DUNES - 2024

Council chamber furniture

Designing furniture for a town council chamber is not simply a matter of making tables and chairs. It begins with research — understanding a city's history, its styles, its architectural references — before proposing something that continues that legacy without repeating it.

In 2024, the Mairie de Biarritz invited several companies to tender for the supply of furniture for its council chamber. Thomas Longuefosse and I were selected for the tables. We led the project together, from the first sketch through to delivery, pooling our production tools and expertise.

The design phase was informed by a study of Biarritz's artistic styles and heritage. Several proposals were submitted. The chosen direction draws on art deco, a movement that left a deep mark on the architecture and interiors of Biarritz in the early twentieth century. The brief was twofold: to create furniture that carries the identity of the city, and to ensure daily ergonomic comfort for elected officials and municipal staff.

Solid oak was selected as the primary material for its durability, presence and ability to last. The city's crests are laser-cut from solid walnut, then inlaid into the oak — a technique that bridges traditional cabinetmaking and digital fabrication to capture the precision of the coat of arms.

Coordinating between two workshops, managing deadlines, quality control at every stage. On a project of this scale, project management is as demanding as design and fabrication. The result is furniture that is reliable, refined, and equal to a public space built to last.

Project made in collaboration with Thomas Longuefosse, cabinetmaker in the Basque Country.