context which has been badly compromized by the general wories of long lasting pandemic, the general rules applied to both barriers and containment measures favouring distancing over one to one relationship as well prospective meetings even more social life. We'are now facing a post-pandemic inflation that increase significantly the costs of raw materials such as metal, especially aluminium as well ressources of energy, due to strong worldwide economic growth on demand. Without speaking about the recent Ukrainian conflict on Europe's doorstep that make it worse and spread a growing anxiety in addition of a defensive climax in perspective. So far, I have pursued the whole project through difficult circumstances that still slow down quite a lot the collaborative project aspect while i continue to focus on the achievments on different levels or improvments required. Unfortunately that the way it is and I must deal like others with this reality, wich claims for an adequate plan devoted to the next future steps, while working on investment options or partnerships on demand that requires attention and support. No waste of time but work to progress in order to meet the objectives but viables conditions of the project. We must consider hopefully that crisis may have curiously indirect benefits to move on faster for good, progress in progress …
How Citizens benefit
8| for reasons already mentionned, the project shows today some delay regarding the implementation phase in normal circumstances hopefully coming. Otherwise i will be forced in facts to reduce the optimum challenge for a more limited scale project, craving for ideal expansion. Design means almost nothing without being directly linked to progress that makes life better than ever for all. As a french-european citizen i am determined to contribute in my way of knowledge to improve economic even know-how or cultural issues which are fundamentals in our identity. Frankly speaking, civil society involvment is absolutely on the view for large interest and stay a crucial factor of the project dedication made to last even more widespread due to its benefit. Innovative furniture design matters, especially since the period we have endured and can't be separated from general todays habitat interest, even more radical changes regarding state of mind and desires, behaviours directly impacted by new aspirations of people to adapt ; home|love|work and how to combine for more serenity wishes become a real moto, an important matter of decisive issue. Based on this observation, the core purpose of the project follows and embraces this growing legitimate aspirations. In another hand, the collection of furniture itself is perfectly made to fit and furbish ideally public-lounge spaces, naturally green outdoors, hospitality and welcoming areas or cultural events where people and publics intend to meet and share for a lifetime.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
10| the(Cloud) lounger collection, with endless possible variations, represents nonetheless a homogeneous vision, proportionally associated with identical accessories, a true interactive furniture family. In principle, the physiognomy of this Cloud lounger isn’t to look especially new, indeed its obvious familiarity makes it a part of the modern tradition, though never seen nor produced from this singular perspective, but to be sufficiently different, relatively original and ideally conceived to last, through a systemic furniture display which fully meets today’s expectations as does its design legitimacy. The same production processes can be ingeniously exploited, to minimise the cost of manufacturing, to rationalise production using almost the same process and components; the aim is also to deliver a collection that can be utterly customized through accessories combination, all parts linked to a central visual frienly identity that can potentially create a global and instinctive call. In addition, the valuable coherence of the products together with their aesthetic qualities is strongly attached to visionary design, architecture and culture heritage that embodies in such ethical way todays blessings of universal environmental virtues. (dixit) Jean Prouvé "I'm neither an architect nor an engineer, I'm a factory man". Just like his humility and his deep and sincere commitment to the mass-production industry, these qualities create a whole philosophy out of his way of thinking. Alike Prouvé, my entire creative nature is as full of hybrid multidisciplinary experiences as it is capillary of meaning through my intensive, global immersion specialized in design project engineering. Nothing more in fact, than 5 fingers twice in motion, hard at work, animated by the passion of excellence design, with an undeniably open mind and with the strength of acquired transversal experience, as much a visionary as can be in the vocation of a designer and a committed citizen.
Learning transferred to other parties
11| Beside economic aspects, it will be a considerable progress for education programs in close collaboration with art, crafts, design or architecture schools already facing integration of digital practices into traditional learning. Regarding furniture design practice with a high commitment to promote French design, the true goal will be to link and source learning’s opportunities while producing ergonomic design furniture products. Joe Colombo says: “ the house will be as flexible as possible, in such a way that the content should freely move according to the movements of each one, as the current way of life requires.” He adds “ the space that directly surrounds the individual, all that constitutes his microcosm, is the ground on which we must push research in order to solve the problem of a new living environment.” Following this statement —that still make sense about new living expectations— we can easily embody theses principles implemented in today's context to push research way beyond, with useful new technologies ressources. We already noticed that number of people reconsider the way they want to live from now on, even if they have to reinvent themself despite radical changes on their previous life. Pushing the logic of breaking with their usual urban lifestyle to improve their quality of life. Its pretty obvious how the last two years we experienced have increased this striking phenomena. Since then companies have also changed the organisation of work wich allow categories of people to work at/from home. Working from a distance —from local to transnational interests — becomes commoditized and options will stay on view after the pandemic. The aspirational desire to belong to a friendly community, like a small town even a village or a native region for few, become an issue to regain a special bond missing in the landscape wich often contain the deep need to renew with nature, as a kind of rupture for a much better as healthier balance of well being.
