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

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.

“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.

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 (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.*

→ 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

- 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?*

- 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.

“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.

- 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.”  

• 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 transcript with Noémie Vinchon (EN)

mobil:media:photos:people:noemie_vinchon

• Small Inflatable Donut
• Inflatable Cinema
• La Bulle
• Research – Inflatable Tests

Last updated: date Author: Noémie Vinchon (interview by Yannick Roels) .