Softening the edges

Background. This Parisian designer is known for his keen eye—perhaps a legacy from his father, a respected photographer. After graduating from Paris-Belleville architecture school, Joseph Dirand started out with residential projects, but today he is best known as a creator of public spaces, like the Parisian restaurants Monsieur Bleu, Loulou and Girafe, or The Surf Club and Le Sirenuse in Miami. Style. He had a reputation for being radical and minimalist, but with time his sharp corners rounded into arcs and vaults, his materials softened and his color choices became subtle touches, as seen in his own Paris apartment. Still, as always, he wields expert control over the light and the volumes, no matter how vast, in projects on an everlarger scale.