Arts Thread

Joséphine Menut
Interior Design MA

Royal College of Art

Graduates: 2024

Specialisms: Interior Design / Set Design - Stage Screen Dance / Product Design

My location: Paris, France

josphine-manut ArtsThread Profile
Royal College of Art

Joséphine Menut

josphine-manut ArtsThread Profile

First Name: Joséphine

Last Name: Menut

University / College: Royal College of Art

Course / Program: Interior Design MA

Graduates: 2024

Specialisms: Interior Design / Set Design - Stage Screen Dance / Product Design

My Location: Paris, France

About

A French interior designer now based in London, I completed my Bachelor's degree in Interior Architecture & Design at LISAA Paris, followed by an internship at a Parisian interior design agency. Seeking further exploration, I pursued a Master's in Interior Design at the Royal College of Art in London.I believe in using my practice to foster connections around social change. During my MA at the RCA, I conducted research on frugality and sustainability in design, exploring a new approach to projects through an in-depth study of the site and its materiality.

23-24 Gillender Street has transformed from a flour mill to a global delivery warehouse, reflecting the rise of mass consumption and industrialization. Construction and demolition waste make up a third of EU waste, and the building sector contributes 11% of global carbon emissions. While we can't stop this massive trend, we can make changes on an individual level. This project aims to bring us back to a human scale. The proposed Community Centre will promote the exchange of materials, experiences, and knowledge, challenging the notion that money is the ultimate goal. Inspired by "freeshops" collectives, it will feature spaces for material exchange, repair workshops, gardens for sustainable cooking lessons, and an art centre, all encouraging a more sustainable lifestyle. From reversing the consumption curve to reversing the building, the former factory will be open, dissected, and rearranged in several closed spaces. As an example of a new approach to construction, all the materials are found on site, except for photovoltaics panels. The renovation process follows only necessary choices, wether further additions might have benefitted the overall result, this project was an experiment study aiming to make the most out of the space through not overcrowding it.