Rafi Ajl pushes the boundaries of materiality with a medley of experimental techniques.

Make no mistake: Rafi Ajl enjoys the journey just as much as the destination. In fact, the Berkeley, California–based founder of design studio The Long Confidence is even more driven by the process of making furniture—the materials, tools and techniques—than the final product. “I call my work brutally hand-made,” he says. “The labor, effort and care, as well as the trial, error and investigation, is what most inspires my work.”

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Ajl has always been immersed in creative pursuits. His mother, an artist and avid quilter, encouraged him to explore arts and crafts at a young age; as a result, he grew up drawing, painting, and experimenting with textiles and patterns. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve had busy hands,” he says. “Even before I was a designer, I was always taking things apart and putting them back together. I’ve always been fascinated with how things actually work.”