welcome, you've come to m'tab workshop, a small designer-fabricator practice in London, where objects are made and spaces are created from imagination
new office, shop-fit, garden studio, a gallery object/ sculpture, an elaborate light fitting, maybe an exhibition stand or a food truck, or maybe something only you can think of…
“Why bother changing things” can be an age old question but let’s go with Ilse Crawford on this one and say “design is a frame for life” and you already know that what surrounds you- influences the way you feel. It is empowering to alter your immediate environment and make the space work the way you want.
Metal, stone, fabric, wood, recycled plastic, and colour,
orchestrating materials into shapes and shapes into spatial context
detail detail detail, it’s all in the detail
Often there is a fair bit of work behind the scene, lots of decisions on shape, colour, method, material, and feel. We do have tools for that and can 3D render designs so decisions can be made in time before the production kicks off. Sky is the limit so buckle up and let’s go.
m’tab stands for making things and building, but also is the work of m, (Mateusz) so hence the m’tab…
my work is like a pendulum between creating relatively high complexity, one- off objects, and building very practical, every-day arrangements
From Mateusz:
YES, PLEASE, CONSULTANCY JOBS MORE THAN WELCOME
"There is a tipping point in working with materials. After a while one just understands the properties of them.
Growing up in grandfather's metal machining workshop that mainly made horse carriage chassis, first came the knowledge of metals and skill shaping them, learning from a proper craftsman. I watched him make the gate to the cemetery, now he is on the other side of it..
Sprayshop was the latest addition to his business -so my bike was wider than longer for the weekly colour upgrades from client's paint leftovers.. Next shop to his, (well a couple of shops down, separated by a local soft drinks maker, yum) was the joinery shop, they would always exchange favours , my favourite wood was walnut, and metal was brass, I knew it by the time I was 6. Ah, and I just loved the lathe, what a tool. Still a fave to this day.
Over the years in making -a pattern developed: Doing what I know -can be boring and trying new things -is just fabulous. Design bug has bitten. Regardless if it's an exhibition stand, a wardrobe, shelf or a commercial fit-out, no project ever rejects the challenge of innovation.
It's best to understand m'tab as a baby of first principle physics approach, and traditional British craftsmanship"
What can we get to make
this is how the typical clients journey looks:
Preparation of "the master plan" is much like hiring an architect, except we do the final fabrication as well as the design, so we can work to the set budget and stick with it. We set the criteria ( TIME/QUALITY/COST) and proceed.
Because we fabricate everything in our fully equipped London workshop, the lead times usually are 2/4weeks, but this is the fabrication lead time. In order for the making to go smoothly, the design work and supply must be impeccably organised. For that, there is a lot of logistical work to be done behind the scene, so to be able to start, we ask for 40% of funds to confirm the job*, then 40% on delivery and the final 20% on completion.
To help you understand the process, after we agree we will work together, the typical project consists of the following stages:
SURVEY: measuring the space;
DESIGN: preparing a working drawing,
SUPPLY: purchasing materials
FABRICATION: pulling a cutting list, preparing elements, trial assembly, decommission, finishing;
TRANSPORT; delivery;
INSTALLATION: on site assembly;
THE BIG REVEAL: presentation, explaining care and maintenance
PHOTOSHOOT: most jobs are photographed for the record and marketing