MANUAL LABOR IS AN ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, AND FURNITURE STUDIO BASED IN CA.

MANUAL LABOR IS AN <a href="/work/architecture">ARCHITECTURE,</a> <a href="/work/design">DESIGN,</a> AND <a href="/work/fabrication">FURNITURE</a> STUDIO BASED IN CA.

The remodel of this home in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland started small. The owners are adventurous, however, and a simple kitchen remodel turned into a full house redesign with major structural upgrades. Nothing was left untouched, although the remodel preserved the best aspects of the original home. Both owners have a strong design eye and were active partners in every design decision.
&nbsp;
We opened up the kitchen and made the connection to the backyard a focus. We stripped off a poorly built flat-roofed extension and rebuilt it with a vaulted roof that looks original. The central stairs were redesigned completely with a large skylight to bring light deep into the entryway, once the darkest area of the house. Twelve inch wide solid Douglas Fir flooring was used throughout the home. We added only 11 sf to the home, but the new light-filled layout feels much larger than before.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.axelsonbuilders.com/">Axelson Builders</a> did amazing work &#8211; while dealing with very specific design details. The structural design was done by <a href="https://www.mosswoodengineering.com/">Mosswood Engineering</a>. All of the millwork was custom made by <a href="https://munsonfurniture.com/">Munson Furniture</a>, and the attention to the small moments is fantastic. Manual Labor designed and made the custom fireplace seating. We also designed and produced custom lighting with help from <a href="http://kineticelectricsf.com/">Kinetic Electric</a>. Photos by <a href="https://cw-photography.com/">Christopher Woodcock</a> and Manual Labor.

kitchen-and-painting_001-2

Chabot

chabot_034

Chabot_034

chabot_025

Chabot_025

chabot_005

Chabot_005

chabot_004

Chabot_004

chabot_001

Chabot_001

chabot_002

Chabot_002

chabot_003

Chabot_003

chabot_031

Chabot_031

chabot_030

Chabot_030

chabot_011

Chabot_011

chabot_015

Chabot_015

chabot_006

Chabot_006

ml-chabot_001-2

chabot_010

Chabot_010

chabot_009

Chabot_009

chabot_007

Chabot_007

chabot_023

Chabot_023

chabot_018

Chabot_018

chabot_024

Chabot_024

chabot_020

Chabot_020

chabot_029

Chabot_029

chabot_026

Chabot_026

chabot_014

Chabot_014

chabot_033

Chabot_033

Manual Labor worked closely with the owners to design this substantial addition and remodel of a small cottage in Venice. 
<div>Located within a beautiful historic neighborhood, this design converts a 600 sf one-bedroom 1920s cottage into a 2,100 sf four-bedroom two-story family home. Despite the substantial increase in size, the resulting home maintains the residential feel of the original cottage. We retained a number of quirky original details, while adding a number of contemporary craftsman touches. The interior is modern, yet reflects the history of the home. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Manual Labor successfully led the project through a contentious permit process with many stakeholders, including the City of Los Angeles LADBS, Venice Coastal Planning, Office of Historic Resources, Venice Neighborhood Council and the California Coastal Commission. The project was ultimately sold before construction. We continue to work with the same owners on a number of projects.</div>

210817-sq

210817-render

Render

superba-e-plan

Superba E Plan

superba-n-1st-flr-2

Superba N 1st Flr

superba-n-2nd-flr-2

Superba N 2nd Flr

superba-n-front-elv

Superba N Front Elv

superba-n-south-elv

Superba N South Elv

area

Area

local

Local

<a href="http://www.sizlstudio.com/" target="_blank">SIZL Studio</a> designed a home for a growing family in Alameda and came to us with a design for some built-in storage and details. We worked together to fabricate solid walnut floating shelves that taper towards the front and have a kerf pattern, designed by SIZL Studio, which is reflected in the solid walnut drawer fronts of the built-in bench below. We also made a beautiful walnut mantle with kerfs that carry the lines of the tile through the walnut.

