State of Design: Troika

Troika are Eva Rucki, Conny Freyer and Sebastien Noel. Together they have pioneered a technology-infused design movement and are highly regarded for their experiential projects that merge art, architecture and technical invention. For State of Design’s 9 to 5 Talks Program, Freyer and Noel join Melburnian designers Fleur Watson, Simone LeAmon, Paul Marcus Fuog and Phoebe Whitman to discuss the intellectual processes behind their unforgettable objects, installations and printed matters that are playful, intelligent and contemplative.

“People paint with oil; we do things with technology,” Noel explains, as he talks about how Troika’s approach questions the classical distinction between art and design. As the discussion continues, he and Freyer discuss ideas unique to the polyvalent territory occupied by the collaborative trio, such as working outside of a traditional design brief and sustaining creative initiatives alongside a studio practice.

They also talk about how their book Digital Design came into being, the empowering potential of reappropriating everyday materials in their work, and how they continually come to work with cutting edge technologies of the day.

In part two of the session, Watson, LeAmon, Fuog and Whitman are joined by Gyungju Chyon in a short discussion which attempts to unpick the many concepts uncovered by the preceding conversation with Troika.

A part of the 2011 State of Design Festival, the 9 to 5 Talks Program was a series of live, Skype conversations in a Q&A format. Melbourne’s leading designers pose nine critical questions to five of the world’s most important design thinkers.