Troscan Design + Furnishings

troscan founders

> deirdre jordan
> bob robinson

design

execution

enduring values

DESIGN

Material and process. While there are multiple steps in the journey from conception to fabrication, the essence of our approach is to embrace the fundamental characteristics of the stuff at hand — metal, wood, stone — and allow those essential properties to remain central to the function, comfort, and purpose of the final design. Combining industrial methods and hand craftsmanship, our manufacturing process is keyed to respecting the inherent essential qualities of the chosen material to achieve a purposeful and beautiful relationship between how a piece is made and how it looks.

Committed to unadorned simplicity, we strive to produce furnishings that are authentically original — sound and pleasing to the eye and body, pieces that are not everyday, yet that make sense every day.

Husband and wife, Deirdre Jordan and Bob Robinson founded Troscan in 1999. Deirdre holds a Masters of Fine Art in interior architecture from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Bob trained in furniture design at the Rochester Institute of Technology and holds BFA in sculpture from the the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

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EXECUTION

Troscan operates from a 15500 square foot facility on Chicago’s West Side. In addition to an in-house team of woodworkers, finishers, and fabricators, we partner with local independent master craftspeople and expert rural workshops to realize our designs at the highest level. Between our relatively limited production runs and the attention to detail that can only be achieved through close collaboration among a small cadre of like-minded individuals, Troscan produces thoughtfully designed and exceptionally executed products of enduring value.

ENDURING VALUES

In addition to expressing a distinctive economy in the design of our products, we construct every piece with an eye to eliminating waste and minimizing adverse effects on the environment. Constantly in search of sustainable resources, we have not only worked directly with loggers, but accessed wood from city-harvested trees and forestry windfall. And when it comes to the all-important, hands-on aspect of our business, we employ the most proficient and experienced craftspeople in our shop and engage only the best outside sources.

A well-run shop rides on the full engagement and well-being of every team member. At Troscan, we strive to maintain workplace practices that honor the talents of team members, ensure their safety, and acknowledge their roles in the process.

Deirdre Jordan

Deirdre Jordan was born in Toronto and studied design at the University of Kansas. She obtained her Masters of Fine Art in interior architecture at the School of Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), where she later taught for eight years.
     While working for leading interior architects in Chicago, she was increasingly drawn to the scale and intimacy of furniture. She honed her craft as the design director at Holly Hunt.
     In 1999, Deirdre married her partner Bob , the same year they founded Troscan. Deirdre's keen creative eye and holistic sensibility defines the Troscan vision. Her love of architecture permeates the exquisitely engineered products and provides foundation for the company's modern sensibility.
     Deirdre's Irish heritage inspired the name Troscan, which is Gaelic for furniture.

> ABOUT BOB ROBINSON

BOB ROBINSON

Bob Robinson discovered his love for design and making at a young age while working alongside his furniture-maker father. Born and raised in Florida, Bob developed a talent for woodworking and in particular making stringed instruments, a passion he pursues to this day.
     Bob trained in furniture making at RIT Rochester Institute of Technology and later moved to Chicago to study sculpture at the School of Art Institute of Chicago.
     Bob worked with the renowned studio furniture maker Wendy Maruyama and before launching on his own as a sought-after designer and woodworker. He joined forces with Deirdre Jordan in 1999 to found Troscan.
     As a master craftsman, Bob brings 30 years of experience to Troscan's philosophy of craftsmanship. Bob's deep knowledge of materials, understanding of design and intense reverence for the details are evident in every piece in the collection.

> ABOUT DEIRDRE JORDAN