À rebrousse-poil

Alexis Tricoire is passionate about nature. He always combines design, industry and plant-life in his creations. He often works in urban areas with made-to-measure urban furniture, and regularly creates artistic installations that showcase biodiversity and the preservation of wild species.

He has developed an original creative approach to upcycling, that involves transforming industrial scrap into biomimicry artworks. There are so many connections between brushes and nature: their endless variety of shapes that imitate the principles of biodiversity, and the fibres, whether plant-based, metallic or synthetic, are the perfect example of biomimicry. Assembling industrial brushes with simple geometric shapes (sphere, disc, spiral, cylinder, line, etc.) can produce creations that resemble flowers, creepers, fungi, snakes, trees, and so many other shapes that remind us of a multitude of imaginary living organisms.

He then integrates these assemblies into a natural landscape to create land art. Once they have been set up in a natural environment, these elements come together to create a dialogue between real life and an illusion. An unnatural union that is much appreciated by viewers, who enjoy admiring every last detail, from the most visible to the hidden parts, while considering the ecological issues raised.

The experimental focus of this creation will intrigue researchers and lovers of botany, who will enjoy admiring the symbiosis between two foreign objects, the living natural component and the artificial element. Plants will climb these assemblies of brushes and their development will therefore become dependent upon them. Patrick Blanc, botanical scientist, will also be working on this project with living organisms.

DESIGNER

Alexis Tricoire has been a specialist in plant design for around twelve years, and his work brings nature into the heart of our daily life. His goal is to create a link between urban environments and nature, with his poetic and surprising designs. He works in places focused on profitability such as train stations, shopping centres and company headquarters, as well as cultural venues such as museums, art centres and exhibition venues.  His approach to nature always takes into consideration respect for the environment.

Plant design is a new discipline whereby the presence of plants is embellished thanks to the designer’s tools. Alexis Tricoire concentrates all his efforts on showcasing plant-life, with a special focus on the interaction between his creations and the users. His objects are practical, user-friendly and “multi-sensory”: he includes seating, sound and lights as well as irrigation systems that allow plants to develop over the long term.

Alexis Tricoire’s “Design for Nature” Studio was created in 2009. He provides a design, as well as technical assistance, through his role as project manager, and then also oversees the manufacture and installation on-site.

Alexis Tricoire strives to use materials which have as little an impact on the environment as possible. He therefore chooses to work with wood, aluminium, recycled or recyclable plastic and stainless steel where he can. He uses drip irrigation to limit water consumption, and only uses LED lighting. His creations can be dismantled so that each material can then be recycled.