several manufacturers, including Italian
manufacturers, it was finally Ligne Roset
Contract that won the project by presenting
the most outstanding design at the best
price. "We competed because we enjoy new
challenges," says director Max Flageollet,
"but also because we wanted to rub shoulders
with an architect of excellence with whom we
had never worked before."
Located for more than 150 years in Briord,
Ligne Roset is known throughout the
world for the quality and elegance of its
contemporary furniture collection designed
by iconic designers, including Jean Nouvel,
Pierre Paulin, Inga Sempé, Philippe Nigro,
Pascal Mourgue, Didier Gomez, Noé
Duchaufour-Lawrance, or the Bouroullec
brothers, among others. In addition to its
craftsmanship, the Group can now pride itself
on its custom-made projects carried out by its
Ligne Roset Contract department. Dedicated
to the development of international luxury
hotels, cruise lines, but also to high-end shops
and other high-profile places, this department
studies and produces high-end furniture, built
for large or small series. One example of this
is the Station F project: 19, 26, and 39-foot
sofas that are aesthetically pleasing, very
comfortable, highly durable and timeless.
CUSTOMIZED AND OVERSIZED
With regard to the specifications and in close
collaboration with Wilmotte designers, the
research and development unit of Ligne
Roset Contract has produced a prototype
that includes three adjustable modules: a
central body, intermediate blocks of varying
size and two streamlined ends. Sculpted by
a machine, these modules in compact foam
adapt to each other according to the principle
used in tables with extensions.
Delivered by a special carrier, the
KingSofa must be mounted on site but
can be disassembled at will, since it must
be removable, a requirement from the
developer! After several tests, a decision
was made not to glue the Dutch felt on the
foam, but to incorporate zippers, designing
the seams of the covers to keep the fabric
taut, and avoid its deformation. It is a winning
technical process. "This is the kind of challenge
we like" says Max Flageollet, who is unaware
that another challenge awaits him, on a whole
other scale.
3
– 3–
THE DESIGN OF COLIVING
SPACES
For the young entrepreneurs of Station F,
Xavier Niel had the same architect build 600
housing units next to the incubator. @Home
is the name of this collective habitat designed
as a coliving platform. Each apartment has
a shared kitchen, three bathrooms and six
bedrooms measuring 22 square feet each!
The design of these "cells" is a tour de force,
but the Wilmotte designers decided to place
an order directly to Ligne Roset Contract
after an inspiring visit to its factory in the
Rhône-Alpes region.
This time, the project requires minimalist
furniture: a Japanese-style bed base and
storage drawer, a deep headboard, a stool/
bedside table, a wardrobe and a mirror. The
manufacturer is in charge of creating functional
and durable furniture. Outside of the digital
world, the occupants want to relax in a natural
cocoon mostly made of wood. "Our mission
was to adapt the Wilmotte designers' drawings
to the client's budget; in eight months, the
concept has been finalized in form and content,"
explains Max Flageollet, whose teams have
worked together from the early stages of the
project, a brilliant, economical idea. The core
idea: to supply high-end furniture, making use
of the industrial tool.
R
E
P
O
R
T
A
G
E