"Franck Bohbot's photographic series, Architecture of Joy, explores the built environment of amusement, revealing the hidden structural beauty of Vienna's historic Prater. Opened to the public in 1766 by Emperor Joseph II, the Prater has served as the city's primary pleasure ground for over two centuries, hosting attractions that range from the iconic Riesenrad to contemporary funfair machinery. The French photographer approaches these ephemeral constructions as significant architectural subjects, documenting their texture and design with a disciplined, front-on gaze."
"Since 2010, Bohbot has been interested in how architecture shapes public spaces and shared experiences. His work combines the precise, repeated approach of German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher, who capture subjects from consistent angles, with the colorful, observational style of American photographers like William Eggleston and Stephen Shore. This duality, Bohbot explains, allows him to render ordinary structures monumental, creating images that feel cinematic yet remain rooted in the present reality."
Architecture of Joy documents Vienna's Prater as a collection of sculptural, temporary architectures, from the iconic Riesenrad to contemporary funfair machinery and manège rides. The project photographs rides, machines, and maintenance moments with centered compositions, strict frontality, available light, and minimal post-production. Influences include the Bechers' methodical frontal studies and the color observational styles of Eggleston and Shore, creating monumental, cinematic images rooted in present reality. The work emphasizes texture, patina, and designer inventiveness while preserving everyday authenticity and revealing how amusement structures shape public experience and collective escapism.
Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine
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