Workshop under the direction of : matali crasset

Supporting team: Arno Mathies

Assistants : Eloïse Vo et Martin Zambaz

Students: Nguveren Ahua, Laurène Allard, Léa Campos, Marta Córdoba Ruiz, Maxime Heta, Sunwoo Lee, Gabriela Luchetta Dos Santos, Aurore Mesot, Sven Odermatt, Lou Revel, Olivia Schalk, Franciszek Sienkiewicz, Marc-Arthur Sohna

Rooted in the history and culture of Les Arcs, this workshop focused on the crucial role of design in shaping the ski resort’s infrastructure, particularly through the 20-year involvement of Charlotte Perriand. Today, Les Arcs faces economic, social, and environmental challenges that call for a rethinking of its tourism model to make it more sustainable, resilient, and diversified. Led by matali crasset, this workshop explored how design can support this transition by reimagining the ways we engage with the mountain environment. The project emphasized a dual contextual approach:

• Raw Material: Utilizing wool from local alpine sheep to question our relationship with living resources, creatively repurposing this natural material.

• Local Collaboration: Partnering with Filature Arpin, a historic local textile manufacturer, to work with surplus materials and available resources as a starting point for design creation.

In collaboration with Filature Arpin, students repurposed wool production scraps to design an interior space meant to enhance the mountain experience. This space was designed to be transportable and adaptable to two different settings: a meeting space and a cozy lounge area in a hotel. It was showcased and used during the Les Arcs Archi’ Design 2024event from April 3 to 5, 2024.

The materials used were primarily wood for the structure and wool for the covering, reinforcing a commitment to sustainable and locally sourced design.