Inspired by 1960s and 70s Italian design, by Bauhaus, as well as by contemporary designers, they have established themselves on the Parisian scene and beyond. Their latest project — Mistinguett — is a lesson in authenticity.

ANA RITA SEVILHA: Who are Adele Nourry and Hugo Vince? ADELE NOURRY/HUGO VINCE: Firstly, they are two people who started a friendship on the benches of the École Camondo. At that time, more than 10 years ago, we both lived on Rue Legendre in Paris, and today our offices are on the same street!
The first project that launched Atelier HA was the remodelling of a boat in Bologna for a family of seven. It was such an unusual and deeply formative project, that it enabled us to face every job and challenge that has followed since with composure.

It was while you were still students at École Camondo that the desire to set up your own studio came about. What other legacies did the school offer you? We try to start each project by telling a story, to develop a narrative that guides our ideas. But we also like to discover a new world and new constraints every time we embark on a new job. We think this way of working stems from a certain nostalgia for school days and the subjects we studied at the time.

How do you define your creative process, your practice and your language? When we approach each piece of work, we define a few strong and striking elements that articulate the rest of the project. We also like to turn any restriction into a defining element of the project. This methodology ends up shaping the process, the practise and the language.