"In the years following the recession of 2008, a new category of design emerged: contemporary collectible design. Traditional markets were volatile while collecting art and design became more than a passion project, they became good investments. This new design market blends the traditional connoisseurship typically found in vintage markets with the commercial framework of the art world, all while incorporating the experimental spirit of early post-modernism and studio craft movements. Unlike conventional product design, collectible design prioritises artistic expression and limited production over mass appeal and marketability. Designers work as artists, exploring their creativity freely - resulting in unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect their own personalities and perspectives. Often these creations push the boundaries of materials, form, function, and aesthetics. I see this in Eva Mechler’s work, and am pleased to bring her distinctive designs of incredible craftsmanship to the American market. Eva has that particular blend of craft, form, and function that makes design so exciting – as new shapes become iconic forms, we get to experience history in real time." Joanna Frank, Joanna Frank Design Shop Ltd. New York

"Award-winning furniture designer and Master Furniture Maker Eva Mechler is a master of contemporary functional design. She specializes in made-to-order wooden furniture, hand-crafted at her workshop in northern Germany {now in Switzerland}. The Lounge Collection is made using solid wood left over from the building of superyachts, including European native species of oak, chestnut, ash, and walnut. The first prototypes were made from a sustainable “modified wood” called Tesumo developed by Lürssen Yachts and Wolz Nautic. Conceived as an alternative to teak and selected by the owner of REV Ocean for use on the yacht’s exterior decking, Tesumo is strong, durable, and more resistant to weathering than other woods. Mechler’s collectible art-furniture earned her a place as a finalist for the Smart Yacht Award at the Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous in 2023." Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, June 14, 2023 Report by Charles Barber on sustainable practice at Eva Mechler, June 27, 2022 1.  Round wood purchasing Solid wood is the most immediately practical material for furniture making; while the art of round wood purchasing (also with ethical and sustainable properties in mind), requires a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between wood type, climate, and soil properties.  Eva Mechler specialises in the design and production of solid wood furniture incorporating especially the native species of mainland Europe.  With her closely managed supply chain for materials quality and assurance of ESG standards, every item of solid wood furniture made by Eva Mechler[1] can (on request) be supplied with a Chain-of-Custody statement for the material used. For her furniture making, Eva Mechler sources superior quality European cut wood with leading expert on sustainable forestry Mr. Jakob Röthlisberger[2] at Girsberger[3].  Being located in Switzerland and Germany, Girsberger manages every step of the wood supply chain starting with the selection of logs to be sawn, carefully air-drying the cut wood for a number of years, and following Eva Mechler’s requirement for handpicked selection, Girsberger makes the delivery of the wood supply direct to Eva Mechler’s workshop[4]which is situated mid-way between Hamburg and Berlin. Girsberger is in the top 3% of companies assessed by EcoVadis[5] in the manufacture of furniture industry for sustainable procurement.  EcoVadis methodology is built on international sustainability standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000, covering 190 spend categories and 160+ countries. 2.  Eva Mechler examples of preferred species with origin Eva Mechler typical species illustrated: see footnote[6] 3.  Sustainability in practice 2000-22 Supply chain difficulty - local For the twenty plus years that Eva Mechler has been in operation it is clear that not every forest is well managed and not every tree has the quality needed for durable furniture making.  This causes a conundrum for sustainability in practice as the wood that one needs for a particular project may be only rarely available from a local forest, and even if it were, there can be a barrier for purchasing with both sawmills and forest owners when they are not willing to meet the cost of securing certification from organisations such as PEFC and FSC.  However, and fortunately, the forests of mainland Europe are highly regulated and the sawmills of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria are especially reliable for high ESG standards. Supply chain difficulty – exotic Exotic woods are not a priority for Eva Mechler as her policy is to choose and recommend European woods for her designs and her production of interior or exterior furniture.  