KEM STUDIO

The skylight details are coming together at one of our projects currently under construction. This stunning feature transforms a warehouse into something beautiful, flooding the space with natural light and showcasing the full 27’ existing volume.

We're excited to share that KEM STUDIO is part of a great team to design a new tower and connection to Kaw Point in Kansas City Kansas. We make the initial presentation to the UG and the public next Monday, April 29th, marking the first site to reach this milestone as part of the KCK Redevelopment Initiative. Join in person or over Zoom to be a part of this journey.

Construction could begin as early as next year. Can’t wait to see this new addition to the skyline!

Shoutout to our great partners - LAND3 Studio Flaherty & Collins Properties FSC Consulting Engineers BHC and the city of Kansas City, KS.

A fundamental dilemma, how do you build for today in a historic district?

The Whitehill Residence is a single-family conversion of an existing 1960’s duplex on the historic street of Janssen Place in Kansas City. Rather than mirroring the old neighborhood we chose to reflect the modern, essential lifestyle of the family. Our approach was to respect the historic context of the street through the use of natural materials and scale relationships, as well as embracing the beautiful, private nature of the street allowing for the house to “open up”. Strategic window placement and overhang design maximizes seasonal efficiency while creating extended views. The interior is refined to essential core elements, dedicating most of the house to communal family spaces and minimizing the size of private rooms with built-in millwork storage. Proof that the old and the new can harmonize with good design.
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It doesn't get much simpler than this... SkateHub is a minimal bracket used to store and display a skateboard. One end of a skateboard is placed in the slot on the bracket and the angle allows it to maintain its position with just the weight alone holding the board in place, giving the board a floating feeling. The simple bracket also creates a hidden shelf that is the perfect place to store your pocket belongings such as keys, wallet, etc. It can be used as a quick way to store your board when not in use or a great way to show off a board collection.
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We're eager to share some hybrid process drawings from a recent project!

We've worked closely with the Mattie Rhodes Center at both their Arts Center and Cultural Center to integrate playful interventions inside and out. At KEM STUDIO we appreciate old school sketching to gather our thoughts. We also enjoy expanding upon these initial sketches through hybrid digital processes. Both buildings are currently under construction.

We're looking forward to sharing the new spaces.
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Our awesome collaborators - McCownGordon Construction, Stand Structural Engineering Inc, Lankford l Fendler + associates Consulting Engineers
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In honor of National Industrial Design Day we wanted to share a collection of some of our projects from over the years! We love making life better through design every day. Stay tuned for new projects on the way!
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Introducing one of our newest projects and Raleigh’s first cidery, East Bower Cider Co. The big idea was to create a local getaway, an oasis. The cidery consists of a bar, lounge, full production facility, and a 3,000 sf outdoor courtyard. A vibrant green coats the existing steel structure, forming a canopy within the tall volume. As a balance to the tapered steel columns and corrugated metal - warm wood tones, coral accents, and lush plant life soften and complement the space. East Bower is crafted and not too distilled. From your first step into the courtyard to your last sip, the experience will make you want to send a postcard home to share the good vibes. For more on the project check out our project page - https://buff.ly/3OPRrHn
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Photos by Emily Bennett
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Excited to be there and see the talent coming out of Arkansas! Thanks for having us!

Once you hear it, you will never be able to un-hear it...

The Masterpiece Series is a ground-up redesign of Martin Logan's flagship electrostatic speaker (which includes four-floor standing models and two center channels). The big idea of the line was to cohesively integrate the cabinet and frame in a simple, sustainable, beautiful, and technical solution that lives in modern and traditional spaces. The new Airframe captures the curved electrostatic panel while providing a more accurate and efficient sound. This robust new design not only improves listening but also keeps the panel itself safe and...sound. Another major part of the design was creating a cast aluminum base that gave all of the technology an organized place so that assembly and maintenance is easier than ever.
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This IDEA award-winning design is a unique project where we can have a positive impact on our city and enhance the daily lives of its residents. The Town of Kansas bridge enhancements create a space where people can gather and relax, serving as a starting point for the TOK bridge and leading to the riverfront trail. This project combines natural elements and architectural structures to convey a symbolic story about the history and context of the area, while also addressing the issue of the watershed condition. Taking into consideration the surrounding rivers, trails, industrial steel structures, and public art, the concept focuses on convergence, communication, paths, and exploration.
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Some in the Community news - Jonathon Kemnitzer, Co-Founder and Principal of KEM STUDIO, will be speaking at K-State tomorrow hosted by K-State's IDSA Chapter. We're excited for Jonathon to be able to share more about what we do and how we do it... with the goal of making life better through design.

The design of Urogynecology of Kansas City’s new space sought to achieve the goal of Tranquility Through Design. This new design evokes a sense of peace and fosters presence so visitors can leave their worries behind. To accomplish this, we carefully designed the visual, auditory, and spatial elements to provide a warm and serene experience. Patients are guided throughout their visit by a natural stone border that adds a spa-like atmosphere and a sense of serenity.

It’s time to Tango… Tango is the latest acoustic wall tile line that we designed for Loftwall Each tile is meticulously crafted to harmonize with others in terms of size and groove patterns, allowing users to effortlessly create unique installations that appear as art while reducing noise in residential and commercial spaces.

We have some exciting news! Please join us in congratulating Charlie Vega on his promotion to Director of Architecture at KEM STUDIO. As a Director, Charlie continues to develop uniformly exceptional production standards and monitors projects to make life better through the design and delivery of our work. Charlie is a grounded visionary and empathetic communicator with a passionate yet calm demeanor, making him capable of delivering the highest quality project. Cheers to you, Charlie!

Thanks to all who came to the ~brisk~ Berkley Beer Garden groundbreaking ceremony this morning! Proud of our team and all of our collaborators who are helping to make this project a reality. Stay tuned for more as the project moves forward!

We're thrilled that Join Me has been recognized in the 2023 Innovation by Design Awards from Fast Company. Join Me began as a collaboration with Adobe in 2020, though its story began back in 2017, as a way to encourage “casual collisions”. Inspired by Danish wooden toys, Join Me is a signal intended to encourage spontaneous conversations. Or, with a playful flip to Focus, a polite way to discourage distractions.

"That it's being mentioned by Adobe in the same sentence as Photoshop and Adobe Express as honorees in a major design competition... is a testament to the power of leaning into our innate human need for connection." - Emilie Zanger - Adobe

It's exciting to see all of the innovative and impactful designs being recognized and we are delighted to be in the same conversation as many other great designs.

A bit of a throwback for you, when Health House went West we designed their first studio in West Hollywood. Moments of inspiration and unexpected positive reinforcement weave into the design. Brand colors in the architectural design establish HH in this new market. WEHO’s nature as eclectic, forward-thinking, and gregarious is represented with the integration of artistic messaging and luxury interior design that represents unconventional mergers of culture and fitness. The pattern in feature walls, flooring, and tiling has movement and repetition to convey energy and give a bespoke feel. The large projection wall in the studio provides an easy platform for collaboration with other brands – being able to tailor workouts and visuals to their collaborators.