If the trendy client of the famous Hôtel Costes in Paris knows that the chair he is sitting on was designed by Philippe Starck, he probably doesn’t know that without the V.I.A his mythical chair in moulded plywood would never have existed!

Thanks to this organisation founded in 1979 for the promotion of creations, whose acronym means Valorisation de l’innovation dans l’ameublement (Promotion of innovation in furniture), great names in design have emerged. Their prototypes have helped living conditions evolve by exploring new forms, materials and processes.

For the V.I.A’s 30th anniversary, the Pompidou Centre is exhibiting forty or so of its experimental pieces of work, a testimony to this unique creative proliferation. Part of the collection are the famous “Pi” chaise longue in steel sheet metal by Martin Szekely and the “La Lune” secretaire by Andrée Putman and more recent works renewing various techniques: the “Portefeuille” table with its top in aluminium honeycomb by Sylvain Dubuisson, the “Ghosthome” stackable chair in injected polypropylene by Jean-Marie Massaud or the “Twinbench” bench in thermoformed plastic by Radi Designers. Not forgetting work referencing changes in lifestyles such as the domestic work environment “Wat hôm” by Matali Crasset, the “Lit clos” by Erwan Bouroullec, an absolute bubble of contentment, or the anti-noise ball “Db” by Mathieu Lehanneur.

In addition, reports are screened on creative trends and the importance of innovation and interviews...

Accessibility