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Noémie Vinchon
person:role:designer person:affiliation:external person:focus:inflatable person:focus:co-design person:project:inflatable_units person:project:inflatable_cinema person:project:la_bulle
Full name: Noémie Vinchon Role: Designer — inflatable structures Affiliation: External / Partner of Mo Bil Based in: France Interviewed by: Yannick Roels Interview date: 30_10_2025
🟢 Context
Noémie Vinchon is a designer trained in applied arts (France) and eco-social design at the Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes. Her work explores lightness, mobility, and reuse in public space through inflatable objects made from industrial fall materials. Her Inflatable Units (sausage, donuts, etc.) were later integrated into Mo Bil as adaptable tools for reclaiming and transforming shared spaces.
🟣 Design Philosophy
“What I love about air is that you shape a membrane.
The fabric itself defines the form and its limits.” — *N.V.*
- Works with elementary geometries (circle, ring, cylinder) to create collective postures and interactions. - Uses industrial protocols (cut–fold–weld order, markings) to ensure quality and repeatability. - Advocates for eco-social design, relying on local materials and existing resources. - Sees inflatables as tools of freedom: portable, playful, and human-scaled.
🔧 Technical Process
Software: Rhino 3D (3D modeling + flattening patterns) Materials:
- Polyurethane (PU) membranes
- Dacron (nautical fabric — resistant, washable) for protective covers
- Industrial scraps, cords, straps
Equipment:
- Hot-air and HF welders (outsourced where needed)
- Industrial sewing machine
- Adhesive valve patches
- Portable air pumps and blowers
Workflow: 1. 3D volume sketch → flattening patterns 2. Add seam/solder allowances 3. Mark before cutting 4. Sew/weld membrane and cover 5. Test prototypes in real conditions (festivals, public spaces)
Failures & lessons: over-inflation → explosion → learning pressure limits. Workshop trick: pre-marking before cutting; always double-check joins.
💨 Air-Captured vs Air-Blown
Air-captured (sealed / structural) - More rigid; tension defines the shape - Acts as a tool to sit on, move, or lean against - Helps people find their place in public space
Air-blown (ventilated / scenographic) - Softer form, shaped by sewing and pattern lines - Creates immersive interiors (light, shadows, wind visible) - Acts as a scene or temporary architecture for events
Formula: *Air-captured = tool · Air-blown = stage.*
🎬 Key Mo Bil Projects
→ Inflatable Units Modular seats and play structures (sausage, donuts) for flexible use. → Small Donut → Sausage
→ Inflatable Cinema Combines both air-captured and air-blown systems for a stable projection screen. Large seamless surface; each setup is a “recipe” adapted to the projector used. → Inflatable Cinema
→ La Bulle A 14 × 6 m air-blown space — open, immersive, and luminous. External anchors, safe cable passages, collective sound/light use. → La Bulle
→ Textile Add-ons Protective shades and hammocks made from industrial fall materials. → Large Hammock
🌍 Public Interaction
- People approach inflatables with curiosity and hesitation, then excitement once inside. - Children engage instantly; adults follow once they see it’s open to all. - Each deployment transforms the atmosphere of its site — from static square to playground. - Ongoing question: *how to design inflatables appealing to adults as well?*
⚙️ Maintenance & Iteration
- Full check every 6 months (count, inspect, repair). - Explore non-white Dacron: still visible but less dirt-sensitive. - Improve valves and straps for durability. - Secure local sourcing network for reused materials.
🤝 Collaboration
“What the Mo Bil team gave me was trust — and the joy of working together.”
- Found strong mutual support at Cultureghem’s “Abattoirs” workshops. - Collective learning environment: hands-on help, shared tools, spontaneous collaboration. - Introduced a new inflatable vocabulary into the Mo Bil ecosystem.
💬 Reflections
- Proud of expanding from air-captured to air-blown architecture. - Sees inflatables as a poetic way to occupy and re-imagine public space. - “Every time we deploy one, it transforms a site —
like a small miracle of appearance and disappearance.”
✅ Next Steps
- Develop v4 of the Inflatable Units (improved straps & fabric)
- Design safer valve covers
- Map material-recovery partners
- Formalize a maintenance checklist
- Experiment with color variations for new versions
📜 Full Interview
📸 Media
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