AT TRADITIONAL CRAFTWORKS WE…

Build with intention — merging artisan craftsmanship with ecological design and sustainable materials to create beautiful spaces that are durable, efficient, and good for you, your family, and the planet.
Where craft meets sustainability. 

Started in 2018, founder and lead builder Matt Zimbalist comes from a background of traditional timber framing, fine furniture making, and building ecological farms. We are drawn to the romance and tradition of artisan building. By working carefully to select high quality, ecologically-sourced materials, our commitment to fine craftsmanship allows us to design and build beautiful, eco-friendly, and durable projects. They are made to last and age naturally into their surroundings. So whether it's helping you build out your new hobby farm, installing that killer greywater system, or building you that perfect nestled eco-treehouse in your redwoods, thank you for joining us on this journey of craft.

OUR CORE TEAM

Matt Zimbalist has been in the waste reduction and environmental world since first being inspired as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley back in 2006 studying Conservation Resource Studies. He is a builder, designer, and entrepreneur, getting his start in traditional timber framing and moving into fine woodworking and furniture making. Matt’s love for being outside and inspired by sustainable agriculture, through Traditional Craftworks, he has designed and built ecological farms and nutritive cycling systems for community living projects and farms throughout the West Coast. Matt built the Urban Adamah Farm & Retreat Center in Berkeley. In 2019, Matt co-founded the package free grocery store Re-Up Refills in Oakland. Matt also serves as a consultant to StopWaste, the Alameda County Waste Management Authority, working on low carbon building efficiency and building materials upcycled from industrial waste. 

Yuji studied Architecture at UC Berkeley, where he began weaving together design thinking with the tactile craft of building. He worked alongside Matt as resident carpenter at Urban Adamah, bringing structures to life that supported both farming and community. Yuji went on to serve as resident builder at the Nyingma Buddhist Institute in Berkeley, further grounding his work in purpose-driven spaces, honing his craft. Yuji specializes in creating durable, finely crafted buildings that are rooted in simplicity, ecology, and beauty. Over the years, Yuji has grown fond of designing and building small spaces like backyard cottages, tiny houses, and ADUs, always adding his own unique flair.