bouroullec brothers create range of architectural stained glass designs

ronan and erwan bouroullec have worked alongside chicago-based glassmakers skyline design to create a collection of stained architectural glass designs, which study the interaction of a color spectrum with two distinct angular patterns. the collection is called oblique and chevron and is composed of 4 pattern variations: oblique regular, oblique bold, chevron stroke, and chevron fill.

each of the patterns is available in four monochromatic colors, which study subtle shifts in tone, and polychromatic palettes, which seek a more dramatic color contrast. oblique and chevron are made of simple shapes that overlay and are outlined by a deeper stroke, which provides contrast and reinforces light and transparency into the panel.

‘the project started by wandering, by walking out to capture in photographs sensations of colors and light. we believe that light is a matter of variation, of multiple pieces of information that your eyes build into a unique panorama.’

‘the colors we captured came mostly from natural landscapes, but also from colorful moments such as kids playing on a sports field, where the interlacing of the greens of the lawn and the bright jerseys of the players can be amazing.’

‘the construction of the pattern can either diffuse the tones or, alternatively, create contrast between them. some pictures were chosen because they feature endless tones of the same hue (such as the ocean or a forest), and some because they offer, on the contrary, bright contrast between colors.’

the bouroullec brothers built special computer script software to work with the photos that meticulously studies each picture, sample each color, and creates a foundational color for each panel. that color is then further transformed by a translucent pattern layer, generating thousands of additional color iterations.

‘we could have created the palette by hand, but, looking at the patterns, you could easily imagine that the work would have been endless and that we would not have been able to repeat it as many times,’ explains the bouroullec brothers.

‘so now we have a tool, like a small digital factory, doing the ‘recipe’ we coded for it step by step,’ they add. ‘to create the patterns, we first had to make decisions about the algorithm, then feed the photographs we captured for their colors and contrasts into the algorithm.’

oblique & chevron is available in in mono and polychromatic palettes. the designs are digitally printed on either low-iron tempered safety glass or laminated glass, in custom dimensions up to 72 by 144 inches. the bouroullec brothers will debut the collection at skyline design’s merchandise mart showroom (suite 1040) during neocon, the annual design show in chicago, which takes place from june 10 to 12.