Bouroullec Brothers: Design Through Photography

Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, the renowned French designers, have uniquely integrated photography into their design process, using it as a documentary tool to capture every stage of creation. Unlike most designers who rely on drawings and models, Ronan Bouroullec personally photographs their projects, emphasizing the pedagogical and didactic power of images. Their approach began with Joyn (2002), a modular office system for Vitra, and has since documented hundreds of objects, including the Vegetal chair (a four-year project considered Vitra's most technically challenging) and the Ploum sofa for Roset. The photographs often include a figure from behind, referencing Caspar David Friedrich, to convey scale and narrative. The brothers have also produced films for the Vegetal chair with The Captains and an iPad app, Cercles, for exploring models. Their retrospective at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris runs through September 1, 2013. A book of their photographs was published by Phaidon, and Drawing, a collection of 900 drawings, was co-published with graphic designer Cornel Windlin by Les presses du réel.