Portland’s Skylab Architecture adds a makerspace to its HQs

Add to the list of AEC firms that offer makerspaces within their operations Skylab Architecture, whose 2,000-sf SkylabSHOP, a fabrication lab that the firm opened in its new headquarters in Portland, Ore., last August, received its general contractor license from the state of Oregon last month.

SkylabSHOP provides the firm with capabilities in woodworking, metal fabrication, laser cutting, and plastics recasting. Skylab is now better able to explore innovative solutions for complex design challenges.

Even before opening SkylabSHOP, the firm for decades had integrated model making into its design process. Historically, it had collaborated with other contractors and fabricators to produce large-scale mock-ups, special project fabrications, material sampling, and experimentation.

Prototyping and testing are keys to firm’s designs

“Our job isn’t just to build,” says Tom Ghilarducci, Skylab’s Fabrication and Shop Manager. “It’s to partner with our clients and bring their one-of-a-kind ideas to life.” One recent example of a project where SkylabSHOP came into play was Skylab Architecture’s design for Hoffman Construction’s new headquarters in Lake Oswego, Ore., where SkylabSHOP fabricated specialty light fixtures and bespoke furniture pieces. SkylabSHOP is currently prototyping retail fixtures for a global retail brand, testing and experimenting with materials in parallel with Skylab Architecture’s design process.

“Prototyping, testing, and making [are keys] to Skylab’s process,” says Brent Grubb, the firm’s Development Director. “The shop provides the firm with the opportunity to test new materials and explore fabrication methods and concepts. This hands-on approach enables the shop to refine and evolve designs, pushing creative boundaries while ensuring functionality.”