French photographer Franck Bohbot has unveiled a striking photographic series titled "Architecture of Joy," which explores the built environment of amusement parks and reveals the hidden structural beauty of Vienna's historic Prater. The series transforms the lively amusement park into a contemplative gallery of sculptural forms, where the patina of time and the inventiveness of designers stand alongside humanity's pursuit of escapism and joy.
Vienna's Prater holds a distinguished place in European entertainment history, having been opened to the public in 1766 by Emperor Joseph II. For over two centuries, this iconic venue has served as the city's primary pleasure ground, hosting a diverse range of attractions from the famous Riesenrad Ferris wheel to contemporary funfair machinery. Bohbot approaches these ephemeral constructions as significant architectural subjects, documenting their texture and design with a disciplined, front-on photographic approach.
Since 2010, Bohbot has developed a keen interest in how architecture shapes public spaces and shared experiences. His photographic work combines the precise, systematic approach of German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher, who are known for capturing subjects from consistent angles, with the colorful, observational style characteristic of American photographers like William Eggleston and Stephen Shore. This unique duality in his approach allows Bohbot to render ordinary structures as monumental subjects, creating images that feel cinematic yet remain firmly rooted in present-day reality.
In "Architecture of Joy," Bohbot focuses specifically on the manège, the rides, and the various machines of celebration that populate the Prater. His photographs document the full spectrum of the amusement park experience, capturing everything from the gleaming and garish attractions to the worn and weathered structures. The series also includes quietly intimate moments of workers maintaining the rides, providing a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the daily operations that keep the park running.
Bohbot's photographic methodology emphasizes authenticity and minimal intervention. He preserves the natural quality of available light and everyday life through centered compositions, strict frontality, and minimal post-production techniques. This approach invites viewers to appreciate the structural and aesthetic ambition of these temporary architectures, revealing the artistic merit in structures typically viewed as purely functional entertainment devices. Through his lens, the Prater's carnival rides become subjects worthy of serious architectural consideration, highlighting the intersection between popular culture and design innovation.
