Discussion of acclaimed designer Patrick Norguet necessarily begins with the Rainbow Chair. This multi-colored celebration of acrylic resin was not only Norguet’s entree into notoriety, but also a nice embodiment of his obsession with drawing and graphical representation. As he states in his bio, “Since childhood, I have preferred sketchbooks to textbooks, filling them up with sketches and drawings.” Norguet’s “hands-on” approach doubtless led to the inspiration for Rainbow, which is made of acrylic sheets of varying thickness in resplendent poly-chromatic shades, bonded together–somewhat mysteriously–“by ultrasound.”

Rainbow Chair for Cappellini

The above feast for the senses was back in 1999. Fast-forwarding 19 years we arrive at another textural and visual cornucopia, the restrained yet glamorous Gio Pendant Lamp. Norguet downplays its aesthetic appeal: “Gio is, first and foremost, a tool, a functional suspension lamp, discreet, and, above all, timeless.” Gio’s classic feel derives from its production, a process Norguet characterizes as technical and technological, the form of the lamp evolving from the objective to make even, pleasing, dynamic light.

Gio Lamp for Artemide

The Insula modular sofa concept showcases Norguet’s softer side. A collection of metal frames that accommodates seats and backs in different colors, Insula gangs together to form a “landscape,” aspiring, in fact, to the opposite of the name’s connotation–to not be alone at all, but rather joined together to make a veritable archipelago of comfortable, versatile seating: “I designed this project as a simple and combinatory construction game, not forgetting of course the first function, the comfort of use!”

Insula for Capdell

The Nile bath collection allowed Norguet to indulge his penchant for precision, his love of the line. A simple, essential assemblage of sink, toilet, countertop, and bidet, Nile delights in a stripped-down simplicity of form. The streamlined, geometrical objects are made for functionality, yet, as with Gio, the aesthetic is notable and pronounced–the distinctive look emerging from the utility of each piece.

Nile Bath Collection for Flaminia

We conclude our look at Norguet with another characteristically geometrical piece. The Float Wall–likely the conceptual antecedent to the wall-mounted WC of Nile–hovers and abuts, its glass and lacquer elements contributing to its gravity-defying aspect. Indeed, Float is airy and ethereal, looking more like a museum installation than a simple cabinet. Aptly, Float also has a certain prestidigitational quality: “The modular design makes it possible to create elegant configurations by displaying or hiding objects depending on one’s mood.”

Float Wall for Glas Italia

Patrick Norguet has designed furniture, lighting, bathroom elements, interiors, and various objects and accessories for Artifort, Bernhardt, Cappellini, Kristalia, Offecct, and Tacchini, among others. He is the creator, with Olivier Devys, of the Okko Hotels brand of luxury accommodations in urban settings. Norguet has been the recipient of the German Design Award, the Red Hot “Best of the Best” award, the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and the Red Dot Design Award. To read more, see Patrick Norguet.