Archispeak
Episodes
#282 - Realistic Sandwich
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is about communication in our profession. Are you elevating or dumbing down the conversation? Is anybody listening? We also talk about wa...
#281 - Little Glasses of Hindsight
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a “rantiversary”! We have some fresh follow-up on a 2-year-old episode about a Twitter thread on why one individual was sounding the alarms...
#280 - We’re So Apathetic
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss how Evan’s recent talks about the future of the practice were received by two different audiences: architects and CFO’s. One group is m...
#279 - An Indictment of the Built Environment
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss a recent rant by Thomas Heatherwick about boring architecture, emotional responses to the built environment, the fabric of the city, what c...
#278 - A Lower Rung on the Ladder of Architectural Significance
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Evan is delivering a keynote titled ‘Disruptive Technology in Architecture, and You’ at the 2022 AIA Kansas Annual Conference, rural architecture ...
#277 - A Quiet Game of Chicken
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicFollowing our ‘quiet quitting’ episode we now discuss ‘quiet firing’, the objectification of roles in the profession and the unsustainabl...
#276 - Quiet Quitting
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWe discuss the latest news on the #quietquitting trend, the architectural response to the subject, under-living and overworking, and more.LinksQu...
#275 - The Waffling is Real
05 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicAfter discussing how there’s no shortage of things to be responsible for when adulting, we answer more listener questions regarding graduate sc...
#274 - Tyranny of the Green Light
29 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does the little green status light next to your name signal? In this episode we get into expectations and conditioning, time management, discipli...
#273 - Know Anyone Interested?
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicA conversation about the current state of the architectural job market, a critique of the lackluster listings firms use to “attract talent”, ...
#272 - Play the Game
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We answer questions from an incoming architecture student about, well, all kinds of things. What should one do before beginning an architectural educa...
#271 - The Upstairs Boat
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss some recent adventures in home ownership and compare notes on a list of places we have and haven’t been to from an architectural perspect...
#270 - Exhaustion Brought A Friend
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWe do a debrief on the AIA National Conference on Architecture in Chicago both as an a attendee and as an exhibitor, what it was like being in th...
#269 - Architecture is Hard
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWhat lies beneath the surface of a seemingly simple project, that once built, doesn’t perform as required? We also get into the common request ...
#268 - Hollow Words
13 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicA conversation about architects, school design, funding, symptoms versus sources of problems, and gun policy in America.LinksAIA Statement: This ...
#267 - Global Repository of Nonexistent Information
06 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicTopics: SpaceX’s Starlink roaming internet service for the ability to truly work from anywhere and we dig into a listener email about mentoring...
#266 - Places for Making
30 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWe discuss Cormac’s big news 🎉 and the various type of places we as architects have for making including sketchbooks, apps, coding, and...
#265 - The Pontiac Aztek of Architecture
23 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWhat do concept cars, skateboarding, and architecture have in common? It’s all about ‘the process’, finding new ways to suffer, expertise v...
#264 - Gamer Mentality
16 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicMusic producer & YouTuber Rick Beato had some observations about Gen Z in a recent video on his channel. In this episode, we compare his theo...
#263 - Park All Hope at the Front Door
09 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWe get a house-hunting update from Cormac, share some of our experiences designing science buildings, and also touch on project delivery methods,...
#262 - Silence is Acceptance
02 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWe get an update on Cormac’s house hunting saga and follow up on our recent conversation regarding the SCI-Arc Basecamp panel discussion and th...
#261 - The Adventure Continues
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicHeavy sigh; deep breath. Cormac’s house hunting adventure continues. We also observe the architectural profession’s identity crisis in which ...
#260 - How (not) to be in an Office
18 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicEvan and Cormac discuss the recent controversies surrounding and following a live event (and corresponding live stream on YouTube) in SCI-Arc’s...
#259 - Marshmallow Sectional
11 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicCormac is very busy house shopping and therefore taking multiple road trips to the new location, so naturally, he has some stories about the curr...
#258 - Timeless Design
04 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWe discuss the recent death of Christopher Alexander, his infamous book A Pattern Language, the newly released The Adam Project movie and archite...
