#PEOPLEOFAPART: EMMA
Emma is the visionary behind our most recent redesign of the studio. We sat with her in the Officine II Studio to chat about hands-on creativity and aspirational clients.
#PEOPLEOFAPART: EMMA
Emma is the designer behind our newest studio redesign. We met her at her studio in Vieux-Rosemont. It’s no surprise she is a Taurus sun and a Cancer moon. It was cozy creative chaos in there.
Which sign of your big 3 do you relate to the most?
Taurus, it’s all about pleasure! Visual and physical.
Where are we? Tell me about your studio!
It was the height of the pandemic, I was at home pulling my hair out, and I decided to start looking for a studio. I wanted a place to make art and prototypes.
I see some dog toys here, do you have a pup?
Yeah, I foster dogs; it’s so fun!
Why Officine II?
I don’t have an elevator pitch, but I probably should. Officine means a laboratory, and in Italian, it's a workshop or atelier, which really encapsulates the ethos of my practice.
"Instead of always being behind a computer, I wanted a place to be hands-on with my design. I’m too restless. When I think, I need to move and make things with my hands. The creative process is very physical for me."
What made you want to work for yourself?
l don’t love the desk situation, I wanted to explore my creative output further. It’s always collaborative and I wanted to do it a bit differently. So I wanted a company that was both a design firm and an atelier space. I like making prototypes or finishes and finding new ways to use typical materials.
I like to fuck around with stuff and see what happens. The act of working with my hands actually gives me new ideas, I see something, I get in a creative flow. I figure something out, explore, and that informs other designs I'm working on.
Was this part of your plan?
Yeah, been thinking about it for about five years. I moved to Montreal from Vancouver, with a grand plan. Vancouver was more clean and minimal, and my inclination is more toward textures and patterns. Montreal is a little weirder and more open minded design wise.
It’s the best of all the worlds here, and the people are so cool.
Who is your dream client?
I love working on retail and hospitality projects. I have a background in retail store design. So I’d love to do something with Pheobe Philo or Gentle Monster. I love when every store is an experience, there’s robotics and scents... it’s all about building brand awareness through a spatial experience.
How did you like working with APART on their re-design?
I loved their willingness to explore. They were like what can we do? I appreciate that they had a clear vision, but they let me take the reins. I got to push the boundaries.
What’s your favourite part of the design you did for them?
Definitely the silver stations!!
What are some of your fav Montreal spots right now?
Super Qualite! It's just consistently good indian street food.
Henrietta for drinks, I love the back booth. The wiggly middle table is so fun too. It just so cozy and warm.
Also love Snowbird Tiki Bar! It's such a cheeky experience.