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Tête-à-Tête: Event furniture by Kermesse at Marché des Possibles

Get ready for lots of lounging in the park ‒ Marché des Possibles is proud to welcome beautiful new outdoor furnishings built by local design firm Kermesse as of its opening on June 23rd.

We found out more about the firm’s approach to being environmentally friendly and what surprises they have in store for us in this Tête-à-tête with designer and project manager Alexandre D’Avignon. Get a sneak peek below and come by to take a look irl on Saint-Jean Baptiste weekend while enjoying live music, food by local chefs, artisanal vendors and activities for all ages!

Where does the name Kermesse come from? What does it mean to you and how does it integrate into what you do?

Primarily, Kermesse comes from the Dutch word Kerkmisse which means church mass, in other words a place of gathering. The word then evolved to designate a parish celebration, well-doing or annual fairs and it’s mostly the last aspect that got us hooked the most when we created the name for our firm, the playful and festive idea of fairground parties that gather eclectic people for an ephemeral event. We are somewhat like that too at Kermesse, a gathering of ultra-versatile individuals with varied expertise wanting to make unique places of the spaces we create that can transform and continually adapt in a festive mileu.

Can you tell us more about your environmental approach when designing furniture and how you keep that concern a priority?

Being designers of spaces and furniture, we are very sensitive to the spaces we inhabit and how we inhabit them. In the event industry, we have too often seen this ephemeral side of structures or different conceptions get thrown out in the garbage as soon as the event is over. That’s why at Kermesse, all of our products are reflected on to cease this problem. As soon as we begin the design of a new piece, it is always greatly analyzed to discover the multiple possibilities of transformation, adaptability and re-appropriation of the furniture. Which in turn permits the furniture to have many lives depending on the development of each event.

How will the furniture be adapted to the ambiance of Marché des Possibles? Can we anticipate any surprises?

The gathering nature and accessibility of the Marché des Possibles greatly inspired us for the conception of the furniture. Wanting to prioritize a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, the seating system was created to provoke the meeting of others and allow people to get closer while considering a strong and comfortable design. The furniture can be used as a bench, table, archway and as bleachers while defining spaces on the site and adapt for family activities, rest areas, or the simple act of getting a drink in front of a good show. Plus, we have even thought about the comfort of pets that will be present during the event.

I think that one of the pieces that will surprise people the most will be our giant interpretation of a very well known game found in fairgrounds, but I won’t say more, I will let you discover the surprise yourselves as of June 23rd.