Steven Leprizé – Cabinetmaker-researcher

Île-de-France – 1986

Steven Leprizé grew up in craftmanship with his grandfather, a carpenter wheelwright. His connection to materials is visceral. He learnt his trade at Ecole Boulle (France), among other schools, and he obtained a DMA (Art Trades Diploma) in cabinetmaking. He finished as valedictorian in 2008. Then, he worked more than a year alongside a designer-cabinetmaker.

In 2009, he has founded with a partner ARCA Ebénisterie, a cabinetmaking and carpentry workshop specialized in research and creation. In French, ARCA means “Atelier de Recherche et Création en Ameublement”. Today, he runs on his own the company which represents 550m² of space and offers design edition and prototyping services.

2021 – Prize PME-SME, category handcraft SME.

2017 – Fondation Bettencourt Schueller, Prize for “Intelligence de la main” ; Prize of handcraft company CMA 94 ; « l’Etoile de l’Artisanat » of “Observeur du design”.

2016 – laureate of Fondation Banque Populaire.

2012 – support of Fondations Ernst & Young.

2011 – “Grand Prix de la Création”, Paris.

Research and innovation

Steven Leprizé’s ARCA workshop goes beyond the traditional field of cabinetmaking by imagining artisanal or industrial solutions for companies of many different sectors, from aviation to the textile industry.

Oriented toward experimentation in contemporary furniture, ARCA has invented “AirWood” or inflatable wood. The technique consists in affixing inlay on a flexible material, allowing to distort the wood through air injection. Another concept then followed, the “WooWood”. It is a storage system with elastic pockets covered in wood inlay, just as if it was textile. This technic makes possible to create a grommet, to slide a drawer in pockets or to fix a lamp. Steven Leprizé has also invented a concept of wood chequered by an accumulation of grids and set up a technic of thermosetting wood using heated plastic.

These techniques use 3D technology and plasma spraying. Thus ARCA must continuously dedicate time to research and development. Also, Steven Leprizé guides and co-finances a thesis project with Ecole des Mines on the thermal spraying of materials onto wood.

Will to transmit

Steven Leprizé is attached to transmit his savoir-faire and creativity. He has been teaching at Ecole Boulle one day a week since 2011. He does not work alone at ARCA and he is looking to develop his company, which employs today 6 salaries, 1 apprentice and occasional interns.

Fondation Rémy Cointreau has helped Steven Leprizé to acquire a planer, in replacement of the faulty one currently used at the Atelier.