Nick Berchtold of Berchtold Design Build has made a name for himself through jaw-dropping CNC creations that blur the line between architecture, sculpture, and satire. By day, he’s an architectural model maker helping design some of the tallest buildings in the world. By night, he’s creating axes, knives, and wild custom projects that mash up 3D modeling, fine woodworking, and an unmistakable sense of humor. Whether he’s carving intricate textures for skyscraper door handles or machining an anatomically hilarious push sticks and axe handles, Nick approaches every project with precision, curiosity, and a knack for seeing what’s possible when you let technology and art misbehave together.

We sit down with Nick to talk about that balance between architecture and absurdity: how a childhood spent scroll-sawing fish-tank art turned into a career of building models for the next world’s tallest tower, and how those same skills fuel his after-hours experiments in CNC texture, resin casting, and sculptural weaponry. They get into the story behind his viral mallet covered in 88 maker faces, the moment he realized he could merge professional modeling tools with creative chaos, and how a weekend axe-building challenge led him to gift a dozen custom handles just to help others feel that first spark of making. They talk about forging, 3D printing, fatherhood, Hannibal Lecter heads, and why the future of craftsmanship might depend on people like Nick: designers who aren’t afraid to bring a little irreverence, a little architecture, and a lot of heart into the shop.

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