Investing in the Next Generation

We invest in the next generation of makers by partnering with high school programs like Boulder Tech High School. Serving in an advisory role, we help to shape the school’s programs and bring the students to our shop to learn more about what we do, and what a career in fabrication is like.

The future of the trades depends on the next generation choosing to build it.

Across the country, skilled trades are experiencing a shortage of young professionals entering the workforce. At the same time, many students are graduating without clear pathways to meaningful, hands-on careers that offer stability, creativity, and pride in craftsmanship. We believe the trades are not a secondary option — they are an extraordinary opportunity.a

Supporting youth who are interested in the trades is not just good for business. It is essential for our industry, our communities, and the legacy of craftsmanship itself.

Creating Pathways, Not Just Possibilities

Encouragement alone is not enough. Young people need exposure, mentorship, and opportunity.

Partnering with high schools creates tangible pathways into the workforce. Shop classes, internship programs, apprenticeships, and job-shadowing opportunities allow students to see what a career in the trades truly looks like. When they step into a fabrication shop, witness design translated into steel, and meet passionate craftspeople, the possibilities become real.

Mentorship plays a critical role. Experienced tradespeople pass down not only technical skills, but standards of excellence, problem-solving abilities, and professional integrity. This transfer of knowledge preserves craftsmanship while raising the next generation to an even higher level.

Strengthening Community Through Opportunity

Supporting youth in the trades also strengthens local communities. When young people are trained locally, they often remain local — building homes, businesses, and public spaces in the very communities that raised them. This creates economic resilience, stronger neighborhoods, and pride in shared spaces.

Investing in young makers is an investment in the future of our industry and the vitality of our community.

The future is forged by the hands willing to shape it.

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Living Design Studios Receives Regional Honor

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We are proud and honored to receive the 2025 ICAA Rocky Mountain Chapter Jacques Benedict Award!

The Classic Mountain Elegance project is featured in our portfolio and award submittal text is below. 

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Temple of Tranquility Boulder, CO

Temple of Tranquility, Boulder, Colorado

Jonathan Falk was the General Contractor on this community art project created out of the response to the collective traumas and grief experienced in Boulder following the King Soopers mass shooting, the Marshall Fire, and associated challenges of the last several years. 

Our LDSi volunteers built, painted, and installed this beautiful project in Harlow Platts Community Park in Boulder, Colorado. We were honored to play a small role in this outreach project. 

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FRCC Girls Welding Camp Sponsorship

We partner Front Range Community College Foundation as a sponsor for the Girls’ Welding Camp each summer, which serves middle school-aged girls interested in learning more about the trades.

Women in the trades is gaining powerful momentum, and we’re committed to doing our part to inspire and support the next generation of girls pursuing careers in the trades.

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Earth Day Clean Up With Keep Nature Wild

Each Earth Day, the LDSi team partners with Keep Nature Wild to clean up the vicinity of our shop in Erie, Colorado. The impact from our last clean up was 345 pounds removed from our surrounding fields, sidewalks, and streets.

Keep Nature Wild is a community-driven organization focused on cleaning up outdoor spaces, having removed over 1,200,000 pounds of trash through volunteer efforts and product purchases. For every item sold, they remove one pound of trash, and 20% of Protect Our Parks sales go to national park conservation. They host monthly cleanups, provide biodegradable bags, and encourage “Wild Keepers” to pick up litter.

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NOMMA Top Job Gold for Living Design Studios

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NOMMA (National Ornamental and Miscellaneous Metal Association) hosts its prestigious Top Job competition each year, and the competition is always fierce. We are honored to bring home the Gold Award for these stunning bronze railings in the category of Non-Ferrous, Non-Forged Interior Railings.

A proud moment for our team and a testament to the craftsmanship, precision, and artistry that define our work.

The Classic Mountain Elegance project is featured in our portfolio.

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Celebrating 30 Years with Metalpalooza!

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An amazing time was had by all at Metalpalooza, celebrating 30 years of LDSi elevating architectural and ornamental metalwork.

The event began indoors with a panel discussion featuring some of Colorado’s most influential voices in architecture and design. Guests enjoyed blacksmithing and patina demonstrations, along with a behind-the-scenes shop talk that followed a project from design through production.

The energy soared when the celebration moved outdoors. Jessica Adams and Jonathan Falk shared a heartfelt address, thanking the friends, family, and team who have supported their 30 years of success. The LDSi team then surprised everyone with a flash-mob dance to “Celebrate” by Kool & the Gang, delighting the crowd.

The evening culminated with the unveiling of the winning sculpture from our design competition. Congratulations to Steve Zolin, the winning designer, who joined us with his wife for the big reveal.

As the sun set and the music played on, the day will be remembered as one of the best in our history.

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