IT’S MULTIFACETED, MADE OF BRONZE AND HAS THE APPEARANCE OF AN ATTRACTIVE TCHOTCHKE—BUT IT ISN’T. IN FACT, THEY EXPLAIN, IT’S A BOTTLE OPENER.
As the designers behind Fort Standard—a multidisciplinary design studio known for its warm, contemporary aesthetic— this proves consistent. Since 2011, the pair, friends from their days as students at Pratt, have masterminded welcoming store build-outs for brands like Warby Parker, Fjällräven, and Harry’s Corner Shop; all the while, their trivets, candle holders and versatile range of furniture have found success internationally.
In their small, sunlit office in once-isolated Red Hook, Brooklyn, the pair ruminate on work, friendship and the relishing freedom to explore—both literally and in looser terms. “Our approach to design,” Greg explains, as he strolls the neighborhood’s quiet streets, “is an ongoing conversation. Our dialogue is something that’s constantly evolving.”
WHERE DID THE NAME FORT STANDARD COME FROM?
Greg: It was essentially a blank canvas that we could then define with our work. It had absolutely no meaning and sounded really strange to us at first, but as we produced more and more work together, it slowly developed into something that we and other people could recognize as a collaborative visual language.
Ian: There are personal leads like geography—we went to school in Fort Greene—and we were interested in designing things in an authentic way and letting the honesty of the function and materials be somewhat the standard. That collection of words represented what we wanted to do and proved to be a good platform to explore design.
DO YOU DIVIDE AND CONQUER WHEN IT COMES TO RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS?
Greg: Basically, but we don’t have roles. We design everything together and it’s a very organic process as far as who takes lead on any given project.
Ian: We’re both two very interchangeable humans at this point. That works to our advantage, and it works against us sometimes in that we’re good at the same things and want to do the same things. What’s fun about building your own business is that you have the ability to build a team that fills in all of your weaknesses to some extent.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROS AND CONS ABOUT WORKING WITH A CLOSE FRIEND?
Greg: We’ve learned a lot about ourselves and about communication. If we’re not communicating, that’s when we get in trouble. It’s like the way that we design together: if we have an idea, we have to explain to the other person why we think it’s a valid idea. That’s often an advantage because it sparks different ideas in the other person’s head, and we each bring in our own insights and inspirations.
YOU MENTIONED IN A PAST INTERVIEW THAT YOU WANTED TO DESIGN YOUR BUSINESS ACCORDING TO THE WAY YOU WANT TO LIVE YOUR LIVES. WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT?
Greg: Work less, travel more. It’s trying to achieve the correct balance between work and play that’s rewarding and gratifying but also stimulating and inspiring. Part of the reason we haven’t defined our roles any further is because this organic management of projects allows us to work together on everything and allows us the freedom to travel.
WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL? WHY?
Greg: Anywhere and everywhere, basically.
Ian: The clarity of distance I think is the most important thing about traveling. We’re young enough to check out something new every time. Recently I’ve been going to Costa Rica a lot more, down south on the Pacific coast.
