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The École de design Nantes Atlantique is a respected institution in design education, recognized for its international reach and multidisciplinary approach. It has become a credible springboard for emerging talent in eyewear design, particularly through its students’ participation in the SILMO Optical Design Contest.
What is the history and identity of the École de design Nantes Atlantique in the design field?
Founded in 1988 under the name “École de design des Pays de la Loire,” the school has been overseen by the Nantes Saint‑Nazaire Chamber of Commerce & Industry since 1991. It is a private institution with State recognition, offering a 5‑year Diplôme de design (equivalent to a master’s level) validated by the Ministry of Higher Education and registered in the RNCP as level 7. The school is affiliated with the University of Nantes and is a member of the Conférence des Grandes Écoles. Internationally, it maintains studios or campuses in Shanghai, São Paulo, Pune, Montréal and others, reinforcing its global footprint. Pedagogically, École de design emphasizes project‑based learning, collaboration with industry, prototyping, and applied research as foundational pillars of its curriculum.
How does the school foster the intersection with optical design and eyewear?
A key mechanism is encouraging students to submit to the SILMO Optical Design Contest — a platform to prototype and present eyewear concepts. In 2024, DISTROAL — a project by Thomas Deneufbourg & Adrien Gallois — won the contest. The design targets users with autism spectrum disorders and anxiety, aiming to go beyond mere correction to emotional support. That same year, VIEWPROTECT, also from students of Nantes Atlantique, was nominated for its innovative over‑glasses concept for DIY prescription eyewear users. The 2025 edition’s theme “Super‑Hero Glasses” challenges participants to imagine eyewear transcending correction, becoming instruments of transformation. Through such engagements, students merge competencies in materials, ergonomics, and technology with domain‑specific constraints in optics. The school also highlights contest participation as a visibility and professionalization tool in its institutional communication.
Which student contributions have been nominated or awarded in the SILMO Optical Design Contest?
- DISTROAL (Thomas Deneufbourg & Adrien Gallois) — winner 2024, a concept for glasses as supportive accessories.
- VIEWPROTECT — 2024 nominee, over‑glasses concept for prescription wearers.
- AESTRAL — 2025 finalist, a visor‑style design evoking a superhero aesthetic.
- BONEWAVE — 2025 finalist, sports eyewear using bone conduction features.
- NEON and SENTINNELLE+ — 2025 finalists exploring enhanced functionalities and embedded technologies.
How does the school train its students (methods, partnerships, project workshops)? Are there initiatives tied to sustainability or technological innovation?
The curriculum is structured around real, collaborative projects, alternated with prototyping, testing, and industrial partnerships. Students are encouraged to participate in design contests within their program as part of their professional development. The school hosts multiple Design Labs (e.g. Care Design Lab, Digital Design Lab, City Design Lab) providing experimental platforms in technology, social innovation, and sustainability research. In its public documents, it presents design as a tool to address social, economic, and environmental challenges, though no program dedicated exclusively to eyewear sustainability was identified.
Through which channels, events or collaborations does the school give its graduates visibility in the eyewear sector?
The principal channel is the SILMO Optical Design Contest, exposing student work to eyewear industry professionals. The school highlights competition results in its communications, reinforcing press presence and professional recognition. Its network of industrial collaborations, exchange programs, and presence in design exhibitions further help alumni visibility, though specific eyewear‑sector partnerships publicly disclosed are limited. Additionally, the SILMO contest offers for the winning student and their school a prize of €10,000 and an opportunity to exhibit the project at SILMO.
The École de design Nantes Atlantique and Eyewear: Creative Springboard of SILMO
The École de design Nantes Atlantique positions itself as a credible springboard for talents in optical design, by combining project‑centered pedagogy, integration in specialized contests such as SILMO, and the capacity to bring student innovations into the eyewear ecosystem.