#257 - Ripping Off the Bandaids
28 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicEvan stages an intervention because of Cormac’s fountain pen hoarding and then the hosts open the storybook on past projects where teammates to...
#256 - Stop the Work
21 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Topics: Stopping the work; firing bad clients; abusive clients, the promise of future projects, and their effect on morale in the studio; rationalizin...
#255 - I Still Have a Scar
14 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicBooks. Libraries. Personal architectural book libraries... We did some organizing of the bookshelves and it gave us a reason to slow down & c...
#254 - Two Turntables and a Microphone
07 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWe compare and contrast our recent getaways to New York City and Death Valley National Park, and archi-nerd-out on performing arts theater design...
#253 - Darker Than Dark
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s time to plan another road trip to a National Park, dark skies, astrophotography, and Evan speaks at a Professional Practice class at a local ar...
#252 - Wandering Down a Path
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’re celebrating a couple of birthdays, iPhone photo memories that lead to a conversation about amazing architectural chapels, and more.LinksWayfar...
#251 - Revisiting Rural Studio
14 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation about a recent lecture by Andrew Freear and Rusty Smith of Rural Studio at The Architectural League.LinksAndrew Freear and Rusty Smith,...
#250 - Outside the Vacuum
07 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
TopicWe discuss how the grass is always greener wherever someone looks like they are loving their career, ping pong ball shooters and old-timey drum b...
#249 - The Benefits of Hindsight
31 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A follow-up conversation (with the occasional digression) to a recent presentation at the AIAS FORUM | CONVERGE 2022 conference for architecture stude...
#248 - Fresh Perspectives
24 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s 2022 and we didn’t even notice, Cormac doesn’t like “resolutions”, work ethics and work habits, attracting and retaining talent, the pr...
#247 - Bondo Artistry
13 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation we talk about the fluff and non-fluff in architectural drawings, the Disney-esque nature of Cormac's project, the architect's avo...
#246 - Burnout 2021
06 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Burnout is real. We discuss a recent report on the subject within the architectural profession over the past year with some shocking results, our obse...
#245 - Code Minimum Architect
29 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss impostor syndrome, NCARB's IPAL Programs and different paths to becoming an architect, ego and ability, a call to action for the profession...
#244 - Experiencing Galaxy's Edge
22 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A visit to Disneyland, exploring various layers of an example of the ultimate architectural experience at Galaxy's Edge, and more.Links*Star Wars*: Ga...
#243 - Crappy Game of Telephone
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The downsides of hyperrealism during design presentations, when it's time to stop designing, emotional experiences in architecture, and a mini-review ...
#242 - Aloha and As-salam alaykom
08 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Coming to you from remote locations on opposite sides the world (no, it's not flat—but it does have "sides" 🤣), we have a discussion about the tr...
#241 - Future-proofing Architecture
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Architectural representation and its roles in cinema, world-building, alternative realities, the Metaverse, the concept of "future-proofing" space, an...
#240 - The Process
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How does the architectural design process work? Is it linear—or is it something else entirely—and why?
#239 - Reality to Virtual
18 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel like you're being watched—or experimented on—when shopping online? A/B testing is a standard practice companies use not only for ...
#238 – Wax the Carpets
11 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Post-justified puns, green roof details, not knowing what we don't know, continuing education and building product selection, educating (and selling!)...
#237 – Unspoken-spoken Rule
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we’re talking about corporate-sponsored productivity-enhancing drugs. Cormac jumps back on the wagon after an 8-month hiatus so we d...
#236 – Flanking the Camel Crowd
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss Cormac's recent trip to Saudi Arabia and the extraordinary humbling feeling he experienced during his adventure.LinksCormac's InstagramChin...
#235 – Zigzag Patterns of Thought
13 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This conversation is a continuation of our previous episode topic regarding documenting knowledge and includes some deeper theoretical discussion insp...
#234 – Moving Past Your Past
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss leadership acting as roadblocks and the need for capturing knowledge, teaching, and learning within our practices so we can all participate...
