Interviews met Franck Divay

The starting point for the Ydin stool creation was experimenting with the fiber-reinforced ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). I wished to do something with this material, without really knowing what.

The main goal of this exploratory approach, was to understand the technical features offered by this material, for the realization of an aesthetic and functional element. The reproducing possibility of a single piece by molding, geometrically precise and both highly resistant without any external reinforcements addition, were the two strengths highlighted. The desire also not to make a simple cast in one piece, explains the wood appearance, which is a material I particularly appreciate.

As a designer and a woodworker craftsman, I have the chance to be able to make in the workshop, small series of my own designs. The Ydin stool is on sale on my own online shop and several copies have been sold worldwide. This award will serve as a reference point to further develop my business, which is still in its beginnings: canvass shops to sell my creations and solicit new companies to offer my designer's services. With this A 'Design Award, the Ydin stool became my business card.

From the experimental phase until the end of the development of the stool, it has elapsed two years. I did not have full-time worked on this project. It was like a recreation among other works in progress. At this time, I did not have a shop at my disposition and therefore not yet established the inoow design's manufacturing activity.

As I said just before, it was a personal project. A project in which I was seeing a lot of potential. I felt at one point, the need to create a piece that shows my skills in terms of design, development and manufacturing. That is why I see the Ydin stool Ydin as a three-dimensional business card.

For now, the stool is manufactured and distributed by myself and is part of the items collection for sale on the inoow design shop. Despite everything, I remain open to each opportunity about it.

I think my joinery initial training and this capacity to be able to manufacture furniture, naturally brings me to create objets in this predilection field.

This is a project that was directed entirely with independence in the inoow design studio. There is just had a concrete furniture manufacturer that has been approached, at a time, to make a mold for manufacturing the concrete seat. Finally, this one has also been designed and manufactured in the workshop.

What differs the Ydin stool from the furniture traditionally delivered in kit form, is that it can be mounted without using any tools or adding any hardware. In addition, the stool assembly and disassembly does not weaken it, unlike this kind of furniture using all sorts of screws.

The name Ydin given to the stool, is a Finnish word meaning the spinal, the core or refers to something essential. It perfectly illustrates the 4 feet meeting in the center of the seat.

From the early age, I always wanted to be a cabinetmaker. So I naturally studied joinery for six years. Quickly, I felt I was missing something in the teaching of this business. The creative side, that would allow me to go beyond the status of mere running in tasks that are entrusted to me. The five years training in industrial design was the answer to this problem.

The inoow design studio has been created after my studies. This business creation project was for me the solution in order to continue to practice both joinery and design. Two trades that have become over time, complementary and inseparable.

The activities are multiples. Accompanying the companies in their desire to develop new products, by proposing design services. Manufacturing bespoke furniture, both for individuals and professionals. Developing the collection of objects (furniture, lamps, items for home, etc..) made in self-edition. This activity illustrates the inoow design know-how.

It is easy to understand, because of my training, that my area of expertise is furniture. More generally, I like to draw objects for the home equipment. Whenever possible, I try to incorporate into all my creations the wood material.

Ydin stool, which I just got this Silver A 'Design Award, is definitely my favorite creation! I also like all my other ones, but this one has a special flavor. After several months of designing and developing, the project was two times close to be bought by manufacturers who wanted to make it. I could not leave the stool without seeing the light. It is from that project I decided to get into self-edition and develop my own objects collection.

The first thing designed for a company was a collection of three planters. This had initiated the beginning of a long collaboration with Cerland company in France, specialist of garden decorating and landscaping with wood.

Wood is without question my favorite material. I also use many derivatives such as plywood material, which I try to give to it a little more nobility in playing with its aesthetic qualities. I also love discovering new materials through experimentation. The stool Ydin has been created for example after the discovery of fiber-reinforced ultra-high performance concrete. I remain very attached to the multitude of craft skills and hand work. But new technologies also fascinate me and I love discovering new processes. I can easily spend several hours watching machines running on online videos. The studio is now equipped with a 3D printer. The machine is almost tamed and the objective is to take advantage of this new tool available in future creations in self-edition.

There are always several projects under way. I do not have well-defined creative period, but the mind is always alert and awake. The inspiration or solution to a problem feeds with various everyday things. Depending on the context, a single word heard in a conversation can make a contribution has of piece of the puzzle.

The satisfaction to see that all assumptions put on the paper work.

A successful design is a creation that meets the expectations of the various stakeholders in connection with the product.

The first two things I take into consideration at the vision of a design, are the technical feasibility and the sum of resources needed to achieve it. Beautiful photorealistic 3D renderings do not interest me.

Today, taking into account the environmental aspect in the life cycle of a product, has become essential. Manufacturers must now meet the expectations of consumers who are becoming more and more eco-friendly in their purchases.

A selection of my creations was visible during the last exhibition organized by "desDesigners" in France. The tour took place from September to November 2013 and made ​​a stop in six French cities. A new edition will be held this year in 2014. I would like as well to present my work in a European capital in the coming months.

I subscribe to about a hundred RSS feeds that deliver to me a daily dose of information in quite different fields. I also updates as regularly as possible a monitoring space about furniture design, innovation and in relation with wood creations. Experimentation and manufacturing in the workshop also enable me to nurture creativity.

I do not think I have a well-defined style. It evolves over time and is based on the feeling of the moment. Initially, my creations were much based on geometry. At the moment, I am more inspired by organic forms. A rapprochement to nature somehow: raw materials, soft shapes, more natural colors, etc. “The signing of inoow design is the wood combination with other materials such as plywood, metal, or more unexpected, concrete! A cocktail often enhanced with a touch of color.”

I am currently living in a French countryside village. In the country, cultural and artistic heritage are still very present. If we focus in the furniture field that I'm particularly interested in, the great past epochs have been marked by several styles. Still a few years ago, most manufacturers were attached to reproduce style furniture from the past and the designers work did not find its place in this ecosystem. Today, small and medium-sized furniture companies diversify their collections to meet the needs of a new consumers generation. New editors also emerging and capitalize on businesses know-how, for "Made in France" products.

The ability to meet customer expectations, because there is no project without outlet. The ability to project each creation in a manufacturing process, because it is the only way to give it life.

It depends on the project's importance. It will also be based on the knowledge of the application domain for which the project will be intended. I operate by priority and projects are delivered according to deadlines established at the beginning.

I think the most striking experience was one of my first internships. It was an internship that took place during my training as a joiner in a company making layout projects. I was about 16-17 years old, and began to give me some responsibilities by entrusting me the manufacturing of bespoke parts and by autonomy. It is also during these first working experiences that appeared the desire to train as a designer.

I have interests for furniture design, and more generally creating products intended for equipping the living environment.

The development of the inoow design business and especially the commercialization and the distribution of self-edition made products part.

The only things I can say is that there is a light and a collection of tables currently being finalized and will be made in self-edition. I also continue the thinking setting up with the stairs manufacturer Raux-Gicquel, on the scrap wood valorisation coming from their production. I also have several requests for customized products for different private individuals.

I can be contacted via the dedicated form on the website www.inoowdesign.fr or directly by email at contact@inoowdesign.fr