The Protocol Office

The Office of the Commissioner General hosts protocol meetings in an intimate setting, echoing the atmosphere of the Protocol Lounge.
Around a Ligne Roset table, three Sokoa chairs form the “Lovers’ Trio”, dressed in the colors of France, Japan, and Love—the unifying theme of the France Pavilion.
A “deconstructed” meeting area brings together five colorful Sokoa seats, illuminated by lamps designed by Joseph-André Motte for Disderot, whose shapes subtly reference Japanese lanterns. These fixtures establish a visual and conceptual dialogue with the custom furniture developed by Duvivier Canapés, based on Motte’s original designs.
The shelving was crafted in Kyoto by the company Yamasho, using solid Japanese cedar planks left in their natural form to highlight their organic curves. Planed and brushed, the wood reveals its distinctive grain.
Opposite the centerpiece, a mirrored wall amplifies the sense of space, reflecting a photograph by Philippe Marinig, “Geisha Getting Out of a Taxi”—a work by the 2011 Villa Kujoyama laureate—alongside a print by Paul Jacoulet.
This image introduces a narrative dimension to the installation, softly illuminated by a washi paper pendant lamp by Céline Wright, laureate of the Villa Kujoyama in 2021.