Workshop led by Cecile-Diama Samb (sapid studio)

Assisted by Maria-Clara Castioni & Paule Perron (minor architects)

This project was developed during a week-long workshop at the Department of Interior Architecture at HEAD — Genève. The project's aim was to develop a reading space for children and adults alike for Salon P.A.G.E.S, a book fair organized by the Department of Graphic Design.

The installation had to respond to a variety of constraints, including being easily mountable and suitable for different body types and age groups. It also needed to make a spatial impact during the fair before shrinking to the smallest footprint possible for storage and future use. Inflatables emerged as a clear strategy to meet these diverse needs, as they could be quickly pumped up during the fair's opening hours and deflated after its conclusion.

Additionally, inflatables symbolize childhood and play, evoking images of bouncy castles and exploration. Constrained by a metallic grid of aluminum profiles, the inflatables took on an abstract shape that could be utilized by humans and books alike as furniture, displays, and sculptures. They provided a surface for exploration, sitting, reading, meeting, and resting...

Students: Aline Blanc, Taiana Broillet, Chaewon Kim, Narcisse Malumba