However, for the superyacht market, whilst there is an increasing drive for alternative materials, it is assumed that many customers will continue to request Teak (also Burma Teak) for furniture making and for decking.  However, as everyone is aware, the supply chain for Burma Teak and other regional sources is fraught with difficulty.  PEFC[7] supported by Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2), had been working to establish a reliable supply chain of Teak from Myanmar but as announced on 14. September 2021, PEFC have now suspended the assessment of their Myanmar forest certification system.  Eva Mechler’s preference is to avoid imported timber altogether though (as a stepping stone to better solutions) there is a case for the use of branded teak alternates to provide a more positive environmental and social impact.  With exotic timber there is also an ethical question on how best to support those indigenous communities of say Africa, Asia, and South America, whose livelihoods rely on the harvesting and export of timber to so called ‘western’ economies / see ‘learning and networks’ below .. Teak alternatives Eva Mechler is liaising presently with her supply partner who has developed a species of wood as an alternative to Teak for outdoor (deck) furniture.  The proprietary material is being tested in Eva Mechler’s workshop and we expect the processed wood will be suitable for purpose whilst having the characteristics of fine grain teak for looks, texture, and durability. Wood and wood waste management Eva Mechler uses sawn logs in all of her production.  It is usual for each item and or multiple items of furniture to be sourced from the same tree.  Not all parts of the sawn logs are suitable for furniture making while the off-cuts are set aside for wood turning and making small items such as wooden utensils, scale-models, and children’s toys.  Wood shavings and scraps of wood from the machines are used to fuel the heating system for both the workshop and the adjacent private accommodation.  Emissions from the solid wood heating system are highly regulated with annual checks being instructed by the competent government authority. Finishing materials For many years Eva Mechler has used natural plant oils and wax finishes for her solid wood objects.  The materials are sourced directly from Complex-Farben[8] in the Austrian Tirol where the owner Josef Schellhorn has traded for over 50 years.  Mr. Schellhorn is a regular advisor the Eva Mechler on the uses and application of his products which are certified for their ecologically sound production and raw material sourcing. 4.  Learning & Networks In support of Eva Mechler’s commitment to sustainable sourcing and manufacturing, Charles Barber, an Associate Director at Eva Mechler GmbH, completed the Sustainability in Practice Management Programme[9] organised by the Water Revolution Foundation - a sector wide sustainability and ocean conservation initiative founded by the Super Yacht Builders Association[10] (SYBAss) and their network of industry partners. Eva Mechler became a Partner of the Wood Forever Pact in 2014 and a Member of the Sustainable Yachting Network in 2018: both of these programmes are initiated by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation[11], while Charles Barber was engaged directly by the Foundation to assist the connecting and establishment of the yacht builder and yacht design network encompassed by the initiative.  Presently FPA2 with the support of the Danish Council for Sustainable Forestry are aiming to identify the 20 most relevant substation species to traditional choices from tropical forests.  Eva Mechler connects with this and other FPA2 initiatives on a regular basis. 5. Community engagement As a family-owned enterprise, Eva Mechler GmbH has been responsible for and engaged with numerous community events over years.  The first example being the sponsorship of Charles Barber’s participation as a cyclist on the inaugural London to Monaco Cycle Ride in 2016 as organised by Winch Design to the benefit the work of Blue Marine Foundation.  Inspired by this event, Charles Barber became the Co-Founder and Chairman of the non-profit volunteering organisation Switzerland for the Oceans which has by now led multiple fund-raising events for ocean related organisations including for Blue Marine Foundation, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and others. Another initiative at its earliest stages (and adjacent to Eva Mechler’s north German located workshop) is the conceptual development of a four million Euro not-for-profit socio-economic project in Land Brandenburg Germany to create a replica Mediaeval Village using the traditional hand skills of the time to become a learning centre of the future.  