Local Industries, Mike Lounge Chair

Local Industries was founded in 2011 by Elias and Yousef Anastas, Palestinian architects who sought to incorporate local craft techniques into their work. Their interest in furniture design stems from their architectural practice. Local Industries aims to offer a highly functional line of furniture, crafted by local artisans, to an international clientele. This endeavor seeks to reassert the value of local Palestinian labor—without freezing it in a traditional or obsolete role, or mindlessly imposing foreign standards on its methods.

Local Industries collaborates with specific Palestinian artisans, and the conception and production of furniture unfold through constant back-and-forth between all parties involved. This process challenges the typical divide between design and production.