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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2017
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
The ‘Bolon by Jean Nouvel Design’
flooring concept was first unveiled at the
architect’s retrospective exhibition in Paris
in October last year, and then introduced
to the European design fraternity at
Bolon’s ‘Innovators at Heart’ exhibition in
Stockholm in February this year.
Jean Nouvel came to prominence in the
1980s, with groundbreaking projects like
the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary
Art in Paris and the Cultural and Conference
Center in Lucerne, Switzerland. World-class
projects followed, establishing Nouvel as
one of the great architects of the century.
In 2008, he was awarded the Pritzker
Prize, awarded annually “to honour a living
architect whose built work demonstrates
a combination of talent, vision and
commitment, which has produced
consistent and significant contributions to
humanity and the built environment through
the art of architecture”.
Bolon’s collaboration with Nouvel marks
the Swedish manufacturer and designer’s
Collaboration with
ACCLAIMED
ARCHITECT
unveiled
Swedish woven vinyl flooring designer and manufacturer, Bolon
– represented in South Africa by KBAC Flooring – has launched
a new ‘architect-driven’ range of flooring designed by acclaimed
French architect, Jean Nouvel.
first architect-driven flooring concept
and directly addresses the concerns of
architects in its concept and execution.
The Bolon by Jean Nouvel Design
collection features six signature colours. A
departure from Bolon’s typically designer-
driven flooring, the flooring was conceived
with spatiality in mind and has a textural,
hand-woven effect in combinations of black,
grey, red and blue. The colour panes make
it possible to have complete control and
flexibility within the interior. The flooring
amplifies the interior geometry, making it
possible to experiment with the layout and
natural circulation in an interior space.
“The freedom is yours to use the flooring
to play with colour and light, and engage
the windows of the space,” says Jean
Nouvel. “It is not a decorative carpet, but an
architectural floor. Using Bolon is a bit like
choosing the fabric for a suit: it makes you
want to look closely and to touch.
I designed the striped pattern so that it
could be arranged at a diagonal from a
window to appear as sunlight coming
through glass. I’m a bit of a minimalist,
so I enjoy it when the figurative theme
disappears and one goes towards the most
essential thing: the basis of the texture.”
Bolon by Jean Nouvel Design woven
vinyl rolls are available in six colours: Black
Warp with red, blue or grey weft; and Grey
Warp with red, blue or dark grey weft. The
new collection is also available in 50 cm by
50 cm tiles in Black Warp with blue weft, or
Grey Warp with dark grey weft.
Bolon is a 70-year-old Swedish company
that makes innovative flooring solutions
for public spaces with a list of clientele
that includes Armani, Google, Volvo Cars,
Adidas, Skype, Missoni and Radisson Red.
KBAC Flooring was appointed as sole Bolon
distributor in South Africa last year.
“Using Bolon is a bit like choosing the
fabric for a suit: it makes you want to
look closely and to touch.”