beaver-house-sq

Beaver House-SQ

beaver-house-3

Beaver House-3

beaver-house-2

Beaver House-2

beaver-house-1

Beaver House-1

beaver-house-4

Beaver House-4

beaver-house-5

Beaver House-5

beaver-house-7

Beaver House-7

beaver-house-6

Beaver House-6

beaver-house-8

Beaver House-8

We worked with chef Anthony Strong, previously of Le Bernardin, Delfina and Locanda, to design and open his first restaurant. <a href="http://prairiesf.com/">Prairie</a> is in the heart of San Francisco&#8217;s Mission District and serves lively &#8220;new-school Italian&#8221; fare. To complement the menu, we partnered with our close friends at <a href="https://holdenarchitecture.com/">Holden Architecture</a> to quickly transform a dim, masculine whiskey bar into a bright but intimate restaurant space. 
Every inch of the existing ash tables and bar top were stripped, reused and resurfaced to make the tables, benches and dividers. Manual Labor&#8217;s fabrication shop made the three part benches. We recommend you grab a comfortable seat at the end of the bench with the dog leg and order a tasty Highball or an Italian Greyhound before tucking into your meal.

prairie-sq-1

Prairie

prairie-11

prairie-12

prairie-3

prairie-15

prairie-2

prairie-4

prairie-7

prairie-6

prairie-9

The Donut Rack is gentle on clothing with rounded over solid walnut “hooks” and blackened steel hardware.
ML collaborated with <a href="http://www.chothompson.com/">Atelier Cho Thompson</a> on two pieces for the <a href="https://diffa.org/">Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids</a> benefit auction. This coat rack was our design contribution.

donut-rack-hanging_sq

Donut-Rack-Hanging_SQ

coat-rack-hanging

Coat-Rack-Hanging

coat-rack_009

Coat Rack_009

coat-rack_004

Coat Rack_004

coat-rack_007

Coat Rack_007

coat-rack_012

Coat Rack_012

coat-rack_001

Coat Rack_001

Constructed of Red Elm and custom veneered panels with large compound-angle facets, this case was produced to house shoes for a family of four.

geta-bako_034

Geta Bako_034

geta-bako-2

Geta-Bako

geta-bako_002

Geta Bako_002

geta-bako_004

Geta Bako_004

geta-bako_005

Geta Bako_005

geta-bako_030

Geta Bako_030

geta-bako_026

Geta Bako_026

geta-bako_031

Geta Bako_031

geta-bako_028

Geta Bako_028

geta-bako_027

Geta Bako_027

Manual Labor worked with Mr. Izumi Motai of <a href="https://www.takarasake.com/verify?destination=node/56" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Takara Sake</a> to produce a half-circle shaped bar with a 2.5” thick solid VG Douglas Fir top. The bar separates into two quarter circle sections as needed for their Berkeley, CA tasting room.

half-circle-bar_sq

HALF CIRCLE BAR_SQ

half-circle-bar_008

HALF CIRCLE BAR_008

half-circle-bar_009

HALF CIRCLE BAR_009

half-circle-bar_010

HALF CIRCLE BAR_010

half-circle-bar_012

HALF CIRCLE BAR_012

half-circle-bar_005

HALF CIRCLE BAR_005

half-circle-bar_003

HALF CIRCLE BAR_003

half-circle-bar_006

HALF CIRCLE BAR_006

half-circle-bar_004

HALF CIRCLE BAR_004

We designed these portable TV stands for Capital One. We strived for elegance and simplicity to provide traveling displays that are lightweight, stable, and easy to break down for shipping. The &#8220;spine&#8221; is the largest element and its size determined the size of each three-unit crate. The TV support brackets can be repositioned to support a 65&#8243; TV horizontally and a 36&#8243; TV vertically. Mark at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nicholsondesignfab/">Nicholson Design &amp; Fabrication</a> provided the metal fabrication.
&nbsp;
(the image from Princess Mononoke by Hayao Miyazaki&#8217;s Studio Ghibli is just used for fun &#8230; the copyright is theirs and theirs alone)

