— Institut du monde arabe IMA, Paris 1987
Chelsea Porcelain
Chelsea, designed by Jean Nouvel, was born from the desire to overcome the traditional tubular geometry of the door handle. The project privileges the senses: a soft and enveloping shape, modelled on the imprint of the hand, and a warm, pleasant-to-the-touch material. Produced in ceramic, Chelsea becomes a strong, iconic and highly expressive sign, capable of transforming the handle into a distinctive architectural element.
FINISHES
- CB - Bright chrome/White
- MB - Satin chrome/White
- CE - Bright chrome/Matt black
- ME - Satin chrome/Matt black
- MATERIAL
- Brass
- TYPOLOGY
- Door handles - Round - Special
Chelsea Porcelain design story
Jean Nouvel rejects even a material like steel from the outset, because he wants the senses to guide his formal definition. He explains that he wants them to be stimulated by a soft, sensual shape, pleasant to the touch, and by a warm, almost soft material. He finally wants it to become a sign thanks to the color.
— 100 11th Avenue, New York 2010
— Jean Nouvel
Chelsea was born with these premises: it is modelled on the imprint of the hand that grasps it, the grip is made in white ceramic or soft black rubber.
— Fondazione Cartier, Paris, France 1994
— Conference Center, France, 1993