He was born in Asnières (Hauts-de-Seine) in 1929. After training as an engineer at the École centrale de Paris, he devoted his time to designing and making a variety of inventions combining ingenuity with aesthetic appeal. His workshop produced a sundial, lamps, jewelry and sculptures, creating a bridge between art and science; he also designed sets for stage shows and television, and even erotic objects. His work caught the attention of Iraqis, and in 1982 he created the Islamic vaults of Baghdad Airport.
In 1985, Gérard Chamayou and Adrien Fainsilber (born in 1932) were selected to create the Géode at the Parc de la Villette in Paris. Their design began with an icosahedron whose twenty equilateral triangular faces "approximate" a sphere; Chamayou then devised a way of dividing each edge into ten parts. This produced small equilateral triangles—6,433 in all—which were distorted by radial projection to "approximate as closely as possible" the sphere circumscribed about the icosahedron. This magnificent achievement brought him no luck. Following delays in payment, he was forced to give up his small company, Multicub. He then devoted himself to helping homeless people and conceived a village in Créteil (Val-de-Marne) to help people rebuild their lives, with homes of his own design.
Félix passed away on New Year's Day.
