draft works is a design studio and fabrication lab rooted in the belief that the true success of a project comes when it is physically built. To this end, we are focused on bridging the divide between the field of design and the act of fabrication.
Everything starts as a sketch, an idea that strikes you at some point but whose entirety is not always clear at the onset. It is an idea ready to be explored. Once ideas meet materials, however, ‘draft’ must be incorporated. Just as in metal work or brick laying, the way a material works in practice greatly influence the success or failure of a project. We see these moments as the beginning of great opportunities.
In historic Old City, Philadelphia, beneath the shade of the Ben Franklin Bridge.
draft works is set up to work in three ways:
The first is to work with individuals who operate outside of the field of design, where the design grows from a collaboration between draft works and the client, followed by the built realization of the work.
The second is working directly with design professionals in order to aid in the realization of their ideas through physical experimentation and fabrication.
And the third approach is based on the development of speculative projects that encourage us to push past our preconceptions and further our understanding of materials, fabrication and construction.
draft:
1. drawing, sketch, or design.
2. a first or preliminary form of any writing, subject to revision, copying, etc.
3. (metallurgy) a taper on a die or punch permitting it to be withdrawn readily from the work.
4. (masonry) a line or border chiseled at the edge of a stone, to serve as a guide in leveling the surfaces.
draft works: a change in perspective that responds to the opportunities and constraints inherent in the physical creation of an idea.
for information on custom furniture designor the work shown above, please contact us at
for a full copy of digital jointsplease download the
we are always interested in partnering with individuals on their next design project. If you would like additional information on any of the work shown or would like to discuss your project with us please send an email our way.We will bring our excitement and expertise to your next project, producing work on time and on budget that exceeds your expectations.
Mikael Avery, the founder of draft works, llc, holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Rutgers University and has worked in both urban planning and architecture offices before opening draft works in early 2011.
