2025 – SOFT PALAIS INSTALLATION – GRAND PALAIS
Customer
Arguzia S.r.l. – Centre Pompidou
Date
2025
Location
Paris – France
PROJECT INFO
As part of the New Assemble program by the Centre Pompidou, the Rotterdam-based architecture studio Ossidiana envisioned an installation for the Salon d’Honneur featuring a vast felt-covered surface of over 50 meters, from which multiple hut-like structures seamlessly emerge. Though temporary, this architectural setting was designed to host visitors for exhibitions, musical performances, and interactive activities throughout the event, generating a variety of experiences defined by softness, comfort, and muffled sounds.
CLIENT REQUEST
The project involved three main stakeholders: Arguzia S.r.l., in charge of fabrication; Ossidiana Studio, responsible for design; and the Centre Pompidou’s curatorial and technical supervisors. Starting only from the conceptual idea, our team was tasked with the full engineering of the system to ensure static resistance and technical feasibility within a strict timeframe. The complex set of requirements can be summarized as follows:
Construction Technology Constraints:
The installation had to be completed quickly on site, using simple assembly operations without in-place processing, due to restrictions imposed by the host building. All components had to respect maximum size limits for transport and elevator access. No anchoring or suspension from walls or ceiling was allowed, nor any fastening to the floor.
Respect for Formal Aspects:
Several critical design principles from the initial concept had to be strictly preserved. The elevated structures were meant to appear as seamless extensions of the felt-covered floor, as if the carpet itself had been lifted and deformed. To adhere to this vision, the corner structures were modeled as isometric deformations of the floor angle. All elements were conceived to appear as continuous surface membranes resting on white steel ribs, with only thin edges visible and internal reinforcements hidden. These solutions were developed through an extended and detailed dialogue with the architectural studio.
Visitor Use Requirements:
Specific usability needs were addressed: all structures had to be walkable inside; the sloped outer surfaces had to be scalable to a certain degree and usable for sitting or lying down. Interiors were designed to host interactive installations and provide spaces for play, sound experiences with acoustic comfort, and video projections, without disturbing the outside.
Structural Safety:
Despite the immaterial aesthetic of the design, structural resistance was a central requirement. The need to allow visitors to walk, sit, or lie on the outer surfaces led to the development of innovative technical systems and meticulous structural analysis. All shapes were studied using finite element method (FEM) simulations and verified through multiple physical and digital models.
SOLUTIONS
The first engineering challenge was to create the pitched canopy structures using seemingly curved surfaces arising isometrically from the floor. The solution involved a double felt layer reinforced with fiberglass mesh for taller sections, supported by lightweight tubular steel frames. To preserve the visual impression of soft surfaces resting on vertical rods, a visible overhang of only felt was maintained at both ends of each structure. Particular care was given to the joint between the vertical surfaces and the floor to ensure absolute continuity. To remain faithful to the conceptual idea, the corner structure was precisely modeled as an isometric deformation of the felt floor—lifting in a ruled surface that, ideally, could return to match its original footprint. Vertical support elements were minimized and confined to low, inaccessible side areas.
The outer surfaces were made walkable by inserting thin metal sheets between the felt layers. This preserved the appearance of a soft carpet while exploiting the shape resistance of the layered system. The result was a rigid, safe surface suitable for sitting, lying down, or walking without risk.
To meet the Centre Pompidou’s safety standards, extensive FEM analyses were performed on several load cases, simulating stress conditions during the short period of public use.
Special attention was given to allowable deformation thresholds for the tall, slender structures. For transportability, structural uprights up to 6 meters long were segmented into smaller sections. Custom bayonet joints without screws or fasteners were designed for rapid assembly. All structures were conceived to be modular and fast to install, with the entire setup achievable in a single day of work.
This outcome was made possible thanks to detailed design, digital fabrication technologies (laser-cutting of parts, CNC bending of profiles), and comprehensive testing in the workshop prior to installation.
MATERIALS
- curved 40×40 tubular steel profiles
- laser cut sheet metal
- 5mm thick polyethylene felt
DIMENSIONS
Width:9000mm
Height (closed): 6000mm
CLIENTS’ WEBSITES
Installation Showcase
