M.A.D.House
The M.A.D.House is the heart of our creations, housing MB&F's team and watchmakers in Carouge, Geneva.
MB&F's home
The property that became the M.A.D.House was originally a joint project by architects Edmond Fatio and Charles Meysson in 1907; it was conceived as the private home of a wealthy family of industrial entrepreneurs and won an architectural prize in the year of its completion.
Its construction, in the style known as Heimatstil, is characterised by a romanticised interpretation of historical architecture, a prescient nod towards its future occupants, who re-dream traditional horology for the modern age. Its half-timbered exterior with rusticated stone walls recalls the castles seen in illustrated books of folklore — a fitting abode for a company whose creations were first inspired by the mythologies of science fiction and fantasy.
Buzzing with creativity
Most days, the house can barely contain the flurry of activity generated within its walls. It’s the kind of activity you’d expect from having dozens of people together focused on the singular task of creating our machines.
Multiple exterior doors lead towards a central staircase and atrium, creating a convergence of motion that hums and buzzes with comings and goings. There’s even a concealed passageway behind the stairs, a quaint artefact of the house’s original design, built for those in a hurry with too much to do and not quite enough time to do it all in.
On the ground floor, watchmakers assemble movements at custom-built workbenches in rooms flooded by natural light, surrounded by wood panelling and hand-painted ceramic tiles from the time the house was first built. Also on the ground floor, a reception area echoes the aesthetic concept of the M.A.D.Gallery and leads onto the central stairwell.
Visit the M.A.D.House
Once a month, we are delighted to welcome you to MB&F’s M.A.D.House in Carouge (Geneva), for a visit of our workshops and offices.
Public visits take place on the second Friday of each month at 9:30am. On rare occasions such as public holidays or special events, the visit may be rescheduled to the first or third Friday of the month. Visits alternate between English and French from one month to the next, last approximately one hour and are limited to 8 participants.
As these visits require some preparation, we are unfortunately unable to offer visits outside the scheduled dates. Thank you very much for your understanding.
To book your visit, please email visit(at)mbandf.com, indicating your first and last name, phone number, and preferred language (French, English or both). Additional information will be provided upon confirmation.
Please note that this email address is dedicated exclusively to M.A.D.House public visit requests.