The Designer of the Year for the March 2022 edition of Maison&Objet is Franklin Azzi, architect with a cross-disciplinary approach
At each edition, Maison&Objet names a Designer de l’Année. Franklin Azzi was named Designer of the Year of the September 2020 edition but the celebration has been postponed to March 2022. The architect and designer will therefore present the RETRO FUTUR installation, an exploration of his creative process.
Franklin Azzi is an architect with a cross-disciplinary approach who develops architecture, interior and industrial design projects. From urban microarchitecture to towers in Dubai and Paris, and not forgetting the refurbishment of existing structures such as the Alstom warehouses in Nantes, his work wants to meet the needs of his clients and of the users of his projects.
Discover everything about the March 2022 edition of Maison&Objet
An all-round vision of architecture
Azzi’s commitment as a designer-creator infiltrates every aspect of his work, from the largest scale projects to the tiniest manufacturing details. Azzi breathes new life into built heritage, invents the living and working spaces of the future (The Bureau, Be In for LVMH), designs urban environments that sit sympathetically in their surroundings (Beaupassage for Emerige), and devises dismantlable and removable structures (the pavilion on the roof of the Galeries Lafayette department store).
Emblematic of his capacity to create and innovate through reusing, the new Montparnasse Tower, planned for 2024, encapsulates his vision of the vertical city: energy efficient, open and resilient.
Convinced of the strength of collective intelligence to meet the challenges of our time, Franklin Azzi has been working on this major project since 2017 with Nouvelle AOM – a collective that he initiated for the international Demain Montparnasse competition – teaming up with practices Chartier Dalix Architectes and Hardel Le Bihan Architectes. All these spaces shape a brand-new landscape of possibilities, serving up sustainable and contemporary solutions designed to benefit their users.
The RETRO FUTUR installation
RETRO FUTUR, which arrives at Maison&Objet two years later, is an artistic installation that explores the creative processes of the future using tools from the past. This immersive installation stages the architect’s day-to-day activities via a digital, modular and pared-back table in black lacquered metal that diffuses, across a series of screens, a selection of basic and traditional tools of the trade (set square, rotring pen, tracing paper, light table, etc.) as well as the various items required each day when developing a project: architectural models, materials, sketches – everything you need.
Discover everything about the March 2022 edition of Maison&Objet
Static and moving images appear in succession, showing the manual techniques the architect employs in conjunction with his latest creations. Strapping made from strips of upcycled industrial felt separates the object from the rest of the lounge. The space itself is entirely upholstered with felt, including the ceiling, creating an acoustic bubble that fosters concentration. In the meanwhile, the slatted curtain invites visitors to enter and exit the installation at will. The durable and natural felt, which is manufactured in France by Le Feutre, creates an intimate, calming vibe. The installation embraces the retro-futurism trend characterized by a fusion of futuristic images of the past that become retro-futuristic over time.
Read the trade shows calendar for 2022
Maison&Objet
Parc des Expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte
24-28 March 2022
