Erwan Lévêque and Alphonse Sarthout of French firm Ciguë are nonconformists on a mission; they describe their projects as “landscapes of experimentation.”
The design duo met in 2003 as architecture students at L’École d’Architecture de Paris la Villette and started Ciguë SARL d’Architecture in 2008. Seeking an alternative way of designing through making and building, they continually look to renew what is around them without becoming attached to the past. To see more of the firm's work, go to Ciguë.
Above: A kitchen from Cigue's Sevres House Rehabilitation project just outside of the center of Paris; eschewing nostalgia, they reuse the layers of the past to inform a new vision.
Above: The kitchen sink sits on a counter made from wood pallets.
Above: The cabinet doors are wooden frames with metal screens, enabling a muted transparency (L). Carcasses from wooden boxes are re-purposed as kitchen cabinets, while blocks of wood are used as shelving (R).
Above: A vintage sink inset into a reclaimed countertop.
Above: Straps of leather function as cabinet pulls.
Above: The construction of the midcentury table and chairs reflects an honesty in the materials favored by Ciguë.
Intrigued by the leather cabinet pulls? See Accessories: Leather Handles from Nu Interieur Ontwerp in Delft or better yet, make some yourself with our DIY Video: How to Make a $20 Cabinet Pull for $2.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on April 13, 2012.