Notes
January 14, 2013

The world of Bouroullec brothers we love

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have been named the A&W Designer of the Year 2013! While designing they avoid known typologies, and imbue a contemporary, personal spirit to old forms, often with a dose of humour and playfulness. Their sensual design modestly approaches the hearts of the users, made to enrich the primary living space of an individual.

Ploum sofa for Ligne Roset. Design: R. & E. Bouroullec.

Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec share the same approach to design, but emphasize that their best works are a result of their disagreements. This way they have extended the borders of the conventional. At the beginning of the century they have shaken out of complacency French design, which didn`t have a real national star since Philipe Starck.

Slow chair for Vitra. Design: R. & E. Bouroullec.

The design world of the brothers Bouroullec is equally loved by users and numerous manufacturers who choose their unique language of design – functionality free of decorations, but nevertheless personalized with poetic details.

Me and my brother, we are engaged in contemporary research and some of our projects are probably on the border of what is considered a traditional product, traditional function or traditional reality. You are right that we avoid designing clear typologies. – explained Erwan for Design Agenda.

Giulio Cappellini was the first to detect the particularity of their design, and after that they have been hired by Iittala, Habitat, Ligne Roset, Issey Miyake, Vitra, Magis, Kartell, Established and Sons, Axor Hansgrohe, Alessi, Kvadrat, Flos, Mattiazz, etc.

Alcove sofa for Vitra. Design: R. & E. Bouroullec.

 It’s about the needs of ecology, the needs of economy, about what we are feeling… about craft, and what the intelligence of mankind can offer. And on the other end, the end user is someone that has desires, wishes for comfort, for certain beauty, for certain prizes. – continues Erwan.

Vegetal chair for Vitra. Design: R. & E. Bouroullec.

And I think, the fundamental thing is to balance all this and to put it together. And, of course, if you apply only the rules of the industry, you end up with products that lack a certain generosity. But if you apply only the rules of the end user, you loose a certain rationality. – highlights Erwan B.

Axor Grohe – collection Fell Free to Compose. Design: E. & R. Bouroullec.

Osso chair for Matiazzi. Design: E. & R. Bouroullec.

Clouds for Kvadrat. Design: E. & R. Bouroullec.

Bouroullec brothers are at the moment presenting their new product “Ready Made Curtain” developed for Kvadrat, which is exclusively showcased at Design Post during IMM cologne 2013.

Tatjana Bartakovic

Tatjana Bartakovic

Editor in Chief of Design Agenda. Works as Design curator and writer but mostly living from the work in public relations, branding and content marketing.

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