ralston & bau pay homage to boatmen with lamaneurs series

ralston & bau pay homage to boatmen with lamaneurs series
all images courtesy of ralston & bau

nestled against the loire river estuary on the western coast of france, is the bustling port of saint-nazaire. lamaneurs — boatmen — busy themselves along the docks, guiding ships in and out and fastening them safely at quay. whether day or night, the workers must stay vigilant, forever ready when the looming masses of freighters emerge from the shadows.

back shapes 

to offer the boatmen some much needed rest, french-swede studio ralston & bau created the ‘lamaneurs’. influenced by the shapes of surrounding saint-nazaire boathouses, each of the designs was created with a specific ritual in mind: lunch, coffee break, long watch, and power nap. rounded fronts nod to the wide-angled watch of the lamaneurs, and are constructed with metal and wood sourced from local shipbuilders. 

back detail 

designboom has received this project through its ‘DIY submissions’ feature, which welcomes readers to submit their own work for publication. see more designboom readers submissions here.