Our History
From its origins...
We wouldn’t go so far as to claim that… “Even as a child, he dreamed of reciprocal structures”.
But it’s true, Vincent Bechtel has a passion for wood since his earliest years.
With a DESS in project management and a DEA in urban planning and development from the École des Ponts et Chaussées and from the Institut Français d’Urbanisme, he spent over 20 years working in the sciences and technology fields.
In 2013, Vincent discovered Olga Popovic thesis on “Reciprocal Structures”. It became its bedside book for many years. A wooden model was even created… before gathering dust in his living room.
In 2020, continuing the exploration of a subject that really matters to him, biomimicry applied to architecture, he joined the Executive Master program at École Polytechnique.
It wasn’t until July 2022 that the first Sinallagma foundations were laid.
After a major life shift and a strong desire to create meaning and community, Sinallagma was born with a rather bold dream: to found the first company in the world dedicated to green reciprocal structures.
The year 2023 saw Vincent deepen his knowledge of to woodworking. He trained in Rennes alongside the Compagnons du Devoir et du Tour de France, in Rennes. His full commitment was rewarded in july 2023, when he earned his diploma in timber framing.
The aventure had begun. Jacques, the first apprentice, joined the company. A few months later, the first 3D model was printed and the first outdoor physical test was carried out. Finally, a first structure was presented at theSalon des Maires 2022.
Vincent Bechtel, Founder of Sinallagma
Jacques Yrieix, Designer at Sinallagma
His vocation for wood was not born until later, but is no less strong for it. Today, he is a wood construction specialist.
Already holder of a DUT in Sciences and Engineering of Materials, Jacques decided to complete his curriculum with a course specifically dedicated to his favorite material: wood.
That’s why, in 2022, he joined the IUT des Pays de l’Adour and obtained a professional bachelor’s degree in wood professions in August 2023. Then, he enrolled in another professional bachelor’s program “Construction and Timber Structures”at ENSTIB, the leading wood engineering school in France.
Beyond his academic background, Jacques is driven by his environmental concerns, his love of nature and the woodworking trades…
The little extra? His passion for drawing and the talent with which he handles pen and brush, resulting in magnificent watercolors.
...until the present days
An unique structure to serve life
At Sinallagma, everything begins with a passion: for wood, for nature, and for the ingenuity of life-inspired forms.
Founded in 2022, our company is the result of a dream nurtured for years by Vincent Bechtel, its founder. Trained as an urban planning engineer, he discovered reciprocal structures in 2013, a scientific and aesthetic revelation that changed his future. What was once a forgotten model in a living room soon became a calling.
In particular, we support local authorities in their efforts to green public spaces, especially school playgrounds.
To make our shades accessible to as many people as possible, we have also created the Ikigaia range: frugal models, with customizable design options, such as natural linen ropes or screens.
To bring these structures to the attention of the general public, a sales team was gradually set up across France. At the same time, a communications and marketing unit has been set up to share our approach, our creations and our commitment.
Carpenters guided by a strong ecological conscience, we are committed to preserving the essence of wood, to magnifying the material without ever altering it, and to passing on ancestral know-how, while respecting its origins. We believe in a future rooted in the age-old techniques of the Compagnons, driven by a sincere ecological imperative and turned towards a world that is more respectful, more sustainable and more beautiful.