smarin's cork, wood installation welcomes visitors at villa arson

the geometric life: a modular furnishing and structure system

Lightweight, durable, adaptable, and ecological, the Geometric Life installation welcomes students, teachers, and visitors to the Villa Arson in France as an extension of the public realm. Realized by studio smarin at the invitation of École Nationale Supérieure d’art de Nice, the reception area presents a modular construction system of furnishing and structuring elements based on nail and screwless assemblies of blocks of pure, natural materials including cork and wood, hand-crafted in a short circuit. It embraces a frugal living paradigm through its alternative habitat nomenclature, merging viable geometry and landscape reminiscence.

Inspired by brutalism and the architect Michel Marot’s vision for the Villa Arson in the 60s, adapting architecture into existing typography, the system does not reshape space but rather customizes structures to the natural contours of the inhabited volume. This approach ensures a respectful integration with the interior landscape, adhering to Marot’s philosophy of minimizing visual impact and seamlessly blending into everyday contexts.

all images courtesy of studio smarin

smarin’s natural material palette echoes the brutalist site

Drawing inspiration from Villa Arson’s Brutalist architecture, studio smarin’s installation echoes the raw concrete walls through the use of pure, untreated, natural materials. The Geometric Life relies on solid wood forms, including oak panels and beech dowels, and cork blocks to create the basic stable structures. Cork, renowned for its anti-static, thermal, and phonic properties, complements the wood’s durability and aesthetic finish. These ecological materials offer longevity, ease of maintenance, and adaptability for an array of functional constructions, from storage to seating and partitions. The palette aligns with Brutalist principles, emphasizing sustainability, longevity, and an elemental celebration of forms and textures.

The design studio extends The Geometric Life’s adaptability to its polytypological, reversible furniture system, allowing for an infinite number of functional configurations. With a focus on non-toxic materials, frugality, solidity, longevity, and ergonomics, the system easily adapts to various morphologies and built environments, while its lightweight design facilitates movement, transformation, and storage, offering an economic and versatile solution for dynamic living spaces.

realized by studio smarin at the invitation of Villa Arson, École Nationale Supérieure d’art de Nice

Smarin’s exploration of habits in our relationship with objects goes beyond mere design, becoming a comprehensive process. Objects in the Geometric Life system choreograph flows, work, behaviors, and exchanges, while the choice of materials defines a landscape of extraction and transportation. By engaging with other disciplines such as arts, sciences, sociology, and politics, smarin aims to approach comprehensive projects that address the environmental and societal implications of design choices.

The Geometric Life: a modular furnishing and structure system

the system of furnishing and structuring elements is based on nail and screwless assemblies

the ecological material palette relies on solid wood forms, including oak panels and beech dowels, and cork blocks

studio smarin embraces architect Michel Marot’s vision for the Villa Arson in the 60s

the reception installation welcomes visitors, students, and teachers to the institute

project info:

name: The Geometric Life
designer: studio smarin

location: Villa Arson, École Nationale Supérieure d’art de Nice, France

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom