Features
art & design
Buro Destruct
Ahoy There!
"Maybe the word "work" is a bad term for what we do. It's more the passion. We can't imagine doing anything else than what we do." Buro Destruct
Buro Destruct have, for your years now, spread their special blend of
image making across the globe from their small home town of Bern. With
the release of their 3rd book the aptly titled Buro Destruct III we decided to shoot them a few questions about how life in a small city leads to very big design.
For those readers of ours that haven't heard of Buro Destruct explain to them what you're all about?
Buro Destruct is a graphic design collective based in Switzerland's capital city Bern since 1994. Current members are Lopetz (71), MBrunner (70), H1reber (71) and HeiWid (68). BD is working in all fields of design for small and local to big, worldwide operating companies. To get familiar with the work of BD we recommend to browsing our website or checking out the three monograph books Buro Destruct I - III published by Gestalten, Germany.
Your studio mantra is 'small city - big design'? Can you explain the meaning behind this?
When we set up our first website back in 1996 we realized that the internet is a great open door to publish and share our work with others. It made it possible to be recognized by customers and publishers from anywhere in the world without moving ourself or even the whole studio to a booming metropolitan city. We have always loved our little but beautiful calm hometown Bern to live and concentrate on our work. It's where our anchor is set since we were born and it still feels comfortable here.
Is Buro Destruct still run exclusively out of Bern, Switzerland or are some of your studio members now based elsewhere?
Yes, BD is broadcasting exclusively from Bern, with one small exception: HGB Fideljus (71), co-founder of Buro Destruct has settled himself with the BD graphic-gallery-shop called "buro discount" in Zurich, Switzerland.
Do you think Buro Destruct would be the same if it were based anywhere else?
No, our work and personality is deeply linked to our physical location.
With this being your 3rd studio focused book, were there any new challenges to face or ideas that you wanted to explore?
Generally speaking our 3rd volume is part of a trilogy concept. We consciously wanted to continue the way we present our work in the same way like in the 2 predecessor, not in terms of commercial aspects but to keep a consistent form of presentation for all our work created within a decade of 10 years (BDI 1994-1999 / BDII 2000-2003 and the currently released BDIII 2004-2009). The featured work in the new book should speak about our challenges and ideas we we facing for the last 5 years.
Buro Destruct were one of the original studios to champion a new era of vector graphics and were instrumental in their rise in popularity in the late 90's, (which in part was due to your first book). Where do you think vector focused design and illustration is today?
We think that the disciplines have married each other.
After reviewing our book III that just arrived several days ago we realized that many of our work may still have the roots in vectors or drawings, but they are altered, mixed with other technics. Vectors are still visible but they are not that important anymore.
How has the visual language/style of Buro Destruct changed over the years, or is it fundamentally the same?
The fundamentals will remain same - ever. It is linked to the location and our experiences. For ourselves it is difficult to speak about the certain BD style, as we constantly try out various things and working in different fields of graphic design with a great range of different clients and tasks. Careful followers of BDI-III may have the better clue of what has changed in our work.
With such a long running studio, how do you maintain your enthusiasm and excitement for the craft?
It must be part of our genes and our relationship within the team. So far we never ever missed our motivation in the work we do. Contrary, the older you get the more things you like to explore and work on. Maybe the word "work" is a bad term for what we do. It's more the passion. We can't imagine doing anything else than what we do.
Buro Destruct is well known for its close involvement and working relationship with music. What do you think are the key elements to successful music visuals/graphics?
Music is gasoline while working. Marketing music with graphics is currently in danger of extinction today. Ok, there is still need for a Jpg cover in iTunes and co. But it doesn't motivate to create that as much as it does to design a sleeve for a physical product. Still creating concert posters and Vj'ing at music events is a great play-field working for music related clients.
You've had your work applied to a variety of mediums over the years from t-shirts to computer mice. What has yet to get the BD treatment that you'd love to work with?
All kind of product design and interior design is currently on the top of our radar. We were working on the design of a japanese noodle restaurant called "AnAn" in Wolfsburg, Germany for VW Autostadt and created the visual appearance of the 16 national Public Viewing UBS Arena's during the Euro 08 in Switzerland. This kind of discipline is extending our work beeing based on paper and screen so far. (both work examples are featured in BDIII).
What advice would you give to anyone looking to emulate the career of Buro Destruct?
Settle yourself with people you care at your most loved spot and trust what your stomach is telling you. The brain can be your biggest enemy sometimes.
What other projects do you have currently on the go or are working on?
Currently we are working on an interior and identity-design for a new concept restaurant in Biel-Bienne. Sleeves for the new Bomb the Bass releases are in the pipeline, Characters for USB sticks and a new Stifles Series II are in production. A Font project with cyrillic and katakana letters and a complete redesign of our font foundry's website "tyepdifferent.com" is cueing in the drawer for its completion.
