POOL
New York Nov 2015 - Dec 2015
ABOUT POOL
Pool, a design studio helmed by French duo Léa Padovani and Sébastien Kieffer, excels in articulating the interplay between images, objects, and architecture, with products that continue to push the boundaries of traditional furniture and lighting design. Their name, Pool, is inspired by the definition of the word, and their unique aesthetic and intuition. They believe that design should encompass collaboration between many different elements to create a cohesive whole.
Meeting in 2006, Padovani and Kieffer immediately began a dialogue around the way that personal influences and the environment around them inspires product design. This mutual reflection on design theory led to the formation of Pool in 2010. The company focused on creating products that conveyed beauty and function whilst exploring the multiplicity of meanings, emotion, and intent.
In 2011, as part of the Milan International Furniture Fair, The French Cultural Institute exhibited a collection of designers at Bon Marche titled “Nouvelle Vague: the new French domestic landscape,” which included Pool’s first presentation of product design. Following this launch, Pool went on to collaborate with iconic manufacturer Cassina, in a series of scenographies with Charlotte Perriand in the first edition of Paris Design Week.
The following year Pool collected numerous awards, including Talents à la carte 2012, awarded by L’Éclaireur, at the Maison et Objets in Paris. They also exhibited pieces in shows such as France Design, in a collective exhibition with Gallery S. Bensimon in Milan, “Nouvelle Vague: the new French domestic landscape,” a collective exhibition at WANTED DESIGN in New York City, and “VW & Friends,” a collective exhibition at Ceramic Biennale, in Vallauris, France.
Curious and collaborative by nature, Pool also delves into the world of screenwriting in addition to their furniture and product design. Whether they are creating marble & labyrinth trays for Petite Friture or editing scripts, the duo embrace storyline, problem solving and working with budget constraints as key facets of the creative experience. They attribute their fruitful creative methods to the urban environment, the city of Paris, and the zeitgeist of their generation.
In 2013, Pool won “Best New Designer” from ELLE Decoration UK, and continues to collaborate with Atelier F. Pouenat, Gallery S.Bensimon, Petite Friture, and various other design companies. In 2016, Pool will launch a new lighting collection with CVL as well as additional interior presentations for their brand.
