Historic showroom by Philippe Starck
In 1987, Franck Argentin took over the family business RBC (Shelving [Rayonnage, in French] – Office [Bureau, in French] – Community [Collectivité, in French]), and decided to open his first design furniture showroom in Nîmes. He then called on Philippe Starck to design his first furniture showroom and stage pieces of designer furniture in the heart of the city of Nîmes: 1. Place de la Salamandre.
In the heart of the old town, under the stone vaults of a former convent, we discover a unique, elegant and lively place, with many fertile surprises dear to Starck. The overall architecture brings together all the designer’s codes: there are black and white earthenware tiles on the floor, polished steel walls and the arches, a nod to the city’s famous bullring, are gilded with copper leaf. RBC Nîmes is the only showroom in the world designed entirely by Philippe Starck.
“I WAS YOUNG, I WAS POOR, I WAS NOT VERY SMART; BUT THANKS TO FRANCK ARGENTIN, I DESERVED TO EXIST”. PHILIPPE STARCK
Philippe Starck, créateur français de renomée internationale, est considéré en France comme l’un des pionniers du design démocratique. La conception qu’il a de ce dernier est bien particulière. Elle se traduit nottament par la phrase qu’il a prononcé :« Le populaire est élégant, le rare est vulgaire ». En ce sens, il cherche à faire du design un concept accessible à tous en vendant des produits à des prix abordables dans des lieux de vente grand public. Autrement dit, il a une vision du « design démocratique » qui prone la lutte pour un design pas destiné exclusivement à une élite.
RBC Nîmes, the heritage
Franck Argentin founded RBC in 1987, with the desire to integrate design, creativity, encounters into the company’s DNA and to be part of this large-scale urban project in Nîmes.
Indeed, in the 1980s, under the leadership of Jean Bousquet, then mayor of Nîmes, the city became a veritable urban laboratory. While preserving its rich historical heritage, the city calls on renowned architects to carry out ambitious projects and create a dialogue between contemporary architecture and heritage.
The facilities are spectacular: Norman Foster’s “Carré d’art” opposite the Maison Carrée, Gregotti’s stadium, Jean Nouvel‘s “Némausus”, the Kurokawa Coliseum, the roofing of the Geipel and Michelin Arenas, and the layout of the town hall, by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Without forgetting the paving of the streets carried out with Philippe Starck, who also redesigned the arms of the Gard prefecture, reinterpreting the iconic tree (the palm tree) and the animal (the crocodile).
Arrangements of furniture and accessories by prestigious architects and designers allow customers and the public to discover key pieces, from yesterday and today, objects with a unique aesthetic or functional meaning, a true ode to art and creativity, which will make you fall in love.
This furniture store displays a wide selection of habitat brands such as: Kartell, Knoll, Vitra, B&B Italia, Zanotta, Fritz Hansen, Flos, Moooi, Artemide, Hay, Muuto, Sarah Lavoine, Emu, Magis, Moroso, Davide Groppi, Luce Plan, Flexcube…
1 Place de la Salamandre,
30000 Nîmes
The teams welcome you from Tuesday to Friday: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
04 66 67 62 22
The Nîmes team at your side so you can live the “design made in RBC” experience.
Cécile and her team regularly renew the scenographies, and endeavour to accessorise each of them, thanks to a meticulous selection of accessories and decorative objects, lighting, crockery or candles…