#233 – Snout House
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Don't let 'good' get in the way of 'great': a story about a slow process of perfectionism versus the instant gratification of good enough.LinksOK Comp...
#232 – More Holes than SpongeBob
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Don't let 'good' get in the way of 'great': a story about a slow process of perfectionism versus the instant gratification of good enough.
#231 – A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If a tree falls in a rainstorm and rips the electrical connection from your house and you don't see it, does it make a sound? Disaster strikes in Corm...
#230 – Mr. Troxel Goes to Washington
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Evan talks about his recent trip to Washington DC and Cormac foreshadows his retirement plan.LinksGlenstone MuseumArchispeak 227 – Hugging Architect...
#229 – Nailed It!
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Evan gives an update on his adventures in construction, we talk about the disconnect between architects and contractors informed through Evan's experi...
#228 – Architectural Loyalty
19 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Cormac tries to help Evan understand sports team loyalties. The topic then leads to the question of whether architectural loyalties (to an architect o...
#227 – Hugging Architecture
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss Evan’s recent visit (and Cormac’s past visits) to an architectural icon including observations only architects would enjoy and understa...
#226 – Hulk Hand
05 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In an attempt to do anything except talk about architecture this episode, we discuss Cormac's sufferfest on the Appalachian Trail (AT), his discovery ...
#225 – Hotdogs & Hummus
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss what's for breakfast, going back to the office, the intangible tangibles of the office environment and corporate culture, and how many prof...
#224 – Ninja Skills
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss what styles (aka flair) architects can be identified by, Zoom-lash, your ninja skills and how they will play into the future of work, and w...
#223 – Sweat Equity Pants
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the current auto fuel shortage, sweat (equity and pants), modeling things no one wants, and HighArc's website.Linkshigharc.com
#222 – This Can't End Well
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss all nighters, staffing projects in the context of the current economy, the psychology around the two things that architects hate, and chang...
#221 – The Indiana Jones Warehouse of Wooden Crates
26 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss our profession's continuing challenge of making meaningful progress within the very real constraints of selling time for money, how we will...
#220 – PSA: We're All in This Together
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the need for members of our community (that's you!) to support the content creators who are putting their creativity and time into the bett...
#219 – They Became Dinosaurs
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the stronghold of the architectural profession's traditional apprenticeship model and how it has decreased innovation potential.LinksTap-Ta...
#218 – Glen-Gery Brick's FOLIO Launch
29 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We talk with Tim Leese, the Director of Marketing at Glen-Gery Brick about the launch of FOLIO — a new print publication that showcases inspirationa...
#217 – Architecture's Marketing Problem
18 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the topic of trusted brands, loyalty, quality, and how these ideas both do and do not apply to the practice of architecture.
#216 – The Two Things Architects Hate
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss some comments that have been made about Evan moving to a new job and how some of the fundamental problems in our industry aren't attractive...
#215 – A Forced Release
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Evan and Cormac discuss a bit of nostalgia and how it can shape the future of our workplace.
#214 – It Was At A Zoo
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We reminisce about the first concerts we attended and link those experiences back to architecture, space, and how they have the ability to affect peop...
#213 – Ch-Ch-Changes
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Special guest Bob Habian joins Evan and Cormac in this marathon episode to talk about a new venture poised as a fantastic solution for the AEC industr...
#212 – Detail Suppository
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss consultant coordination issues, some benefits and trappings of BIM, and raise the question of who is going to get us out of our own purgato...
#211 – The Way You're Wired
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss Evan’s new mountain biking YouTube channel and why having something creative to do that’s non-architectural in your life is important. ...
#210 – ‘Architect to Builder‘ with Lance Cayko and Alex Gore
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The founders of F9 Productions and the Inside the Firm podcast join Archispeak to talk about their practice in Colorado, transitioning to developer/bu...
#209 – ”Changes” ”Happened”
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss what happened between the original and actual submittal dates for Cormac's project, how to more successfully communicate design intent with...
