Gilles Belley Designs New Modular Furniture System: 'Rooms'

Furniture pieces are typically placed within a built space to identify its functionality.

But what if the furniture is the built space?

French designer Gilles Belley explores this idea with his new furniture system aptly called “Rooms."

Belley explained on his website, “The idea is to condense the scale of the furnishings to incorporate modes of functioning that overlap from one room to several rooms: putting the living space into the furniture.” The collection is made up of three modular systems called "Area", "Block", and "Wall."

"Area" works within the concept of a “room within a room.” This semi-enclosed space allows the user to withdraw from a larger crowd without being interrupted. It is made up of two main elements: the portal frame and the floor where the rest of the elements are locked into. The opening of the vertical blades can be readjusted according to their pivots. Tablettes can be installed in the blades depending on the space requirements of the user.

"Block" re-creates spaces within a single spatial arrangement. The front elevations show a set of storage shelves. Sandwiched between the modules is a sleeping space which can be accessed through a set of stairs.

"Wall" can divide a room into several spaces so different activities can performed simultaneously. This system is made up of folding vertical modules. The modules are decked with slots which can carry consoles and tablettes. With this type of assembly, the components make the structure more rigid and the space, well-defined.

According to UK-based website Blouinart, Belley’s "Rooms" is one of the major highlights of VIADESIGN 2016, an annual event that showcases new design discoveries in the field of French furniture design. VIA, the French research and design organization, has also awarded Belley with the Carte Blanche Grant. The grant allows him to conduct research and create designs that reflect how people live today.

The VIADESIGN 2016 exhibit opened Jan. 15 and will run until March 4 at Galerie VIA in Paris, France.