In Profile:
Studio Jencquel

How would you describe your personal design style?
I try not to think in terms of style. Style can be limiting.

What interests me is atmosphere, proportion and emotion. A project should feel inevitable, as if it could not have been designed any other way. I am drawn to spaces that are calm, tactile and deeply connected to their surroundings.

There is always a strong emphasis on material honesty and craftsmanship. Details are not decorative, they are structural to the experience. If a space is successful, you don’t necessarily notice why, but you feel it immediately.

Where does your design inspiration come from?
From observation more than reference.

Nature is an obvious source, not in a literal sense, but in how things age, how materials interact, how light moves through space. I am also inspired by music, cinema, travel, and by people.

Often inspiration comes from something very simple, a shadow, a texture, a memory. The challenge is not finding ideas, but filtering them and giving them clarity.

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?
There is a growing desire for authenticity.

People are becoming more sensitive to what feels real and what feels constructed. I think we will see a shift away from image-driven design towards something more grounded, more tactile and more enduring.

At the same time, there is a risk of over-saturation. Too much information, too many references. The role of the designer becomes one of editing. Removing rather than adding.

The future of design lies in restraint and in the ability to create spaces that have a quiet but lasting impact.

What was your favourite project to work on and why?
That is always a difficult question. Even if you had a favourite child, you might hesitate to say it out loud.

Each project carries its own story, its own challenges and relationships. What makes one project meaningful is often very different from another.

That said, some projects become more personal. They allow for a deeper level of exploration and a closer connection to the space. Those are often the ones that stay with you longer.

What was your most challenging project to work on and why?
The real challenge is not complexity, it is limitation.
When the process does not allow for exploration, the work inevitably becomes constrained.
The best projects are those built on trust, where challenges can be transformed into something meaningful.

Which products/services could you not live without when designing?
More than specific brands, what matters is the ability to work closely with people who understand materials and processes at a deep level. Whether it is a carpenter, a stone mason or a metal worker, these collaborations are essential.

Without that, the work remains conceptual. With it, it becomes tangible.

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?
To continue refining the work.

Not necessarily doing more, but doing better. Strengthening the team, improving internal processes, and maintaining a high level of attention to detail across all projects.

On a personal level, it is also about creating space. Time to think, to observe, and to remain connected to what initially motivated the work.

Your most treasured possession?
A sharp Blackwing pencil and my Tom Ford reading glasses

Your favourite holiday destination?
Raja Ampat, Indonesia. It is one of the few places that still feels completely untouched, where nature operates on its own terms.

Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar?
Hotel: Ansitz Steinbock in Italy
Restaurant: Bonito, Saint Barths
Bar: The piano bar at Château Marmont

Your favourite book, film & song?
Book: In Praise of Shadows, Junichiro Tanizaki
Film: Spirited Away
Song: Köln, January 24, 1975, Pt I, Keith Jarrett

Your favourite food and drink?
Food: A plateau de fruits de mer, or a good steak frites!
Drink: A good glass of Romanée-Conti Burgundy, or simply Japanese green tea, such as Sencha.

Your favourite way to spend an afternoon?
With my children.

If you weren’t in this sector, what would your alternative profession be?
Something related to storytelling, most likely filmmaking or writing.

Anything else interesting?
I tend to be more interested in what remains unsaid.

In both design and life, there is a certain value in restraint. Not everything needs to be explained.