Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec: Works

Design fans, get ready to add a hot new monograph to the bookshelf—Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec: Works by Anniia Koivu is out from Phaidon Press this month. A handsome, large-format tome, Works has all the eye candy of a coffee table book alonside Koivu's (a former design editor at Abitare) insight into the work of France's leading furniture and industrial design duo. Reached via email, she had this to say about the Bouroullecs, as apt a summation of their work as I've come across. "Their objects are artificially natural. A lamp is not just a light, but it becomes a hanging ensemble of different spots, that can shift and reflect differently with the movement of the wind. Single protrusions from the wall are small and informal shelves, which allow the user to drop off things for a moment without having to give the movement a second thought. A sofa becomes a sound-proof, cave-like room within a room (Alcove sofa for Vitra) that allows the user to hide from the surrounding action. We could say, that all their objects have a strong link to the very basic needs—even prehistoric—and behaviors of human beings. The Bouroullecs have the talent to turn any home or office into a natural environment. While the objects might be new, we are tricked into believing that they have been there forever, creating surprises and pleasure." Enjoy a quick spin through les freres' work.