Similar large scale “Experimental Archaeology” projects have been realised in Guédelon France and Campus Galli South Germany.  The concept has been written by Charles Barber and Eva Mechler for the community and now has the interest of the local Authority, the local Major, the regional Economic Development Office, and cultural groups within and out-with the region. 6. It’s a Family Business Eva Mechler can trace back to 140 years when fathers on her mother’s and father’s side were cabinet makers and carpenters respectively, each with their own businesses.  Now that Eva Mechler is operating her own workshop is in large part down to this history and influence of her family.  Even the workshop that Eva Mechler acquired herself in 2019 was first established in 1882 and after five generations the workshop was on the brink of closure but is now once again a busy corner of the local community and infrastructure. Eva Mechler graduated in Germany as a Master Furniture Maker in 2000 and she is as well as Master of Galvanisation as she did learn this previously.  In the DACH region it is only possible for formally qualified Masters (of craft) to engage and teach apprentices in the workshops.  Eva Mechler has a long record of teaching with the companies she has been employed by in Germany and Switzerland and she now offers apprenticeship training in her own workshop. The past two years have been focused especially on equipping the workshop for solid wood production.  All the main systems are in now place (bench room, machine room, finishing room, wood storage, workshop filtration and waste extraction).  Eva Mechler is competent in the use SolidWorks for 3D modelling and also in AutoCAD for layout and production planning.  When needed, the CNC work is  contracted out with files exported from SolidWorks, though for many bespoke jobs Eva Mechler will prepare her own physical templates in-house for hand carving or machine assisted carving as required.  To all intents and purposes, Eva Mechler offers a complete solution from sketch to completion and is delighted to be engaged with bespoke projects for design studios and for her direct customers.  Eva is especially happy when developing and presenting her own personal designs and collections for families, galleries, and collectors. References: [1] https://www.evamechler.com [2] https://www.md-mag.com/themen/nachhaltigkeit/fachbeitrag-nachhaltigkeit/holzverarbeitung [3] https://girsbergerholz.com/de [4] https://goo.gl/maps/8GJpFayc31zAedK56 [5] https://ecovadis.com [6] https://girsbergerholz.com/de/sortiment/ [7] https://www.pefc.org/news/pefc-suspends-assessment-of-myanmar-forest-certification-system [8]  https://www.complex-farben.at/oekologie [9] https://waterrevolutionfoundation.org/activities/education [10] https://waterrevolutionfoundation.org/partners [11] https://www.fpa2.org/en/projects/ensuring-more-sustainable-timber-in-the-yachting-industry-00548 © Eva Mechler GmbH   27. June 2022 (revision)

Great design needs collaboration in practice Collaboration is well beyond the concept of pure transaction, and is engrained into every facet of the company Eva Mechler.  We mention here examples of Eva Mechler’s long standing collaborators: Whilst today, Eva Mechler has a fully-fledged workshop with multiple skilled artisans at her side; for approximately fourteen years from the start, Eva Mechler was a one-person business, hands-on with every step from sketch to completion.  That position was tenable only with the willingness of several key partners as customers and as suppliers who were and are always on hand to offer not only the best quality service but also to share their expert knowledge, whether this be in materials or in systems. This is collaboration in practice at its best. Material is a gift Inevitably, being someone who specialises in the use of solid wood for the creation of my furniture and sculptured forms, I am acutely aware of the importance of the woodlands that support my work.  Wood is a wonderful material and deserves to be respected as a rare and precious resource providing practical solutions and enjoyment for the longest possible term. The wood I use is purchased exclusively from sustainable forestry sources - including from the national forests or from international certified forestry operations.  My suppliers are aware of my demand for integrity in the supply chain and this is a constant learning journey for us both.  