In Conversation with Sophie Goineau

Sophie Goineau, French-Canadian interior architect and designer, speaks with Interni and Luminaire about her holistic approach to design, where objects, interiors, architecture and landscape come together as one continuous experience.

Your approach to design is rooted in environmental design. What does that mean to you?

My approach is grounded in environmental design, particularly in the relationship between different scales. It moves naturally from objects to furniture, from interiors to architecture, and ultimately into the landscape and wider context.

I do not see these as separate disciplines. I am interested in how they participate in the same composition, especially in what the eye perceives as it moves through a space. A piece of furniture is never simply an isolated object within a room. Its scale, proportion, materiality and placement create a relationship with the surrounding architecture, with light, openings, other objects at different depths and, at times, the landscape beyond.

The work continuously moves between scales, from the intimacy of an object or piece of furniture to the larger architectural gesture. Every decision contributes to something greater. When these relationships are successfully resolved, the individual elements become part of one continuous experience.

What connects these different scales?

What connects them is relationship. We think very consciously about scale, proportion, materiality, rhythm, light and depth, and about the way the eye moves through successive planes.

There is also a human dimension to all of this. Whether we are considering an object, furniture, an interior or a larger architectural volume, the environment must ultimately relate back to the person inhabiting it.

Materiality, texture and light are essential because they create continuity while also evoking emotion and memory. The relationship between interior and exterior is equally important, not simply as an isolated idea about landscape, but as part of the overall composition.

Architecture, interior architecture, furniture, art, objects and landscape are all experienced in relationship to one another.

Ideally, you experience the whole before beginning to isolate the individual decisions. A great deal of thought may sit behind each element, but when the relationships are right, everything begins to feel natural and coherent rather than like a collection of separate gestures.

Does place influence the emotion a space can convey?

Absolutely. Context is fundamental.

Every place carries its own conditions, including architecture, landscape, light, climate, culture and ways of living. All of those factors contribute to the emotional character of a project and become part of what we respond to.

For us, however, the starting point is always the people. We begin by understanding who they are, how they live, what they respond to and the particular energy they bring to a place.

From there, we begin to understand the architecture and its context, allowing the language of the project to develop through those relationships.

Each project therefore has the opportunity to establish its own visual and material language. Materiality, texture, light, furniture, art and objects all become part of interpreting the relationship between the people, the architecture and the place.

Our way of thinking and composing remains consistent, but its expression may be completely different from one project to another. That is what allows a project to feel deeply personal and genuinely connected to where it belongs.

Its identity and emotional resonance emerge from those relationships rather than from a predetermined aesthetic.

What projects are you currently working on?

We are in a very active and exciting period at the studio, with several new residential projects underway in Northern California, including homes in Los Altos Hills, along with the complete reconstruction of a residence in Malibu.

I am also designing a lake house in Quebec for my family, and there is a potential new opportunity developing in Miami for the fall.

What makes this particularly exciting is how different the conditions are from one project to another. The sites, topographies, views, architecture, climates and ways of living vary enormously.

Our way of thinking remains consistent, but every project develops its own language through those specific conditions and through the people who will inhabit it.

There is also a continuity that often develops beyond the principal completion of a home. Our relationship with clients may continue as they begin to inhabit the space and the environment evolves with them.

Art, objects and individual pieces can be discovered and introduced over time. The core of the project is resolved, while these more personal layers can continue to grow alongside the life of the home.

I value that ongoing relationship very much.

How does your collaboration with Interni and Luminaire support your work?

What is particularly valuable to us is that Interni and Luminaire provide access to an extraordinary global design network while still maintaining a very personal relationship with our studio.

Our work moves constantly between scales, from objects and furniture to lighting, materiality and the broader interior architectural composition.

Having access to such a wide international network of manufacturers, collections, materials, finishes, technical knowledge and craftsmanship gives us an enormous vocabulary to work with.

It allows us to explore what is truly right for a project rather than beginning with a limited field of possibilities.

Furniture plays a very important role in our work. It participates in scale, proportion and rhythm, as well as in the way the eye moves throughout a space.

The same is true of lighting and objects. They are all part of the composition, so having access to that breadth of design, material and technical possibilities is extremely valuable.

But access alone is not enough. What makes the relationship particularly meaningful is the service and the people behind it.

There is an enormous amount that takes place between identifying the right piece and successfully integrating it into a project: selecting materials and finishes, confirming dimensions, customization, technical information, coordination with manufacturers, procurement, logistics, delivery and installation.

Having a team that understands the design intention and can support that entire process creates continuity from the original creative decision through final realization.

Selby Lane was a very good example of that relationship.

The collaboration with the Luminaire San Francisco team was fluid, accessible and personal. We maintained continuity of dialogue and support throughout the process, allowing us to stay focused on the intention of the project while knowing that an experienced network was behind us helping bring it to life.

For me, the most valuable collaborations are based on exchange.

We bring our vision and understanding of the project, while they bring extraordinary knowledge of their manufacturers, materials, capabilities and resources.

Through that dialogue, we can discover possibilities, refine decisions and sometimes arrive at solutions we would not have reached independently.

Ultimately, it is not simply about access to beautiful furniture or objects.

It is access to knowledge, people, craftsmanship, technical expertise and service within a global network.

That combination is what makes Interni and Luminaire such an important resource for our practice, particularly as our work continues to expand across different locations and contexts.

Explore the Project: Selby Lane Residence