DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR: RAPHAEL NAVOT

For each show, Maison&Objet announces a recipient of its esteemed Designer of the Year Award, intended to recognize and celebrate the work of a designer who demonstrates exceptional talent and skill in the international design and decoration scene. This year it is Parisian-based Raphael Navot.

KATHERINE GANNON

The Apothem Lounge at Mason&Objet ©AETHION

Raphael Navot was born in Jerusalem (Israel) in 1977. In 2003 he received a Bachelor’s degree in Conceptual Design from Design Academy Eindhoven, after which he settled in Paris, embarking on exploring design and interior architecture disciplines. “My academic education is closer to a form of design philosophy. Learning to ask the right questions and clarify intention is more valuable to me than trying to reach a visual goal with conviction,” explains Raphael.

The Apothem Lounge at Mason&Objet ©AETHION

Raphel Navot
©Cerruti Draime

Subsequently, his portfolio is a rich spread of multidisciplinary projects that showcase French craftsmanship and skill, ranging from examples of hospitality interiors to both bespoke and commercial product design. He worked with David Lynch on the Parisian nightclub Silencio (2011). Raphael recalls, “The first known project I worked on was Silencio in collaboration with David Lynch. When looking back, I do recognize the usage of natural materials and already back then the integration of traditional and local crafts. However, in terms of concept, my first real breakthrough was Hotel National des Arts et Métiers, as it encompasses so many aspects of what I have continued doing until today. I had full independency with a very brave and liberal owner that was entirely sensible to shift the attention of the guest back to what I then stated as The Natural Future. We had a very large team, a healthy budget, and a lot of time, all of which are rare a precious for any type of construction. It helped me as a designer to manifest collective ideas and to integrate artisans that have a vast knowledge of stone carving, raw linen weaving, mineral wall textures, and Eiffeltype iron mechanism.”

He has also collaborated on the production of a highly technical line of end-grain flooring for Oscar Ono (2016), and created a collection of 12 families of furniture - from sofas and tables to rugs and lamps - for Roche Bobois (2018). However, his work on the Hôtel National des Arts et Métiers (2017) has possibly been the most significant endeavor for the Designer so far.

“The Low Overlap” table and “Palm” sofa by Raphel Navot for Piana Interiors ©Simone Bossi

Hotel Bella Plage, Cannes ©Christophe Coёnon

“I am not sure there is a visual manner that can describe my aesthetics, although all the projects derive from similar values and hopefully establish a uniform style,” explains Raphael. “Natural materials and traditional craft are always present, often bespoke for each project and with certain attributes of organic forms. I often opt to achieve an experience that is somewhat timeless.

He continues, “Timelessness for me is a non-decorative quality that does not refer to trends or certain motives that are associated with a specific period. I often think that good interiors seem as if they have always been there. I am not in the habit of looking at design magazines or following trends, so I’m not necessarily aware of exactly what is ‘out there,’ but I do research a lot before each project, especially about psychology and natural sciences, as I believe that these are the fields that eventually affect and inspire design as much as they affect architecture and music. The natural world is incredibly rich and has surpassed any imagined design possible. It’s a great source of knowledge for me.”

Hotel National des Arts et Métiers ©Jérôme Galland

He unveiled this past year the continuation of his furniture collaboration with Loro Piana, “A Portrait of Comfort,” at the Salone del Mobile in Milan and 50 rooms, ten private apartments hotel in Cannes, Hotel Belle Plage. Through “On the Same Subject,” his latest work for Friedman Benda in New York, he follows his ongoing collaboration with the gallery and the dialogue between handcraft and the natural landscape.

Raphael Navot, who is a multidisciplinary interior designer, showcased “The Apothem Lounge” for the duration of the Mason&Objet fair. This immersive installation is designed to “portray a visual emotion” through the curation of an open structure that will rapture people with light and texture. Opening at the end of the year, Dame des Arts will be Raphael Navot’s second hotel located in the heart of Paris.

https://www.raphaelnavot.com/