The non-profit organization Liberty Labs Foundation is a collective studio of independent designers, artists, architects, and highly skilled artisans. It is located in the historic Liberty Warehouse, once home to the Statue of Liberty before it was installed in New York Harbor in 1886. The organization’s goal is to host makers with a variety of backgrounds in order to foster their independent practices in a collaborative and constructive environment.
In 2015, Liberty Labs was founded by John Koten alongside co-founders Reed Hansuld, Pat Kim, Joel Seigle, Evan Yee, and Tom Breglia. John saw particular talent in this young crew of makers, which evolved into a vision of a collective studio. Together, they embarked on a mission to build a unique industrial and creative space to host skilled members of the maker community.
Members of Liberty Labs Foundation foster relationships deeper than those of most co-workers. They are friends, and yet a family bound by similar interests and enriched by individual specialties. While members work independently, collaboration is the heart of the studio. Past members consistently remain a part of the Liberty Labs creative community. Since its inception, Liberty Labs has hosted an international community of designers, artists, and makers. Every person who has been a part of the space contributes to the collective soul that imbues the studio. With every new member comes a new background, a new expertise, and a new perspective that defines the evolution of what Liberty Labs Foundation is.