If You Build It

Mark McMenamin, Rebecca Thienes, and Athena Waligore -- Interior Design, 11/1/2012 2:00:00 AM

Anton Schneider and Andri Luescher of FOBricated.


Although Anton Schneider was born in Mexico and Andri Luescher in Switzerland, both men coveted the cachet that “Made in America” conferred when they were growing up. Crossing paths later in life in Los Angeles, the architects also realized they shared the desire to construct as well as conceive. Toge­ther they launched FOBricated—a pert reference to being fresh off the boat—as a design-build firm dedicated to recapturing not just the prestige, but also the ingenuity of American manufacturing.

Settling on furniture as their vehicle, the duo opened a workshop and quickly became­ experts on unexpected details. The walnut Tavolo Rotto cocktail table is straightforward and utilitarian, until two upwardly angled corners appear to make the legs levitate. One side of the Flecha bookcase seems to have taken quite a hit, its sliding dovetail joints in Douglas fir. Similarly devoid of hardware, the birch pieces composing the Strap-On chair are secured solely by a nylon ratchet strap. Birch plywood and cedar form the partially cantilevered DressHer, planted on its broad base like a tree trunk. And in obvious homage to construction, the A-Desk’s sawhorse-shape birch plywood silhouette looks site-ready. 818-207-2318; fobricated­.com.