Saint-Étienne Design Meets Graz
Event - DesignMonat Graz Client - Creative Industries Styria Location - Graz, Austria and Saint-Etienne, France Exhibition Space - 500 m² Opening - May 2015 In collaboration with Isabel Reichel Project Coordinator - Erika Thümmel Responsible for exhibition concept, graphic design, execution and set-up
Saint-Étienne and Graz are both UNESCO Cities of Design. For the 2015 edition of DesignMonat Graz, Saint-Étienne was invited to showcase its design projects and initiatives. The exhibition was a collaboration between various design institutions: Cité du design Saint-Étienne curated the exhibition, Creative Industries Styria hosted it, and FH Joanneum contributed as an educational partner.
The Tangible and the Floating – this concept divides the exhibition into two layers: a horizontal, tangible level and a vertical, floating dimension.
The tangible layer presents design projects from Saint-Étienne through films, objects, and images, making them accessible and experiential for visitors.
The exhibition’s framework was inspired by the triangular shapes of the “Cité du Design” building facade in Saint-Étienne, forming a distinctive visual identity.
At the heart of the exhibition, the "Floating Chairs" invite visitors to swing gently as they revisit the displayed projects and exhibits. Bathed in poetic light, the space encourages dialogue and reflection. Brochures, books, and even the chairs themselves are suspended from the ceiling—ensuring that both the conversation and the experience remain in motion.
In contrast, the floating layer introduces a more ethereal experience. Soft, cascading fabrics printed with Saint-Étienne’s beliefs, dreams, and future vision guide visitors through the space, creating an immersive, contemplative atmosphere.
