FLEUX X IRRATIONAL FLAMES: from Fascination to Collaboration

Reading time: 3 min

Self-taught

I have to confess something: 3D printing has always fascinated me, especially for the control it gives me over my living space, allowing me to design and manufacture objects perfectly adapted to my needs. This "power" pushed me to reproduce design objects that I admired, but that I could not afford to acquire when I was a student. Yes, I copied! But rest assured, these creations remained in the private sphere.

This is how my taste for object design emerged, as I continued my journey as an architect. Like a painter trying to reproduce the works of masters, I dissected volumes, observing how light interacted with the materials of certain designer objects. I learned, guided by pure intuition, to perceive the intention behind each curve, to savor the simplicity of a well-thought-out design, and to recognize the ingenuity of technical solutions discreetly integrated into the form.

When space design meets the object

In reality, this self-taught experience brought me much more than the simple satisfaction of being surrounded by replicas of the objects of my dreams. Without being fully aware of it, this know-how that I was developing would become one of the keys to my professional emancipation.

After obtaining my state diploma in architecture, I practiced for two years before realizing that the reality of the profession was far from my expectations. Disillusionment after disillusionment, I quickly perceived the gap between the theory taught at school and the often discouraging reality on the ground. Social and ecological ideals regularly came up against compromises imposed by budgetary and regulatory constraints. Added to this were limited prospects for advancement, remuneration that in no way reflected the importance that the Order of Architects attached to our mission, and an employee status that did not suit my temperament, driven by an unbearable will to do.

So I decided to reinvent myself. Without a specific plan, I started experimenting in a corner of my room with a 3D printer I had bought with my savings. Little by little, I built a coherent artistic universe, merging my architectural influences with my self-taught know-how.

From this quest for meaning was born Irrational Flames . Through this brand, I found a new way to perpetuate one of the fundamental values ​​that had pushed me towards architecture: improving the quality of life of my fellow citizens.

A proxy validation

I didn't train in design, and yet, seeing my creations exhibited today alongside those of award-winning designers, in one of the most prestigious design boutiques in Paris - where I used to be content to window shop or buy a few coasters - is for me a form of irony. At this rate, who knows, maybe one day, I will inspire vocations in turn!

In the meantime, I invite you to visit me at 39 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, Paris 4, in this magnificent boutique, a veritable Ali Baba's cave that fascinates all design enthusiasts.

-Romain Gratiot
State-certified architect and founder of the Irrational Flames brand