Samy Rio

Samy Rio is a French designer, based in Arles, who prefers the use of ecological materials for his projects. His creations combine complexity in terms of technical choices and simplicity in terms of shape. He draws inspiration and conceives his projects using two strongly contrasting but interdependent production methods: industry and craftsmanship. After completing his training in woodworking, Samy graduated in industrial design from the École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle in Paris (ENSCI). From his experience in woodworking he has drawn invaluable lessons, which today greatly affect his work. Rio tried to understand how to use bamboo in his projects, a type of wood he knew as a child. He spent his childhood in the Cévennes region of southern France, near the exotic bamboo groves of UNESCO in the city of Anduze. Being a species of invasive plants, the gigantic bamboo plantations quickly spread to the outskirts of the park and began to mix with the local flora.

The experimentation with bamboo led him to his first creation, a library, and also became the basis of his academic research work in 2014, the year of his graduation. He continued his experimentation with bamboo, with the creation of a speaker and a hair dryer made of bamboo at the art center Villa Noailles in the southeast of France, two pieces that earned the 2015 Design Parade award. The multiple interests of Samy Rio allowed him to work on different projects involving different materials and techniques. In fact he was an artist in residence in prestigious institutions such as Villa Kujoyama in Japan, the Cité de la céramique in Sèvres (France) and the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) in Taiwan. He is also involved in the International Research Centre for Glass and Plastic Arts (CIRVA) in Marseille.

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