1970s-inspired camping installation named 'Best Tented Love'
Designers Madeleine Oltra and Angelo de Taisne's Sardine Sardine installation was inspired by camping in the south of France
Every year, emerging designers and interior decorators converge in the town of Toulon, in the south of France, as part of Villa Noailles’ Design Parade 2022 design festival. Taking over spaces across the city, each develops a unique concept that eschews traditional interiors and delves into experimental and conceptual territory. The 2022 edition winners are Madeleine Oltra and Angelo de Taisne, respectively a designer and architect, who for their space were inspired by 1970s camping icons.
Their installation Sardine Sardine pays homage to summers spent camping in the south of France and offers a nostalgic approach to technical camping equipment. Oltra and de Taisne spent their teenage years travelling across the country over the summer, and it is their first-hand experience of camping culture that they want to celebrate through their work. Sardine Sardine features an orange tent with net-covered windows, sewn by Au Fil de l’Eau, a nautical saddlery from Marseille, using Kvadrat fabrics and supported by an aluminium structure.
Inside the space are camping essentials such as a camping bed made of a tubular aluminium structure and quilted mattress, a table tray (embossed with aniseed as a homage to the Mediterranean), and a green quilted camping chair whose design is inspired by technical backpacks. The tent’s floors reference old caravan floors and feature recycled wood and lino, with a floor mat created in collaboration with Nona Source.
The designers also created a freestanding tripod coiffeuse, featuring a polished aluminium mirror, and another smaller rear-view mirror recycled from a caravan and a tray with hooks. Hanging from the structure is a water bag made of reflective fabric and featuring a second-hand tap. Beyond functionality, small amulets (cast in the shape of fork, spoon and knife but also ravioli and a lighter) were created by designer Olga Flor, who also made a buckle in her distinctive raw style.
‘The constraints of camping, such as transport and lightness, are a great source of inspiration for this project, as they lead to inventions that take everyday objects out of their initial formats,’ explain the designers. To create their project, the pair researched camping magazines from the 1970s to immerse themselves in the unique aesthetic of the movement, and looked at Jo and Roger Tourte’s book, À pied autour du monde: trois ans de camping for further inspiration.
‘Sardine Sardine tells the story of two campers who have amassed in this large, warm tent, all sorts of objects that have lived through several trips before them, and others that they have imagined for their pleasure and comfort.’
INFORMATION
Sardine Sardine is on view until 30 October 2022 as part of Design Parade Toulon
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
ADDRESS
Ancien Évêché
69 Cours Lafayette
83000 Toulon, France
Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
-
Remembering Richard Serra (1938-2024), American art’s man of steel
American artist Richard Serra, whose vast sculptures transformed landscapes around the world, has died aged 85
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Architectural gardens around the world to soothe the soul
From small domestic gardens, to nature reserves, urban interventions and local parks, here are some of the finest green projects that place nature at their heart
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Corfu hotel Domes Miramare redefines beachfront bliss
Make like Jackie O at Corfu hotel Domes Miramare, a property with contemporary luxury and echoes of 1960s glamour in spades
By Bridget Downing Published
-
Art, artefacts and Armani Casa: step into our Made in Italy showcase
In this photographic series, we combine Armani Casa’s timeless furniture collections with Italian art and rare artefacts to tell the story of Made in Italy craftsmanship
By Nick Vinson Published
-
Playful design codes rule in this London Victorian family home
2LG Studio embraces colour and comfort in an extensive renovation of a Victorian family home
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Design at the White House: the creatives working with US Presidents past and present
Interior designers, fashion designers and artists, whose collaborators have included the White House and its residents, with commissions that range from interior refits to presidential portraits
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Essx store opens in New York’s Lower East Side
Essx is a new concept and community store by local architecture firm Leong Leong and designer Yossi Shetrit
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Eastside Bowl scores big with a maximalist postmodern aesthetic
Designed by Cowboy Creative, Eastside Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee, combines American nostalgia and southern charm
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
The Design Parade kicks off a creative Summer in the French Mediterranean
Design Parade 2023, set between Hyères and Toulon until the fall, features a showcase of design by emerging and established talent
By Jean Grogan Last updated
-
This Los Angeles bolthole by Masastudio and Kelly Wearstler is a carefully considered gem
Laid out like a village, the first collaboration between LA-based Masastudio and Kelly Wearstler is a sculptural family home inspired by Mediterranean architecture
By Pei-Ru Keh Published
-
Building Salmon Creek Farm: inside California’s ultimate creative retreat
Salmon Creek Farm's founder, the architecture-trained artist Fritz Haeg, opens the doors to his cultural commune and tells us its story
By Fritz Haeg Published