Whether it be a series of chairs, the latest Okko Hotel, or even several of France’s surprisingly chic McDonald’s, Patrick Norguet breaks new ground in each of his projects. “My work is contextual—each project, each meeting, each piece of work still represents, for me, a singular source of inspiration. It’s the motor of my creativity,” he explains. That started at a young age: growing up on the French countryside, he found drawing as “the means through which I communicated with others and maybe even myself.”
Pedrali’s Fox armchair boasts a thin fiberglass reinforced polypropylene shell with a curved ash profile.
A job with Louis Vuitton (where he worked on visual identification) lasted two years before he decided to reconnect with his own “creative liberty” and opened a design studio in 2000. His first project—for which he is still best known—was the Rainbow chair for Cappellini, “a study of light, color, and material” made entirely in acrylic resin with plates of different colors and thickness joined by ultrasounds. “This chair isn’t a chair; it’s a pretext for wonder,” he says. “It was my grand ambassador and my means of communication with the [artists] of contemporary design.” It certainly put Norguet on the map, opening doors to countless collaborations beyond products. Now, he says, “I am looking for long-lasting relationships, not flings. I work in confidence and respect—those are the two key words that help me select a client and start a collaboration.”
The sophisticated Nicolette from Ethimo is designed for both indoors and outdoors with an encirlcing form in die-cast aluminum.
In 2016, he partnered with Ethimo for the playful and feminine Nicolette chair, and oversaw Alias’ Gran Kobi line of seating, which recently expanded into outdoor products. This year saw the launch of Kristalia’s Tuile armchair and sofa, where a wraparound back and upholstered seat are supported by a metal base. Meanwhile, the evocative Fox chair for Pedrali is as versatile as it is fashion-forward, and Arflex Japan’s Blanche and Bourg seating options are an exercise in extreme comfort.
Norguet’s interior projects are just as compelling. The three Les Dunes catering spaces on the Société Générale bank’s Val-de-Fontenay campus, for example, “focus on changing the standards of the corporate restaurant.” Floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of a courtyard, while vibrant colors pop against large banquettes with clean, simple lines. Given his penchant for subverting expectations, Norguet was also tasked with redesigning McDonald’s architectural identity across its French outlets. Gone are the fiery Ronald McDonald red accents. Instead, at the flagship location on Paris’ Champs-Elysées, colorful lightboxes feature photos of the city by Frank Hülsbömer and ceilings contrast custom furniture and natural materials like concrete and metal.
The modern 120-room Okko Strasbourg Centre shows off Norguet’s effective use of color.
Along with helping to conceptualize Okko Hotels in 2008—including its brand identity—he also designed all eight of the currently open French 4-Star properties, which retain his signature pops of color. “I don’t have a predefined aesthetic,” he says, but “thanks to color in particular, I can express my intentions and emotions, which helps plunge the user into the defined narrative.” For instance, lime green seating populates an outdoor lounge at the Bayonne property, while bright yellow light fixtures suspend above a dining table in Strasbourg.
Okko Strasbourg Centre
Norguet is currently working on his final property for the Okko brand in Toulon, France. “Sometimes it’s necessary to end certain stories,” he says. As he seeks out his next endeavor, he remains loyal to his motto, which hasn’t led him astray thus far: “Work a lot and don’t listen to anyone.”
