In a design world where the big brands throw money into securing media attention, humble design duo Bianca Riggio and Ryan Hanrahan of Page Thirty Three are a breath of fresh air. Their approach is simple: they create inventive, conceptual and cutting-edge pieces that speak for themselves.
Bianca Riggio and Ryan Hanrahan of Sydney-based Page Thirty Three.
Bianca and Ryan collaborate in both life and business. They opened Page Thirty Three in 2010, and their collection nurtures concept-driven products that deal with inanimate objects and human interaction. They have both studied fine arts, and needless to say, their designs all stem from hand-drawn sketches. They place a lot of importance on sketching and brainstorming. “Nothing beats a late breakfast, a few notebooks with sketches and a lot of conversation to cross-pollinate our ideas,” says Bianca. Their latest collection, Optical Delusion, draws inspiration from Ryan’s sketches of what he imagined to be the perfect utopian room.
The fabrication process is also an integral part of Page Thirty Three. Having experimented with offshore manufacturers in the early stages of the business, both Bianca and Ryan soon realized that they wanted “Australian made” to be a part of their design ethos. The duo explored many production options but decided the most viable option was keeping everything in-house (some parts such as lights bulbs are imported). The pair is focused on refining the quality and finish of the products and has stripped back the assembly so that each piece is finished by hand in the studio. “On a business level, Australian manufacture is what is viable for us. We don’t want to have a work life that consists of broken email communication and long anxious waiting periods for stock to arrive, and on a personal level, we feel it’s important ecologically and morally,” says Ryan.
The design aesthetic of Page Thirty Three has only slightly changed over the years and the core message still remains – artful and functional. Some of the first designs produced are still the most popular, including the Cinematic Light Box, the Wooden Milk Crate and the Essential Oil Burner. Moving forward, the duo is focused on building the Ritual Collection to encourage the act of daily ritual and complement the current furniture collection. These will be showcased side-by-side in 2015 when Bianca and Ryan open the doors to a new Sydney showroom. The intention for this showroom is to set up a holistic space that integrates “lighting, furniture and the whole thing. This will be a really rewarding pursuit,” says Bianca.
