A new chapter in contemporary design has arrived with IMMATERIAL 0001, a bench created from the unexpected partnership of Jacques Cartier Studio, ANAGRAM and Vestre. Debuting at Paris Fashion Week, this piece is more than just a place to sit. It is a bold statement blending innovation, craftsmanship and conceptual artistry, born from the merging of three distinct creative identities. You may sometimes wonder if this is something that you can actually sit on or just something you can marvel at but why can’t it be both?
IMMATERIAL 0001 draws inspiration from the incremental skeletons found in traditional boat-building, connecting the past to a vision of the future. The design was reimagined by ANAGRAM, infusing it with a sense of near-future possibility and subtle provocation. Vestre, renowned for its meticulous work in a Norwegian forest factory, took on the challenge of translating this ambitious vision into a tangible, lasting object.
Designers: Jacques Cartier Studio, ANAGRAM and Vestre
At first glance, the bench’s presence is captivating. Its form appears to shift as you move around it. From one perspective, the bench looks surprisingly light and almost weightless. From another, it commands the room with a monolithic solidity. This visual ambiguity is intentional, echoing the bench’s central theme of duality and transformation.
Materiality is at the heart of IMMATERIAL 0001. Cold galvanized steel forms the bench’s structural base, offering strength and a sense of industrial modernity. In contrast, the seat is crafted from warm Swedish pine, its rich tones and organic curves inviting touch and interaction. The interplay between these materials is not only visually striking but also creates a dialogue between nature and industry, warmth and coolness, softness and strength.
These days, the real and artificial are increasingly blurred but this work of art challenges our assumptions. Is it a functional object, a bench meant for public use, or is it a sculptural work to be contemplated from a distance? The answer, wonderfully, is both. The piece occupies a space between object and art, product and provocation. It invites you to question what you see and how you experience it. This collaboration between Jacques Cartier Studio, ANAGRAM and Vestre proves that when creative minds come together without compromise, the results can be both surprising and deeply meaningful. IMMATERIAL 0001 is a bench and a study in ambiguity, a conversation starter and an exploration of what design can be in a world that is constantly shifting between reality and imagination.
The post Bench straddles the line between art and furniture first appeared on Yanko Design.