It is encouraging that my customers are increasingly concerned about sustainability and this will lead to more robust and trustworthy supply chains into the future. In 2016, I became a Partner of the Wood Forever Pact and I recommend everyone to consider supporting the pioneering work of Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation: https://www.fpa2.org/en/news/the-forest-and-communities-initiative-launches-a-call-for-action-in-favour-of-inclusive-forest-conservation-08404 Artisan Workshop for a design studio Collaboration is always a two way street, and I was delighted to be invited by Winch Design to deliver my tailored workshops on furniture design and wood choices at the studios of Winch Design in London .. see image above. Winch Design is a globally leading, multi-disciplinary studio of designers and architects encompassing bespoke land, sea, and aviation projects worldwide. Winch are renowned for their commitment to creativity and artisanship, combined with an ever progressive adoption of sustainable practice across every facet of their business. In support of my workshop, Mr. Michael Modersbacher of the Austrian wood oil specialist Josef Schellhorn GmbH delivered a hands-on oil finishing demonstration.  While Mr. Jakob Röthlisberger of the company Girsberger in Switzerland, supported my workshop with examples of wood varieties from the woodlands of Europe. Making hand-crafted furniture from superyacht decking off-cuts Since first considering the concept of making furniture from superyacht decking off-cuts at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2021, we have built a close collaboration with the Bavarian yacht decking specialist Wolz Nautic. The first prototypes of the Eva Mechler Lounge Collection used off-cuts of the modified wood ‘Tesumo’. Tesumo which was developed by Lürssen Yachts and Wolz Nautic.  Conceived as an alternative to teak for yacht decking, Tesumo has been selected by the owner of REV Ocean, and is noted for being strong, durable, and more resistant to weathering than other woods. The first commission of an Eva Mechler Lounge Chair, made with off-cuts of Tesumo from an actual build, will be presented to the owner of a new yacht being launched this year (2024) at Pendennis Shipyard, England. All items from the Lounge Collection made with Tesumo; a chair, sofa, stool, and table, will be available at the Wolz Nautic Showroom in their German headquaters. If you wish to fix a meeting for visiting, please contact Mr. André Hoffman directly .. andre.hofmann(at)wolznautic.de Design studio collaboration .. example one Vripack Design is among the world’s most respected yacht design studios and is responsible for designing the highly innovative “Project Zero”, a 70 metre sailing yacht being built by Vitters Shipyard in the Netherlands. For Vripack Design, collaboration across all aspects of design and production is a critical philosophy and approach that they actively engage with every working day.  For a designer-maker like myself, this is an extremely valuable approach as there is a considerable amount of co-learning that can be achieved through a practical project.  I greatly appreciate these words from Marnix J. Hoekstra: “I’ve been following the beautiful work of Eva for over 15 years and witnessed it mature in refinement and creativity. Our recent collaboration on a smoked oak tub clearly demonstrated our kindred spirits in design and flawless execution of her craftsmanship.” Design studio collaboration .. example two Simplicity and elegance are hallmarks of the Paris based architecture and design studio with whom Eva Mechler has collaborated on unique bespoke projects past and present.  Respect for the quality in execution that Eva Mechler provides, coupled with the finely considered detailing from the designer, supports the creative relationship between designer and maker. It is a magical mix. Design studio collaboration .. example three Winch Design is a globally leading, multi-disciplinary studio of designers and architects encompassing bespoke land, sea, and aviation projects worldwide. Winch are renowned for their commitment to creativity and artisanship, combined with an ever progressive adoption of sustainable practice across every facet of their business. Following the Artisan Workshop delivered for Winch Design in 2022, there is now an opportunity for Eva Mechler to design and produce furniture using reclaimed wood especially for Winch Design’s new studio premises being made ready for opening in 2024.  We respect this as a very special invitation since Winch Design could invite practically any artisan to participate, and it requires the highest level of trust between parties to be confident of an outcome that can work for everyone - and most especially for the clients of Winch Design who will experience the furniture when they visit their studio. And so it grows .. A most obvious collaboration for an artisan, is the support and intelligence one receives from media partners, be it web and brand design with Shona Maciver at Locofoco, Glasow, or leading publishing houses such as The Superyacht Group, The Robb Report, BOAT International Media, and the German publication Boot Exklusiv. All of these relations and more are what makes excellence possible for Eva Mechler and her team of artisans. "Thank you for appreciating my work. I look forward to collaborating with you." Eva Mechler, 15. April 2024, Zürich

