Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève open call
by Les Manufactures nationales
Chair
2026
This reinterpretation of the Labrouste chair translates the architectural language of Henri Labrouste’s Sainte-Geneviève Library into a furniture-scale construction.
The chair draws directly from the library’s structural principles: the dialogue between a solid, permanent material and a lighter metal framework; the rhythm of exposed connections; and the idea that construction should be made visible rather than concealed.
Solid wood forms the primary structure, echoing the material presence of the library, while steel elements reinforce and reveal the logic of the chair. Inspired by the library’s exposed bolts and structural details, the connections become functional and expressive motifs.
The chair draws directly from the library’s structural principles: the dialogue between a solid, permanent material and a lighter metal framework; the rhythm of exposed connections; and the idea that construction should be made visible rather than concealed.
Solid wood forms the primary structure, echoing the material presence of the library, while steel elements reinforce and reveal the logic of the chair. Inspired by the library’s exposed bolts and structural details, the connections become functional and expressive motifs.
© 2026 Léo Achard. All rights reserved