CREATING GREAT PLACES. IMPROVING THE COMMUNITY. HAVING FUN.

ABOUT

Emerick Architects is a Portland-based architecture firm that was founded in 2000, by principals Melody and Brian Emerick.

We set up the company with the goal of doing great work in the communities where we live, work and grow. At Emerick Architects, we see things through an Oregon lens. Brian is a 7th generation Oregonian, so local is part of our DNA. Our team of talented architects and designers enjoy walking, biking and running by projects where they have made a proud contribution. These same ethos carry into the partnerships we build with skilled design and construction professionals beyond our walls.

From designing and building Portland’s first LEED Gold home, to being entrusted to restore Portland’s oldest commercial building, we take community and environmental stewardship to heart. We esteem great craftsmanship, believing that an investment in craft is an investment in quality. Preservation, sustainability and artistry are synonymous with our work. Together these ideals help us to energize our communities, protect our resources and enhance our cultural values.

At Emerick Architects, we are passionate about collaboration and feel the building process should be enjoyable. Fun might not be what most architecture firms advertise, but we are not like most architecture firms. We invest a lot of time with our clients, getting to know the project, and more importantly, the people involved. Building can be stressful and intimidating, but we strive to make it easier. As leaders and collaborators, we take our job very seriously — but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

Principals

Melody Emerick

President

The President and co-founder of Emerick Architects, Melody has over 25 years of experience in the field of architecture and interior design. Intuitive, talented and a great communicator, she leads our residential and interiors work and is the creative heart of our office. A graduate of the University of Oregon and a licensed architect, Melody also taught interior design at Marylhurst University and is a current board member for the Architecture Foundation of Oregon.

Melody had a toddler and a newborn when the firm began in the attic of their Southeast Portland bungalow. And even though her designs have been featured nationally in publications like the NY Times and Dwell Magazine, Melody is most proud of the recognition she has received for promoting diversity within our city and profession. She was an inaugural winner of the DJC’s Women of Vision Award in 2014 and has also been named a Woman of Influence by the Portland Business Journal. In 2017 the firm won a Building Diversity Award, in large part for its commitment to local small business and property owners, and behind the strength of a predominantly female team who shines under Melody’s guidance.

Passionate about materials, color and style, Melody enjoys solving the puzzle that lies at the heart of every good design. She is just as happy at home cooking a big meal for her family, as she is traveling and exploring new destinations by foot, which usually includes finding the best local bakery wherever she goes.

Brian Emerick

Principal

A seventh generation Oregonian, Brian grew up on construction sites with his dad, who was a finish carpenter. With that founder’s DNA coursing through his veins, Brian attended the University of Oregon and has been practicing locally for over 25 years. He is the firm’s leader on commercial projects and his passion for adaptive reuse, historic preservation and sensitive infill development is a driving force behind the nature of our work.

Brian is deeply committed to improving the city and community around him, and that shows through the firm’s work and his extensive public involvement. As Portland’s first Main Street Architect and author of the Portland Main Street Design Handbook, our team helped craft the city’s overall guide to urban revitalization and also steered individual districts toward their goal of vibrant, creative and sustainable communities. Brian is a past Chair of the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission and served a total of eight years as a member of the group, navigating a time that saw Portland experience both the Great Recession and an economic boom. He also held a spot on the city task force on unreinforced masonry buildings, participating on the URM Seismic Retrofit Advisory, Technical and Policy Committees during a critical time that defined Portland’s approach to our historic fabric. Brian also led Metro’s “Street Smart” seminars, participated in the Mayor’s Planning + Sustainability Cabinet and is a current member of the Restore Oregon Board.

When not focused on his architectural passions, Brian can be found either cycling through town or floating down a river. A consummate outdoorsman and ardent fisherman, Brian even built his own wooden drift boat, which has already seen plenty of adventures and spawned many a great fishing story.

Our Team

ASSOCIATE

One of our Associates, Justin’s personality is a perfect complement to the work we do at Emerick Architects. A Master Woodworker with a craftsman’s touch, he brings an exacting eye for detail to each of his projects. After graduating from the Montana State University School of Architecture, Justin began his career working on a series of high profile and unique construction projects, developing a keen skillset that aligns with our complex residential portfolio. Justin’s body of residential work features a ski-in/ski-out home in Maine, a modern prefabricated fishing lodge in rural Montana, and extensive historic remodels of Portland’s finest homes.

Justin has traveled to far corners of the world, traversing host countries by bike while steadily absorbing local color. As seen through both his travels and professional work, he values the intimate relationship between people, their projects and the environment. Exploration of this dynamic continues to influence his approach to design and the growth of our staff. The anchor of our bike commuting team, when Justin’s time away from the office isn’t consumed by woodworking, you’ll find him on multi-day bike adventures or competing in local cyclocross races, but only if you can keep up with him.

