Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec were both born in Quimper, France. The brother Ronan studied at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, while the brother Erwan studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Cergy-Pontoise. Ronan set up his own studio immediately after graduating, while Erwan, still a student at the time, helped out in his brother's studio. Since 1999, the Bouroullec brothers have been working together, based in a design studio in Paris. Their work ranges from everyday objects to architectural projects. They design home and office furniture, vases, porcelain, jewelry, and other interior accessories, and their range of designs has expanded to include entire interior spaces.
Artek
Finnish birch
Artek products are not one-of-a-kind handmade items, but are mass-produced in factories. However, the nature of the products, and especially the materials, are the polar opposite of a fully automated manufacturing process. Since the company was founded, Artek products have been semi-mechanized under strict quality standards. This means that while machines are used, many processes are still done by hand. Therefore, we do not believe that it is possible or necessary to make each product completely uniform. We do not see slight differences in materials or manufacturing processes as defects, but rather as a natural part of the individuality of Artek products.
The strength and beauty of Finnish birch comes from the fact that it grows in mixed forests with a wide variety of trees. To get more sunlight, the trees have fewer branches and stronger, taller and straighter trunks. They then mature slowly, becoming timber with a smooth, homogenous fibre.
The birch used in Artek furniture is selected from the highest quality trees that are approximately 50 to 80 years old. The trees are felled at the right time in their growth, in winter when the risk of pests is low, and then they are put through a drying process.
The felled timber is stored outdoors, away from rain and snow, and slowly dried for up to 12 months. This natural drying process preserves and sets the characteristic light colour of Finnish birch, also known as "blonde birch".
The wood is finally selected by skilled artisans: smooth birch without knots or discolouration is used for the surfaces such as the stool seats, while flawed birch is used for the seat filling and for the parts to be lacquered.
Wood bending techniques
Finnish wood bending technology using natural materials
This method involves making cuts at intervals of a few millimeters from the tip of the solid wood to the part to be bent, sandwiching and gluing a thin plywood between them, and then bending the wood while applying heat. Although it is a simple process, it is possible to bend thick solid wood, resulting in a stronger and more stable finish.
The name Artek is a combination of the words "art" and "technology," which are the keywords of the international modernist movement that emerged in the 1920s. In 1935, four young people, Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen, and Nils-Gustav Hahl, founded the company in Helsinki with the aim of "not only selling furniture, but also promoting modernist culture through exhibitions and educational activities." In its founding manifesto, it can be seen that the company considered its "cultural mission to go far beyond the commercial aspect." Today, Artek's collection includes furniture, lighting fixtures, and home accessories by Finnish masters and globally active architects and designers. They are all designed with functionality and poetic clarity. Inheriting the spirit of its founder, Artek continues to stand at the intersection of design, art, and architecture today and pave the way for the future.