Yohan Thomas

La fabrique frugale
I have always been fascinated by industrial production processes. However, I do not possess such power; rather, I have more modest means at my disposal. My approach lies midway between an industrial methodology and artisanal means, which are my own resources. Self-manufacturing is a way of taking direct action over how we consume. In imagining my micro-manufacture, I seek principles of minimal efficiency, where implementation is almost costless relative to what it generates. To achieve this, I draw inspiration from the umbrella. Despite the apparent ordinariness of this object lies, in fact, considerable ingenuity. Lightweight, foldable, protective; it derives its structure not from mass, but from tension. There is an economy of means that inspires me. My research unfolds around two materials in order to test this principle of tension. I create volumes with steel rods and nylon canvas. In developing my formal vocabulary, clarity of the object emerges, along with lightness and refinement. The rods interweave with the canvas to form a single unified whole. To further this quest for independence and efficiency, I manufacture my tools in the image of industry. I draw inspiration from existing forms. I design the tool as an object in its own right, considering its uses so that it is adapted and ergonomic. Through a logic of standardisation and the formal shaping of canvas, this research constitutes a demonstration aimed at drawing the maximum from the minimum. The lamps resulting from this micro-factory are designed to be foldable so they fit flat within an A3 envelope; this allows me to reduce distribution and storage costs.