Finally any shoutouts or last words?
We are hoping you enjoy our new book. Ahoy there!
Buro Destructs books are all released via Gestalten publishing. Buro Destruct III is out now. For more information and to view more of the Buro's design works. visit burodestruct.net
Back
Buro Destruct is a graphic design collective based in Switzerland's capital city Bern since 1994. Current members are Lopetz (71), MBrunner (70), H1reber (71) and HeiWid (68). BD is working in all fields of design for small and local to big, worldwide operating companies. To get familiar with the work of BD we recommend to browsing our website or checking out the three monograph books Buro Destruct I - III published by Gestalten, Germany.
Your studio mantra is 'small city - big design'? Can you explain the meaning behind this?
When we set up our first website back in 1996 we realized that the internet is a great open door to publish and share our work with others. It made it possible to be recognized by customers and publishers from anywhere in the world without moving ourself or even the whole studio to a booming metropolitan city. We have always loved our little but beautiful calm hometown Bern to live and concentrate on our work. It's where our anchor is set since we were born and it still feels comfortable here.
Is Buro Destruct still run exclusively out of Bern, Switzerland or are some of your studio members now based elsewhere?
Yes, BD is broadcasting exclusively from Bern, with one small exception: HGB Fideljus (71), co-founder of Buro Destruct has settled himself with the BD graphic-gallery-shop called "buro discount" in Zurich, Switzerland.
Do you think Buro Destruct would be the same if it were based anywhere else?
No, our work and personality is deeply linked to our physical location.
With this being your 3rd studio focused book, were there any new challenges to face or ideas that you wanted to explore?
Generally speaking our 3rd volume is part of a trilogy concept. We consciously wanted to continue the way we present our work in the same way like in the 2 predecessor, not in terms of commercial aspects but to keep a consistent form of presentation for all our work created within a decade of 10 years (BDI 1994-1999 / BDII 2000-2003 and the currently released BDIII 2004-2009). The featured work in the new book should speak about our challenges and ideas we we facing for the last 5 years.
Buro Destruct were one of the original studios to champion a new era of vector graphics and were instrumental in their rise in popularity in the late 90's, (which in part was due to your first book). Where do you think vector focused design and illustration is today?
We think that the disciplines have married each other.
After reviewing our book III that just arrived several days ago we realized that many of our work may still have the roots in vectors or drawings, but they are altered, mixed with other technics. Vectors are still visible but they are not that important anymore.
How has the visual language/style of Buro Destruct changed over the years, or is it fundamentally the same?
The fundamentals will remain same - ever. It is linked to the location and our experiences. For ourselves it is difficult to speak about the certain BD style, as we constantly try out various things and working in different fields of graphic design with a great range of different clients and tasks. Careful followers of BDI-III may have the better clue of what has changed in our work.
With such a long running studio, how do you maintain your enthusiasm and excitement for the craft?
It must be part of our genes and our relationship within the team. So far we never ever missed our motivation in the work we do. Contrary, the older you get the more things you like to explore and work on. Maybe the word "work" is a bad term for what we do. It's more the passion. We can't imagine doing anything else than what we do.
Buro Destruct is well known for its close involvement and working relationship with music. What do you think are the key elements to successful music visuals/graphics?
Music is gasoline while working. Marketing music with graphics is currently in danger of extinction today. Ok, there is still need for a Jpg cover in iTunes and co. But it doesn't motivate to create that as much as it does to design a sleeve for a physical product. Still creating concert posters and Vj'ing at music events is a great play-field working for music related clients.
You've had your work applied to a variety of mediums over the years from t-shirts to computer mice. What has yet to get the BD treatment that you'd love to work with?
All kind of product design and interior design is currently on the top of our radar. We were working on the design of a japanese noodle restaurant called "AnAn" in Wolfsburg, Germany for VW Autostadt and created the visual appearance of the 16 national Public Viewing UBS Arena's during the Euro 08 in Switzerland. This kind of discipline is extending our work beeing based on paper and screen so far. (both work examples are featured in BDIII).
What advice would you give to anyone looking to emulate the career of Buro Destruct?
Settle yourself with people you care at your most loved spot and trust what your stomach is telling you. The brain can be your biggest enemy sometimes.
What other projects do you have currently on the go or are working on?
Currently we are working on an interior and identity-design for a new concept restaurant in Biel-Bienne. Sleeves for the new Bomb the Bass releases are in the pipeline, Characters for USB sticks and a new Stifles Series II are in production. A Font project with cyrillic and katakana letters and a complete redesign of our font foundry's website "tyepdifferent.com" is cueing in the drawer for its completion.
Finally any shoutouts or last words?
We are hoping you enjoy our new book. Ahoy there!
Buro Destructs books are all released via Gestalten publishing. Buro Destruct III is out now. For more information and to view more of the Buro's design works. visit burodestruct.net
Back
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