Below are videos and sequences captured over the past few years. Monaco Smart Yacht Award 2023 March 2023 Within Monaco Ocean Week 2023, Yacht Club de Monaco hosted the 1st Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous .. a sector transforming event organised by Monaco Marina Management bringing together the full spectrum of the Yachting Industry to research and promote sustainable solutions. The competition for the Smart Yacht Awards involved over 50 start-ups and scale-ups, with shipyards, architects, designers, artisans, and engineering companies taking part, with 44 international Jury members. Here I am (courtesy of Yacht Club de Monaco) presenting my own innovation in wood as a Finalist for the Monaco Smart Yacht Award. Presenting Eva Mechler the video! Eva Mechler, German head, Swiss heart July 2021 Celebrating Swiss National Day and the Eva Mechler connection. Produced by Eva Mechler especially for the Embassy of Switzerland in Germany. The sequence includes scale models and prototypes inspired by places and objects discovered in the mountains of Graubünden and Ticino. Die Massivholz Werkstatt September 2020 ".. a critical feature of my workshop is capacity .. and now that the renovation and installations are complete, I am very much looking forward to delivering the best possible service that I know you will appreciate .. working the design from an idea, to sketching, to 3D modelling, to project planning, to selection of materials, to sawing, planing, joining, finishing, and delivery .. I am working myself hands-on with every step and fully in tandem with your wish for bespoke furniture making of the highest possible standard." With best wishes for 2021 .. Eva Mechler Master Furniture Maker The Solid Wood Workshop Eva Mechler RETROSPECTIVE January 2021 2011 Hocker Mixed Woods: Apple, Ash, Chestnut, Pear, Plum, Walnut, by Eva Mechler 2014 Wall Mounted Double Drawer Cabinet: Walnut, by Eva Mechler 2010 Bench Seat for Two: Oak, by Eva Mechler 1998 Sideboard with Angled Frame: Cherry, by Eva Mechler 2000 Discrete Correspondence Tall Back Chair: Cherry and Leather, by Eva Mechler 2001 Petite Table with Drawer: Walnut, Design by Anonymous 1999 Bull's-Eye Bathing Tub: Walnut, Glass, Steel, by Eva Mechler 1999 Wrap-around Freestanding Cabinet: Walnut, by Eva Mechler 1995 Tipper Truck (modelled by Lily): Beech, Design by Anonymous Interview with Eva Mechler : SuperyachtDESIGN Week 2016 June 2016 Mr. Sean Brown, SuperyachtNews, interviews Eva Mechler about her experience as a designer and furniture maker, what inspires her work, and about her involvement with the superyacht sector.

"I use the word thoughts, not talks, as sometimes lately, it seems to me that the last thing I want to do, or should be doing, is add more talk. It is an endless chatter on wellness that we get exposed to nowadays, being a professional from the industry or not. Whatever media you open, and the un-aptly named social media as a sad front runner, you can be sure that there will be a face and a voice appearing on screen, quite uninvited, to tell you the latest and greatest she or he has accomplished recently, and how this has added greatly to the wellness level of this, our unwell world. Let us not make wellness a fashion. Most certainly, and I mean it, there actually is a plethora of amazing, well trained Spa professionals out there, willing and able to share their much needed wisdom, still these voices seem to be getting lost in that huge, noisy storm of self-acclaimed wellness prophets, self-made experts, and self-centered egos. Is it simply to easy to jump on the band wagon called wellness nowadays? I don’t know but maybe, the stage is too easy to enter, or the number of amateur actors too large. As for me, I would not dare call myself a wellness expert but then, one and a half decades spent with the industry may make me an insider, who has heard and learned a lot, while he lived through the rise of Spa and wellness. In my early beginnings, this industry was still trying to find a name and a place ( which is an ongoing process as we speak). Somewhere between fitness, health treatments and century old bathing traditions on one side, and a tourism travel industry in need of a new push and exciting, profitable yet unknown destinations on the other side, wellness and its vehicle Spa found themselves caught in the middle, to both their immense benefit: Whenever the health side did not have an input for a time being , there would always be tourism to jump in for developments. Well known destinations, yet worn out, or out of fashion, or both of this, would get a second wind by adding wellness to their accolades. Deserved or not, this recipe is still been cooked up daily. With time, the wellness travel industry was declared to be here for good, and has been a staple diet for leisure and business travelers alike. I was not involved then, as my profession and