San Leandro
Manos by Concreteworks
We are a design and fabrication studio specializing in innovative solutions, utilizing cast concrete and other cement-based materials. We make a collection of furniture + objects, in addition to our custom projects. Our products are designed to live in diverse environments, with the sole intention of bringing people together in meaningful ways. Made by hands, for hands to touch.
Combining over 30 years of experience with the most innovative technology in the industry, we produce unique artisanal pieces that emphasize the value of craftsmanship. The team at Concreteworks consists of specialized technicians, architects, engineers, craftsmen, artists, and designers. We work together to evaluate, develop, create, and install projects as well as on experimentation, research, and problem-solving. In addition to realizing specialized works in-house, Concreteworks collaborates with architects, designers, artists, structural engineers, contractors, installers, and public works.
Workspace
Our space located in San Leandro, CA is a workshop where we design and fabricate our products. The entire process takes place in our shop, so we get to experience the creation from concept to completion. Our manufacturing facility and office are in the same building so our team has their fingers on the pulse of how each piece is made. The proximity to the people making our products allows for endless opportunities of collaboration and experimentation. Our design begins with process and material, endlessly available within arm’s reach.
Production Model
Made-to-order product line and custom fabrications.
Tools
Our products are hand-made with the assistance of 5-axis and 3-axis CNC mills to create unique molds needed for our products and projects.
Materials
We work with a combination of natural materials and hand craftsmanship. These variables produce subtle variations in color, texture, and porosity within each piece. We are advocates of letting concrete be concrete and believe that it gives our products personality. This is our material-forward approach.
Concrete is synonymous with our built world. Harnessed for roadways, bridges, and other infrastructure, it is also at the crux of one of the most important dialogues of our time — humanity’s impact on the Earth.
While our scale may be small in this discourse, our production facility is committed to being an ally to the environment. We ask ourselves how the manufacturing industry can do better, and how we can do better.
We have taken long-term, factory-wide measures to limit our waste and our use of materials that are harmful to the Earth. We’re proud to utilize a robust water reclamation system, which allows us to reuse any water that has moved through production. We invest in permanent molds to limit our use of fiberboard and foam — and whenever foam is used, we down-cycle it for reuse at our factory. Our concrete mix incorporates recycled aggregates materials and when possible, alternatives to cement, such as industrial byproducts. Our product packaging consists of recyclable and post-consumer recycled materials. We are tuned into the scientific research around industrial-scale replacements of cement, and it gives us much optimism for commercially available “green concrete” in the coming years.
We challenge a world overflowing with season-centric, disposable design. Manos furniture is built to last, to withstand the elements and time with grace, and to be enjoyed and loved throughout generations.