cap-one-stand_sq

Cap One Stand_SQ

cap-one-stand_00001_alt

Cap One Stand_00001_Alt

cap-one-stand_00005_alt

Cap One Stand_00005_Alt

cap-one-stand_00003_alt

Cap One Stand_00003_Alt

cap-one-stand_00002

Cap One Stand_00002

cap-one-stand_00004

Cap One Stand_00004

cap-one-stand_00014

Cap One Stand_00014

cap-one-stand_00013

Cap One Stand_00013

The <a href="http://www.caminorestaurant.com/">Camino</a> team asked us to work with them to develop the layout and then fabricate the fixtures for their new restaurant, <a href="http://www.thekebaberyoakland.com/">The Kebabery</a>, in the Longfellow neighborhood of Oakland. The goals of the project were to make a warm and inviting space, be scrappy, and have some fun. One of the things this lead to is the clear pink acrylic sign on the outside of the building. The sign, logo, and their copious use of colored tape throughout the restaurant has made hot pink a clear brand for The Kebabery. Almost a year into the life of the project, it&#8217;s evident that the neighborhood has taken to the restaurant, and that head Chef Traci Matsumoto-Esteban is producing consistently wonderful food.
Starting from their initial plans we made some adjustments to the layout and then began testing bench seating designs that would be comfortable without additional padding. Using large slabs of sugar pine, we fabricated counters, storage, tables, and 40&#8217;+ of continuous bench seating. The steel bases to the benches were fabricated by our frequent collaborator Ryan &amp; Sons, powdercoated with a hammertone power tool green.
<a href="http://www.lam3d.com/">Katherine Lam</a> led a Furniture Production II at California College of the Arts to work with the Camino team, and her four students (Nathaniel Hedges, Stephen Moore, Kjetil Smedal, &amp; Malachai Trent) designed, tested, and produced a set of eight white oak and steel chairs. One is placed at each table in the restaurant. The backs have a nice give to them that really makes them a comfortable seat.
If you haven&#8217;t been here yet we&#8217;d highly recommend it, <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/story/us-restaurants-we-travel-for">Condé Nast Traveler</a> agrees. You&#8217;re likely to run into one of us and our families enjoying a great meal.

kebabery_sq_web

Kebabery_SQ_Web

kebabery_046_web

Kebabery_046_Web

kebabery_007_web

Kebabery_007_Web

kebabery_003_web

Kebabery_003_Web

kebabery_009_web

Kebabery_009_Web

kebabery_010_web

Kebabery_010_Web

kebabery_012_web

Kebabery_012_Web

kebabery_006_web

Kebabery_006_Web

kebabery_022_web

Kebabery_022_Web

kebabery_051_web

Kebabery_051_Web

kebabery_023_web

Kebabery_023_Web

kebabery_024_web

Kebabery_024_Web

kebabery_040_web

Kebabery_040_Web

Over the years, <a href="https://silveroak.com/">Silver Oak Cellars</a> saved the old wine-stained oak staves from their largest barrels. While <a href="https://www.danielpiechota.com/silveroak">Piechota Architecture</a> was designing their new LEED Platinum winery at Alexander Valley, they contacted us to reclaim the stored oak staves to build this central staircase.
Working with reclaimed materials poses unique challenges &#8211; especially when a very high level of finish is desired. We built detailed digital models and utilized those to coordinate with the architecture team, the construction/installation team at <a href="https://cello-maudru.com/">Cello-Maudru</a> and the metal fabricator <a href="http://www.cfrenchmetal.com/commercial-project/112">Chris French Metal.</a> The Cabernet-stained American oak provides a visual nod to the history of the family-owned company.