passion were lying in another sector, which still had to discover the virtues of wellness. My occupation was, and has been for most of my working life, the yachting industry, and I remember vividly my first exposure to the word Spa. It was 2009, and the term was still widely unknown, and most certainly ages away from mainstream, as it seemed then. We all did not quite know what do to with it, even less for the maritime industry: A yacht may probably be the most luxurious, personal, beautiful space a person can have designed for himself, so what use would a wellness area have? More luxury yet? The answers came pouring in quickly, and the Spa these days is an integral part of marine interiors. And it here that it all starts: Who deals with it, when it comes to creating a Spa for an owner, and what should go in? Never more than today, this question has become increasingly difficult to answer. Designing a real Spa is a task not easy because choices are endless, and they are growing as we speak. We used to have a one-fits-all formula for wellness areas made up from whirlpool/ Sauna/ treadmill/steam and the indispensable décors Buddha statue, Bamboo sticks and Chinese character letters. A Spa would resemble rather a Thai restaurant for long, and years of scientific development, learning and research were needed to bring about the change to modern, functional wellness realms of our time. Then, the trend setting started: Remember Telomeres? A huge trend, promising longevity and early detecting of illnesses. The floating tank, the frequencies, Hot Stones, Himalayan salt, to name but a few. All of these have a meaning and reason for being, once they prove their effectiveness and good for the client. A clever wellness marketing, however, has long turned this process around: Come up with a new idea, make it a big splash, have it on social media, find influencers, and sell it. Eventually, research will be taking up the topic and back up the treatment with science. Or not, as in the case of hot stones, for example. If it concerns your product, and should you be lucky enough, a treatment and matching retail by then may be established enough to not be harmed, again as in the case of hot stone, and will be sold in huge numbers anyway. This is the moment when I am out. A treatment with no proven effect whatsoever is not adding to wellness. Be it simply enhancing the beauty or atmosphere of the space, and I am in. It does not have to be elaborate or fancy but it must be real. And do not get me wrong: I for once am a tester, someone to try out new ways and approaches. Indian Chanting? I did not know the least bit of it, yet tried it and was hooked from the first time I joined in. Meditation was another matter, as I felt it just would not work for me. It took me a while to find the right mediator, only to discover that my body and soul seemingly had been waiting to let down their guard and dive in deeply. What I am trying to say: Wellness must develop and it does so quicker than ever before, due to bigger networks and the notion that the subject may actually hold the solution to social and medical challenges of our ageing societies but stick to the basics, please: Wellness is not a lasting or permanent stage, it is a process, a way. As a human being, we are able to make choices to follow this path, or veer off it. A Spa is the vehicle, a helping hand and more importantly, it is not about the hardware, which goes in. A Vichy makes sense, once you can include it into a treatment. A Cryo chamber is valuable for those clients who have a medical disposition, and only then. The right light, changing light frequencies the day over, is not one more fashion or trend you follow but should be a must for everyone who knows it exists. Add Kneipp to the Spa, train clients on easy treatments, and you will put huge wellness into their own hands. Furniture for a yacht Spa, made from recycled teak deck, like Eva does it? This is taking wellness to a higher level. The list of topics I would ask for goes on and on. Where it may lead to? In an ideal world, the answer would be healing, a stage of wellness for all of your being’s entities. I am not sure, though, on how close we can ever get to this stage, and if it is not too much to ask from wellness. Every time experts tried, and laymen took over, the result has been rather resorting to wellwashing as a quick fix. Translated into my own work, the answer is here, though: A Spa on a yacht is no oasis within an oasis but a part of every day life and rituals. If I can assist with doing it right, and honest, it will adopt to the client’s need and  have a well, long term effect on their lifes. It will remain in use, undergo changes and adaptations with time, refits and changing owners. This may not sound like much but the prospect of wellness, and maybe even healing in reach to me is enormous." Matthias Voit, Out at Sea, Saarland Germany