#208 – Reinventing the Wheel
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We compare the size, scope, and purpose of a set of modern drawings to historical examples, how architects are seemingly happy reinventing the wheel, ...
#207 – I Had A NordicTrack
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the newly released renderings of Amazon's proposed headquarters in Virginia & the resemblance to certain emoji, Tatlin's tower, that we...
#206 – It's Not You, It's Me
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the relationships and emotional connections between humans and animals, and draw a connection to architects and their projects; and how mos...
#205 – Potential Levels of Dysfunction
28 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the distinction between comments and communications, what to do with staff during project down-time, the problem with data silos, and there...
#204 – Cooking with Cormac
25 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss Cormac's open Zoom room and somehow the timing worked out just right to prank a teammate while recording the episode.
#203 – Fingers Crossed
21 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the architecture reality show we'd want to watch, some buildings by architect William Pereira, and some hopefulness on inauguration day for...
#202 – Surviving 2021
18 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Forget goals and resolutions... in this episode, we share how we plan on just staying alive. And there's some new pretty exciting collaboration softwa...
#201 – More Potent, More Purposeful
11 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the two things that architects hate, and about intentionally (re)setting boundaries in our day-to-day to increase our potency.LinksEvan's D...
#200 – The Dumpster Fire Episode
07 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
2 architects. ~20 minutes (MAYBE). 200 episodes. 2020: The Dumpster Fire. Join us in this podcasting milestone episode—the last one of the year—as...
#199 – A 'Problem' Problem
03 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss promotions, wicked and tame design problems, shell games, and what happens in the sub-sub basement of Cormac's project.LinksArchispeak's Gi...
#198 – Gifts for Architects 2020
30 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Looking to find a gift for your favorite architect? Look no further. Here are Archispeak’s top architectural gift picks for the 2020 holiday giving ...
#197 – Mis-reading it Wrong
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss expectations and boundaries around our always-on communication options, and how fragmented and difficult to manage this has all become due ...
#196 – Foot In Mouth Disease
16 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What delightful information comes to light when a project team member — hypothetically — thinks they've hung up from a call, but they actually hav...
#195 – Wordsmithing the Process
12 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Being that it's Veteran's Day in the USA, we discuss war stories from the trenches... both from Cormac's time serving in the Army and from architectur...
#194 – Ad Nauseam
09 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss current 2d project delivery challenges and opportunities, how application templates aren't one-size-fits-all, reincorporating lessons learn...
#193 – Extra Helping of Cheddar
05 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss how brick and mortar-based architecture firms are dealing with the changing landscape of remote work due to COVID-19 and all the nuance tha...
#192 – Awards Season
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Following the last episode's topic of professional 'conference season,' we transition into the topic of architectural 'awards season' to discuss the p...
#191 – Looking Beyond Property Lines
29 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the October architectural conference flurry—including one that Evan is speaking at—and recap architect Jeanne Gang's keynote presentati...
#190 – Understanding The Grimaces
26 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss the new world of communication and physical barriers that many people are adapting to, and many who are not.
#189 – Pull The Motor
22 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We follow-up on Cormac's double-jointed, shadetree mechanic adventure and wax nostalgic on Haynes manuals. And then, somehow, bring it back to archite...
#188 – We Keep Forgetting That's An Option
19 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss taking ideas from other industries — like auto manufacturing — and applying them to architecture.
#187 – V.E. is Neither
16 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss ways to deal with last-minute changes on projects, which is something that never really happens.
#186 – Why I'm Likely Leaving
12 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss a recent Twitter thread about structural engineering career angst and parallel issues we have observed in the architectural profession.
#185 - Architectural Levels of Pain
08 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Cormac tells us a story of superstitious happenings, and we discuss the true meaning of three seemingly innocuous words that show up on so many drawin...
#184 - Are You A Worker?
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Cormac and Evan discuss the sentiments expressed in the recently posted 'Letter to a Young Architect' by critic Kate Wager in Architecture Review.
#183 - How To Take Notes
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Evan and Cormac talk about having too many digital input devices to maintain clarity while working.