Courtesy of Alice Mesguich

For our next FRANK conversation, we spoke with Antoine Simonin, the founder of AD100 design & architecture studio ASAÏ, known for their liberated ‘non-style’ and multifaceted approach to architecture as a living language. Antoine mused on glass ceilings, a childlike core that keeps him from taking himself too seriously, Miley Cyrus, and more. He also referenced our Rambling Chair as being lifted straight from Snow White’s cottage which we very much enjoyed.

Courtesy of Sotheby's Paris

Is there a particular era or place in which you would have liked to work?

That brief interlude between the late 1970s and early 1980s — a moment of unrestrained, cross-pollinated creativity across fashion, design, music and culture at large. It was also a time of profound social emancipation and advances in human rights, as though a long-standing glass ceiling had finally shattered after centuries under a leaden weight.

Courtesy of Sotheby's Paris

What is an unusual source of inspiration that has found its way into your work?

A quiet, childlike core that runs through all my projects. Unburdened by a fully constructed imagination, it keeps me — I hope — from ever taking myself too seriously.

Courtesy of Alice Mesguich

Is there a song you return to when creative inspiration runs dry?

Creative drought calls for a generous dose of romanticism to lift it from the depths. I would say “Golden Burning Sun” by Miley Cyrus — an unfailing boost that clears my head and gently reminds me of a few things that do me good.

Courtesy of Alice Mesguich

What is the ghost in your work — the presence that lingers without being immediately visible?

A timeless ghost that moves through every project at the studio. Because it can inhabit a distinct narrative each time, it never succumbs to the siren calls of either past or future. It is thanks to this almost sacred presence — and its ability to erase time — that our work, I believe, is unafraid of boldness.

What is the question you wish people would ask about your work, but never do?

More than anything, I wish people would stop asking sterile questions about trends or the colour of the year — there is no surer way to derail a project. Instead, let’s have some fun. Perhaps: “Where does all this come from?” Or better yet, turning the question around: “How do you see my work?” The world, increasingly, is short on interpretation.

Courtesy of Alice Mesguich

What is your favourite piece from the Lemon collection, and why?

The Rambling Chair - a piece that is both designed and vernacular. A king’s chair or a goblin’s throne, seemingly lifted straight from Snow White’s cottage.