Most architects and designers will agree that the execution of details is key to a successful design. No matter how good something looks on paper (or in AutoCAD, as is the case with most concepts these days) it has to translate. That's where The Urban Lab comes into the picture. From Mare Island, just west of Vallejo, Urban Lab's design studio and fabrication lab headed by Tony Orantes and Norberto Melendez turns out a diverse array of projects: public benches in the plaza just outside of the Contemporary Jewish Museum (one of my favorite public spaces in the city), the massive rustic door for Nopa (one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants), smaller details like capitals for Greek-style columns and holders for soap bottles. They also fabricated one of the doors in Dwell founder Lara Deam's Mill Valley home. Photo 8 of 9 in Dwell Design Lab Recap by Diana Budds

Dwell Design Lab Recap

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Most architects and designers will agree that the execution of details is key to a successful design. No matter how good something looks on paper (or in AutoCAD, as is the case with most concepts these days) it has to translate. That's where The Urban Lab comes into the picture. From Mare Island, just west of Vallejo, Urban Lab's design studio and fabrication lab headed by Tony Orantes and Norberto Melendez turns out a diverse array of projects: public benches in the plaza just outside of the Contemporary Jewish Museum (one of my favorite public spaces in the city), the massive rustic door for Nopa (one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants), smaller details like capitals for Greek-style columns and holders for soap bottles. They also fabricated one of the doors in Dwell founder Lara Deam's Mill Valley home.