In an insightful conversation, Konrad Steffensen, co-founder of Corpus Studio, shared the journey and vision behind the Paris-based architecture and interior design studio, which he started five years ago alongside Ronan Le Grand. Initially focused on set design and scenography, the two trained architects quickly expanded their scope into residential projects and furniture collections. We talk to Konrad to learn more about their most recent collection, presented during Paris Design Week and the current challenges in the industry.
Ronan Le Grand and Konrad Steffensen, founders of Corpus Studio.
From set design to interior design
Corpus studio is an emerging architecture and interior design studio based in Paris. 'I started it with Ronan Le Grand about five years ago. We both have a background in architecture and initially started off with set design and scenography,' Konrad says. Eventually, the duo moved on to interior design on a residential scale. 'We started working with clients to redo their apartments. The projects we've been working on since then have grown in scale. We mostly do apartments and residential projects in Paris, and in terms of architectural projects, we're mostly working on those abroad. We're working on a couple of projects in Italy right know, as well as Greece and Morocco. These are more on an architectural scale with restorations for old buildings, but also extensions or new builds.'
A shift during Covid
The challenges of the pandemic spurred Corpus Studio to diversify into furniture design. 'Because of Covid we had to adapt, so we decided to start designing furniture, beginning with a chair crafted from a unique sandcasting technique.' Since then, they have developed additional collectible furniture collections, exploring unique materials like glazed Italian lava stone and plane tree wood. Their recent collection, a collaboration with Mono Editions, showcases the natural beauty of plane tree wood. 'The wood is very common across Europe, especially France since the trees it comes from line the canals here. It's very specific for the landscape of the country, and when you open the wood it has a beautiful pattern,' Konrad explains. The design fit nicely with what Mono Editions had in mind, which was a mono-material theme using one material. 'Coincidently, this is also how we worked with our two previous collections, working with one material and focusing on using its properties in a beautiful way.'
Navigating economic challenges
While discussing the current economic climate, Konrad noted how the ongoing economic challenges have required more strategic decision-making within the studio. 'The economic crisis has been very difficult, especially in our industry. A lot of people are feeling the pain and we notice budgets are being tightened, especially in projects. This means we've really had to make smart decisions throughout the design process and optimise from the beginning, but also prioritise sustainability and durability. We want to make sure we're building something that will ecologically solve wherever possible, but will also stand the test of time,' he explains.
Another challenge is the competition that resulted from the economic crisis. 'There are fewer projects right now, so that makes it more competitive for architects and interior designers. This is directly related to economic situation and the real estate market. There aren't a lot of people who are able to buy apartments right now because of the interest rates and the difficult access to bank loans. This affects the amount of projects for architects to renovate.'
Paris Design Week
During Paris Design Week, Corpus Studio made waves with its four distinct exhibitions. It was a very successful, but mostly very busy time for the company. 'Ronan and I spread out and tried to be at the different shows as much as possible. I don't think I saw him throughout the whole week!' Konrad laughs.
The team had a solo show in the Marais in Paris, showcasing the metal bb collection. In collaboration with Mono Editions they presented the plane wood collection. The studio was also at Maison&Objet in the Design Factory, showcasing pieces from the Apollo collection in glazed lava stone. Lastly, they curated a unique exhibition of material samples in collaboration with designers and artists for Formae magazine. 'We reached out to artists and asked them to provide a collection of samples,' Konrad says, turning these into a small but impactful group show. This immersive week strengthened Corpus Studio's connections within the design community, creating new avenues for collaboration and future projects.
Looking forward, Corpus Studio aims to keep growing, exploring new materials and collaborating with artists and designers who inspire and challenge the creative process. 'We're passionate about design,' Konrad concluded, 'and hope to continue exploring techniques and inspire through our work.'
More information:
Corpus Studio
+33 6 10 58 20 75
[email protected]
www.corpus.studio
France