ASSOCIATE

Keith is an anchor for our team, bringing levity, calm and thoughtful perspective to every challenge. An Associate of the firm and a licensed architect, he holds degrees from both the University of Virginia and Oregon. Keith has practiced architecture in Boston, New York City and Portland for over 20 years, developing a diverse portfolio that includes high-end residences, multi-family and affordable housing complexes, education facilities and religious institutions. Whether it is new construction or adaptive reuse, his breadth of knowledge and unflappable nature make him a fixture on our most complicated projects.

Keith also spearheads the firm’s marketing endeavors, employing his acute sense of client needs and passion for storytelling. After all of that, he still makes time to engage the community, volunteering for programs such as the AFO sponsored, Architects in Schools. Keith is a sports fan whose first loves are baseball and hockey, and even though he considers Portland his adopted home, he will never stop rooting for his New York teams. When he’s not catching a game away from work, you’ll find him either camping or combing the beach with his wife and two girls.

OFFICE MANAGER

Margot is the Office Manager who thoroughly enjoys her team, with an appreciation for the unique qualities of each individual and the synergy of the collective. With a spirit that brightens any room, she lifts our entire group through her energy and thoughtfulness. A long-time Oregonian and graduate of the University of Oregon, her professional experience is rooted in social service and public administration, a background that strengthens our ethos and helps guide our mission-based endeavors.

An artist in her own right, Margot is right at home among our team of designers. When not engaged in politics, fashion, painting, or reading, she can be found enjoying comedy, music and great food with friends and loved ones.

PROJECT ARCHITECT

A New England native who has fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest, Mary is a licensed architect and graduate of Syracuse University. From Santa Monica to Portland, she has worked on high-end custom homes, multi-family housing and other commercial developments throughout the west coast. Mary brings a passion for design-driven projects, an appreciation for technology as a design tool, and a willingness to share her technological savvy to grow the team.

Mary is a devoted, year-round bike commuter and an avid football fan. When she is not out on her bicycle or cheering on the Patriots, you’ll find her cooking, gardening or taking in the natural landscape at places like Cape Perpetua, one of her personal favorites.

PROJECT ARCHITECT

Meeghan is a University of Notre Dame graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree of Architecture. A licensed Architect and LEED Green Associate, Meeghan has a passion for architectural heritage and preservation, citing the reuse and restoration of existing buildings as “the greenest thing you can do.”  As an acting board member of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art, Meeghan strives to create contextual architecture and cohesive places of big and small scale for both commercial and residential projects. One of her most cherished designs is the dream house she created for her parents, as a post grad.

Away from the firm Meeghan is a proud mother of two who enjoys traveling with her husband and kids. She is an avid reader of fiction/non-fiction and knits frequently, gifting handmade children’s clothing to family and friends.  Meeghan loves spicy food and is obsessed with finding that perfect hot sauce that will bring her to tears.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER 

Portland born and raised, Kate is a hometown treasure who brings an optimism and commitment beyond her years. Kate first began with Emerick Architects as a seasonal intern who quickly impressed. After studying abroad in Rome and graduating from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Minor in Interior Architecture, she returned to Portland and became a permanent member of our team.  

Passionate about sustainability and interior design, Kate is inspired by projects that bring these concepts together, which makes her a great fit for the type of work we do. Aside from design, running is Kate’s other passion. With four marathons behind her, she is on the cusp of fulfilling her dream to qualify for the Boston Marathon. When Kate chooses to slow down, you can find her gardening, hiking with friends, and playing with her pet chickens, Twilly, Boones, and Dosch. 

PROJECT ARCHITECT

Born and raised in Oregon, Brendan is passionate about contributing to the unique character of the Pacific Northwest through architecture and design. After leaving the region to attend the University of Notre Dame and beginning his professional career in New York and Italy, he eventually fulfilled his long-term goal of returning to Portland. Along the way, a research fellowship at the American Academy in Rome allowed Brendan to explore the relationship between a city’s identity and its buildings and spaces, fortifying his belief that architecture is a lasting reflection of a culture’s highest values.

When not working together, Brendan and his wife now enjoy raising their two kids (with lots of help from extended family). Outside of the office, he brings the same curiosity that drives his professional work to his personal passions. Whether he’s painting, hiking, gardening, or cooking (on an ideal day, it’s all the above), he enjoys digging into the details and finding new ways to enjoy living.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER

Drew is a genuine product of the Pacific Northwest. Born in Oregon and raised in Eastern Washington, he chose Washington State University for his architectural study and graduated with a Masters of Architecture. During his collegiate years, Drew gained experience working across the Western United States in California, Washington, Arizona, and Montana. After graduating from WSU, his career began with a focus on regional projects, with an emphasis on K-12 educational and multi-family housing. Drew is passionate about finding design clarity in complex projects with a lot of moving parts. He is especially enthused about reuse projects, which fulfill his love of recovering value from existing spaces.

When he’s not working hard on design solutions, Drew enjoys jamming on guitar, reading a fine fiction novel, or the challenge of backpacking a picturesque hiking trail with good friends.