Founded in 1964 by André Malraux, the Research and Creation Workshop (Atelier de Recherche et de Création – ARC) was designed to support contemporary furniture creation, as part of public commissions. It is mainly solicited for the arrangement of great institutions, ministries or ambassies. Today, it is composed of twelve art technicians, and since its foundation, it has made over six hundred pieces of furniture with the main French and international design figures.

The creations presented in the gallery of the Institut français Milano are the fruit of several years of collaboration with Philippe Nigro, who was called on in 2016 by Mobilier national. The series of Armadillo furniture has allowed the workshop to demonstrate the extent of its virtuosity in woodwork, with the making of three unique pieces which are now part of the national collections. As for the range of Hémicycle seats, it has allowed the institution to start making furniture again. Designed in partnership with the French manufacturer and producer Ligne Roset, which has contributed to the design and filling of these seats, it is widely distributed and available to the general public on order.

Alongside the finalised pieces, Mobilier national and Institut français Milano have wished to unveil the creative process and dialogue between the designer, the workshop and the Ligne Roset research department. The sketches, plans and prototypes provide an insight of the various production stages and highlight the ARC artisans’ craftsmanship – artisans trained in traditional techniques and open to new manufacturing processes including the use of numerically controlled machines.