Gérard et Lucien Grandval

Gérard Grandval was a French architect, designer and artist born in Paris on October 7, 1930. He studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and graduated as an architect DPLG in 1959. He won, after numerous prizes and medals, the First Grand Prix de Rome in 1961. Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters, he was a titular member of the Academy of Architecture from 1994, was its Vice-President from 1999 to 2001 and remained President of the jury for the Prix du Livre d’architecture for more than 20 years.

His creations have developed in areas ranging from urban utopias to interior architecture and design, including urban planning, new towns, housing, stadiums and factories. Gérard Grandval stood out with his first factory project in 1958, but it was the creation of a mountain chalet project, known as the “shell chalet” in 1965, as well as his response to the winning competition for the Palais de l’air et de l’Espace in 1966, which contributed to entrusting him with the order for the Palais district in the new town of Créteil, which would give him worldwide renown. Built between 1970 and 1974, these eleven residential towers are distinguished by their vast petal-shaped balconies which very quickly earned them the name of “cabbage” or “cob of corn”.

This organic and sculptural approach contrasted with the rationalism of the great ensembles of the time. Initially planned to be vegetated, this pioneering ambition of “green facades” will ultimately never be realized.

At the same time, very close to the world of fashion, Gérard Grandval will design the factory and the head office of Cacharel as well as all the stores throughout the world throughout the 70s and 80s. He is also the author of the Center for exhibitions and presentation of fashion in Paris (Carrousel du Louvre).

Lucien Grandval and the Carrousel du Louvre project that Gérard Grandval created are concomitant. Architecture studio and family living space being in the same place, pencils, paints, paper, cardboard…everything is available to him from birth! Learning to draw and do-it-yourself are the favorite games between father and son. Cardboard constructions and sketchbooks have multiplied.
Lucien Grandval works today in communication and politics but wished through this project of jewelry creations, to renew this creativity and this complicity.

***

The jewelry collection 120 steps is a digression on the theme of the staircase imagined by the architect Gérard Grandval and his son Lucien Grandval.

Following a burglary, during which Virginie had all of her jewelry stolen, the father and son then embarked on the design of numerous models with the idea of ​​replacing them. This will be their common project: imagining, drawing and designing jewelry inspired by the world of architecture. Gérard was then 90 years old, Lucien 30 years old, the 120 steps collection was born.

After the death of Gérard Grandval in December 2021, Lucien decided to complete the collection, a tribute to his father and an impetus to launch himself into creation.
Architect, designer and artist, Gérard Grandval spent his life creating staircases, in his own buildings but also in hundreds of notebooks, sketches, paintings – a motif with infinite variations that Lucien appropriated.

Ring in Sterling silver
2020
Edition of 30 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Ring in sterling silver plated 18k yellow gold
2020
Edition of 30 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Ring in Sterling silver
2020
Edition of 30 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Ring in sterling silver plated 18k yellow gold
2020
Edition of 30 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Ring in sterling silver plated 18k yellow gold
2020
Edition of 30 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Ring in Sterling silver
2020
Edition of 30 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Ring in sterling silver plated 18k yellow gold
2020
Edition of 30 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Ring in Sterling silver
2020
Edition of 30 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Cuff in sterling silver and golden brass
Edition of 10 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Cuff in sterling silver
Edition of 10 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Earrings in sterling silver
plated 18k yellow gold
Edition of 15 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece

Earrings in sterling silver
Edition of 15 + 2 AP
Édition MiniMasterpiece