This student from Versailles invented the eco-friendly table that enlarges the terraces, by Laurent Mauron, June 16, 2020
“A student at the National School of Architecture, Félix Miguel created Extra Terrasse, a collection of wooden furniture that attaches directly to street furniture.
The news serves him well. Félix Miquel is surfing the reopening of terraces and cafes in order to publicize his invention. At just 20 years old, this young student from the Ecole nationale supérieure d'Architecture de Versailles (ENSAV) developed the Extra-Terrasse* concept of wooden objects which are supported on street furniture by simple interlocking.
“It all started with a table. The idea of fixing it to an urban post already existed. I simply wanted to create one from recycled wood in the spirit of recycling,” says Félix, who refined his project over a year as part of his studies at ENSAV. One of his teachers, who made him work on creating furniture from wood, and the help of his school's association, ADN Plus, which lends tools and workshops, encouraged him to get started with prototypes.
Tested for a fortnight by the Sophomore, a bar on rue Gambey, in Paris (11th), this ingenious idea could flourish. In any case, the owner of this establishment likes her. “I find the concept interesting because, with the aftermath of Covid, I currently have the possibility of extending my terrace on the street (Editor's note: until September 30). My customers like it too and many of them take photos. I took three tables and the ashtray. This is very good, particularly to combat the proliferation of cigarette butts on the ground,” assures Maxime Mérien.
Table, but also ashtray and hydroalcoholic gel terminal
Because Félix not only invented a table but a line of products with other applications such as the ashtray but also a terminal accommodating hydroalcoholic gel. All while refining a “responsible” approach. “I quickly realized that the field of possibilities was immense. With 4.5 m2 of wood, I can, for example, make 34 ashtrays and thus recycle thousands of cigarette butts through the ecological chain while processing just one of them can consume up to 500 liters of water,” confides the inventor.
As such, Félix has also experimented with a use other than that of the café terrace. Thus, he placed ashtrays at the exit of three metro entrances with the words “Recycle your cigarette butts” on the ground. “They lasted two weeks before being stolen but I counted around fifty cigarette butts inside. The proof has therefore been made that the concept can work for smokers if we place it, for example, at the exit of shops", estimates Félix who also approached florists, who very well received the hypothesis of these types “urban” flower pots inside which they would plant flowers.
“Use of recycling material”
The apprentice architect's innovation has attracted a lot of attention on social networks. So, after posting photos on June 4 on the Instagram account of the specialized site Student Design, Félix was surprised by the 20,000 likes obtained in less than 48 hours from all over the world. As a result, he protected his invention by filing five designs and models with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI).
He is right because the competition did not wait for him. Thus, a Parisian locksmith launched Topit, a very similar concept, also adapted to terraces via street furniture, but in metal. "
Source : https://www.leparisien.fr/yvelines-78/l-etudiant-de-versailles-a-invente-la-table-ecolo-qui-agrandit-les-terrasses-16-06-2020-8336529. php