Emily Jagoda was born in Long Island, New York, where at an early age she exhibited a talent for sketching and strong interest in painting. She admits that her career in architecture is very possibly a cover for her obsession with art.
She first got hooked on architecture at Barnard College where she studied under the tutelage of Robert Stern. After graduation, she worked as a freelance architectural draftsman, producing drawings that were later selected for exhibition at the New York Historical Society. She received her masters at SCI-Arc where she worked with such giants as Frank Gehry, Michael Rotondi and Neil Denari.
Jagoda delights in creating great open spaces that provide abundant natural light, but above all is known for designing spaces that respond to how people actually live. She is prone to blurring the line between indoors and out, creating outdoor spaces that behave like rooms. Jagoda also enjoys material experimentation, such as exposing the raw beauty of natural woods and untreated textures of materials.
Jagoda has an eye to the environmental impact of her projects. She has incorporated such green features as: photovoltaic panels, passive solar capture, “walls of light,” and recycled rain water in her houses. 'Eco' materials and systems, adaptive reuse and recycling are part of her architectural vocabulary.
She has taught at SCI-Arc, Otis College of Art and Design, and Woodbury University—all in Los Angeles.
She has received multiple awards (the American Institute of Architects, Thom Mayne, and SCI-Arc) and is widely published: Better Homes and Gardens, Sunset Magazine, Index Magazine and Barbara Bestor's book “bohemian modern: living in silver lake.”
Emily Jagoda is licensed in the State of California.