Pierre Guariche,

Pierre Guariche, Designer for Everyday Life

A designer, interior architect, teacher and entrepreneur, Pierre Guariche played an active role in shaping new ways of living in the post-war period, championing a modern, accessible approach to design conceived to improve everyday life. From furniture and lighting to interior architecture and the design of large-scale developments, he developed a comprehensive approach combining quality of use, technical innovation and cost efficiency.
From Firminy to La Plagne, his work reflects a vision in which objects, lighting, signage and architecture come together as a coherent whole. Through his attention to use, resources and quality of life, his work remains remarkably relevant today and continues to inform contemporary thinking on design and the ways we live.

“Both a pioneer and a visionary, Pierre Guariche developed a remarkably broad approach to design, from the chair to the pylon, throughout France’s post-war boom. He took the same expansive approach to interior architecture, working across every scale, from private apartments to winter sports resorts and the major administrative institutions created through decentralisation.

His furniture, lighting and interiors give form and space to function, optimise and bring spaces to life, and anticipate new ways of living that he always sought to make accessible to as many people as possible, at an affordable cost and without compromising on good taste.

This long-awaited first retrospective devoted to his work by the Cité du design in Saint-Étienne reveals just how strikingly modern it remains today, as demonstrated by the many reissues of his designs featured in the exhibition.”

Lionel Blaisse, exhibition curator

From Sketch to Space: Inside the Designer’s World

Conceived as an immersive journey, the exhibition draws visitors into Pierre Guariche’s world through 30 original pieces of furniture, 15 period lighting designs and more than 70 reissues. Some are displayed in recreated living spaces, revealing how the designer approached each project as a whole, bringing together function, form, light and spatial organisation. They are accompanied by a wealth of archival material, including drawings, sketches, plans, photographs, catalogues and working documents, offering a closer insight into his creative process.

The exhibition also reveals a lesser-known aspect of his work: interior architecture and spatial design. Through landmark projects in Firminy, Bandol and La Plagne, among others, it shows how Pierre Guariche conceived furniture, lighting and space as an integrated whole. Period documents, audiovisual material and displays devoted to his technical research also shed light on his exploration of materials, manufacturing processes and innovation. The exhibition design unfolds progressively, guiding visitors through the many dimensions of his work and creative approach.

Curator: Lionel Blaisse
Exhibition design: Marie Christine Dorner

An exhibition jointly presented by the Cité du design, Cinna, Sammode and Société des Éditions Pierre Guariche.

About

Cinna

Since 1975, Cinna has been exploring contemporary design with a bold and free-spirited approach. Based in Briord, in the Ain region of France, the French furniture brand creates collections that combine creativity, comfort and character, reflecting changing ways of living and making a home. Shaped by an ongoing dialogue with designers from a wide range of backgrounds, its collections bring together sofas, armchairs, furniture, lighting and decorative accessories. Each creation offers a distinctive vision of the home, where forms, materials and uses interact to create spaces that are both personal and welcoming. Curious and unconventional, Cinna champions a vibrant approach to design, open to individual tastes and lifestyles. A particular vision of the home, where the freedom to shape one’s own interior is part of the pleasure of living in it.

Sammode

Founded in 1927 in Châtillon-sur-Saône, Sammode is a family-owned industrial company specialising in high-performance lighting solutions for industry and architecture. With full control over its production chain, Sammode is firmly committed to manufacturing in France and has established a distinctive position as both designer and manufacturer, enabling the company to guarantee the performance, functionality and quality of its lighting. Sammode often collaborates with architects, designers and artists to revisit its iconic luminaires. Since 2019, Sammode has brought its exceptional expertise to French design, exclusively reissuing a selection of Pierre Guariche’s most iconic designs.

Société des Éditions Pierre Guariche

Société des Éditions Pierre Guariche is dedicated to promoting greater knowledge and appreciation of the work of Pierre Guariche, a major figure in 20th-century French design, and to passing on his legacy. It contributes to documenting his career and creations, preserving his heritage and making his work accessible to professionals, researchers and the wider public.

Communiqué de pressePierre Guariche,un éclaireur de la modernitéAn exceptional retrospective marking the designer’s centenary