Break is the materials-curious product design and fabrication studio of Oakland-based architect, designer and craftsman Lawrence Davidson.

Lawrence's background in art history, architecture, furniture design and life-long interests in language and cultural anthropology inform the studio’s design philosophy and attention to detail. Understanding how objects impart meaning and add authenticity to both personal spaces and wider environments is core to the Break spirit. He was a founding member of the Environments team at Airbnb in San Francisco and has worked with Adobe, Woolf Olins, Goodby Silverstein and other leading creative and technology companies to design holistic brand experiences and physical environments.

Break believes the objects in our lives, in the spaces where we live, work and play, aren’t static — seen through the lens of playful engagement, they are opportunities to inspire wonder and delight, invitations to touch, invent and play. Break approaches ceramics, craft and product design through the same conceptual and formal lens typically used in architectural and engineering practice. This means consideration for how products perform at multiple scales of experience — the hand, the body and the room environment.

Lawrence holds a BA in Art History from University of Wisconsin - Madison and an M.Arch from California College of the Arts.