Originally competitors, Ryan Russell and Byron George are now known for their highly crafted, detailed interiors – ranging from retail projects to hospitality and workplace design.
Russell and George first met socially and formed a partnership – in business and in life – after each winning the Australian Interior Design Awards and Emerging Practice Award in alternating years. Despite beginning as competitors, they subsequently decided to form a business partnership to combine their talents. “Our relationship, both personal and professional, started with a healthy dose of respect for each other,” says George. “Winning the awards gave us a springboard to grow our businesses before we merged them in 2010.”
Now having been in practice together for eight years, the pair has become known for its highly crafted, detailed interiors, including retail stores, hospitality venues and workplaces, as well as residential and other event and urban work. They are perhaps best known for their retail work however, including numerous stores for Aesop and Crumpler, two brands with a design sensibility that suits individual stores rather than a standard rolled-out design. As well as retail, Russell & George has become known for hospitality work, including St Jude’s Cellars, and workplace projects, such as Paper Stone Scissors and The Green Factory.
With six years of practice under their belt, George sees the industry in a state of flux, predicting that larger practices will push out mid-sized practices, while small practices will drive innovation. “Smaller practices handling the more detailed, intricate work will compete by appealing to those who want to bet on something new, or don’t want to pay the fees of larger firms,” he predicts. “Project delivery, material technology and increasing use of BIM (buiding information modeling) are the areas of innovation that will drive the industry in the immediate future.”
For its body of work, Russell & George has continued to win awards, both in Australia and internationally, leading to a number of opportunities overseas and the opening of a studio in Rome in 2011. What’s next for the studio, however, remains under wraps.