Design Build: Made

At their 10,000-square foot warehouse in Red Hook, a team of 15 people—–architects, fabricators, and construction project managers—–move easily between the design studio and a tricked-out workshop where they build full-scale models that test out their design ideas. When they were renovating an apartment for the artist Chuck Close, for example, they mocked up his entire kitchen out of masonite so he could ensure it was easily navigable by wheelchair. For another project, they built a cornice out of plywood to test its profile against the facade of a historic town house. What makes them most innovative, though, is their effort to integrate the designer and builder at every stage of the construction process, from the initial sketch to the final punch list.