Pierre Guariche

Pierre Guariche (1926-1995) was an important French designer, today considered one of the main exponents of the French Mid-Century style that saw a great renewal of styles, techniques and materials in furniture starting from the 1950s. It was in that decade that most of Guariche's activity as a furniture designer was concentrated, after studying under René Gabriel and an apprenticeship at Marcel Gascoin's studio. His first independent activities date back to 1951, in the fervent climate of post-war reconstruction, when he began collaborations with two of the most innovative French manufacturers of the time, Airborne and Steiner. In 1953 one of his best-known products was born, the famous "Tonneau" chair, made of economical and practical materials such as plastic or bent plywood. His great interest in innovative materials led him to found the Ateliers de Recherche Plastique (ARP) in 1954, where he would join forces with two other former students of Gascoin, Michel Mortier (1925-2015) and Joseph-André Motte (1925-2013). The experience, brief but fruitful (it would dissolve in 1957, with the various members seeking greater autonomy), would allow Guariche to carry out several experiments with plastic materials. Even more important was his role as a designer of lighting fixtures, full of ingenious metal details and innovative solutions, produced at the time by Pierre Disderot and reissued since 2018 by the brand Sammode. In 1957, Guariche took on the role of artistic director of the Belgian furniture brand Merop, interested in modernizing its production, thus starting one of his most long-lasting and fruitful partnerships. From the 1960s onwards, his activity will instead focus with great success on interior design, with ambitious and appreciated projects such as the ski resort of La Plagne. Many of his most famous creations are today re-edited by Ligne Roset.