Emeco House is our latest project in turning what’s left over into something that will last. A neglected sewing shop in Venice, California, has been transformed into a welcoming and flexible space for designers, architects and the local community to meet, work and stay. Together with Berlin-based architect David Saik, we have worked to create a space that reflects Emeco’s ethos. Our hope is that it will serve as a venue for important conversations around sustainability, craftsmanship, and longevity for many years to come.

The house offers areas for events, workshops and exhibitions, as well as living areas where guests can cook, sleep and socialize. The starting point was to retain, restore and upgrade as much as possible of the old building, with new elements integrated seamlessly into what lead architect David Saik describes as “architectural natural diversity”, where the new and the old support each other in the creation of an indivisible whole. Retaining the existing building was important to us not just from a sustainability standpoint but also to keep Emeco House connected to the neighborhood and local community.

“In a lot of ways, chairs are small buildings. This really gave us a chance to codify and scale our value system, to focus on honest, humble materials. Nothing is flashy, but everything is thought through. We hope the quiet comfort will help foster a closer connection between people who come here. It’s not a commercial space, it’s a conversation place.” – Jaye Buchbinder, Product Engineer

Gregg Buchbinder, Owner + Father. Jaye Buchbinder, Product Engineer + Daughter

“In the four years of development Jaye and I would meet once at week for an early morning surf session. The sunrise, pelicans dive bombing minnows, and dolphins playing in the waves were great inspiration for our Emeco House project. Our love for furniture emanates from our love of nature, we wanted to do architecture that reflects all of the ethos of Emeco.” – Gregg Buchbinder, Emeco Owner