A study in material and surface

For Milan Design Week 2026, NOVU collaborated with Garance Vallée on the development and production of a large-scale dining installation, commissioned by Flash Art and Converse. The project resists easy categorisation, moving between exhibition and encounter — culminating in an intimate dinner with Ruinart.

Thick, transparent PVC curtains defined the perimeter. Industrial in origin, but recontextualised here not as barriers, but as filters — softening the space while maintaining a clear sense of boundary.

At its centre: a 15-metre steel table, surrounded by 50 chairs.

The table combined brushed and polished steel in a subtle checkered composition, where shifts in reflection created texture without added material — a quiet manipulation of surface.

The chairs echoed this approach through intricate craftsmanship. Thin sheets of steel were woven into a grid, forming a structure that reads almost like fabric. This precision was offset by wooden seats, introducing warmth and tactility into an otherwise industrial language.

In close collaboration with Vallée, NOVU translated the table and chairs from concept into fully realised pieces — balancing material expression with structural and ergonomic precision.

From developing the table’s checkered finish through controlled brushing techniques to engineering the woven steel construction of the chairs, each element required testing and refinement to achieve both visual clarity and functional integrity.

Fabrication and on-site installation of these pieces were carried out by our atelier, ensuring continuity from development through to final placement within the space.
The result has since been featured in Industrialkonzept and DOTS. Milano.

Thanks to Garance Vallée for the trust, and to Flash Art for the imagery by Mateo Vitti.