The Building Culture Podcast
Episodes
#46 Jan Sramek: California Forever - Building the Next Great American City
13 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Jan Sramek, Founder and CEO of California Forever, to talk about one of the most ambitious development efforts in the...
#45 Aleksandr Gampel: Reinventing Homebuilding with Mobile Micro-Factories and Cuby Technologies
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if the future of affordable housing doesn’t come from prefab or 3D printing, but from building vertically integrated factories that travel to w...
#44 Ann Sussman and Kelsey Bradley: Cognitive Architecture – Stone Age Brains In A Modern World: What Neuroscience Can Teach Us About Making Places People Love
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if the key to designing better cities wasn’t just in concrete, code, or cost, but in understanding how our brains actually work?In this episode...
#43 Isaac French: You Can Just Do Things – How a First-Time Developer Built One Of The Most Beloved Retreat Brands In The Country
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I talk with Isaac French, founder of Live Oak Lake and one of the most thoughtful voices I’ve come across in the world of experient...
#42 Charles Duff: North Atlantic Cities - The Forgotten Blueprint for the Future
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New episode out now with Charles Duff, author of The North Atlantic Cities. This is one I’ve wanted to record for years, ever since I read his book....
#41 Joachim Tantau: Sacred Geometry, Beauty, and the Universal Language of Nature
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Joachim Tantau–a cabinetmaker, artist, teacher, and occasional architect to explore the quiet power of sacred geome...
#40 Inflation, Architecture, and the Death of Beautiful Buildings - a Yoeman Podcast Guest Episode
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A hundred years ago, people in small towns were building things that still stop us in our tracks. Two-story brick shops on the corner of Main and Comm...
#39 Alli Thurmond Quinlan - The Field-Tested Guide to Terraforming Your City
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You’re not supposed to be good at everything. But somehow, Alli is.Architect, landscape architect, developer, GC, policy reformer, zoning translator...
#38 Jeral Poskey: Urban Transportation of the Future? Retrofitting Suburbia with Swyft Cities.
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I talk with Jeral Poskey, former project executive at Google, and current Founder and CEO of Swyft Cities, about a radically differen...
#37 Ryan Johnson: Culdesac - Building America’s First Car-Free Neighborhood From Scratch
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I talk with Ryan Johnson, co-founder and CEO of Culdesac, about building the United States’ first car-free neighborhood from scratc...
#36 Stephen Smith: Safety vs. Sanity: The Surprising Cost of Over-Regulating Our Built World
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Stephen Smith, founder of the Center for Building, to uncover the labyrinthine world of building codes—how they’r...
#35 Moses Kagan: Building Generational Wealth with Generational Assets - "Indefinite Holds" in Real Estate
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Moses Kagan has a unique take on real estate development and investing – and he’s influenced my thinking substantially over the past couple of yea...
#34 Coby Lefkowitz: Building Optimism - Rethinking Cities, Architecture, and the Future of Urban Design
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if our cities weren’t just places we lived, but places that made us feel alive? In this episode, we welcome back Coby, an urban planner, develo...
#33 Matthew Plechan: How to Paint Masonry. The Durable, Breathable Beauty of Mineral Stains.
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Most Americans think painting brick is as simple as grabbing a bucket of latex or oil-based paint, but this common approach can wreak havoc on your ho...
#32 Citymakers Collective: Empowering the Next Generation of Architects, Developers and Builders
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I’m excited to share this conversation with Will McCollum and Matthew Marshall, the passionate minds behind Citymakers Collective. This summer, the...
#31 Wrapping Up the Year: Building a Business, Management, Branding & Vision, Tech Stack, Resources, Updated Thinking, and a Merry Christmas from Building Culture
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hi everyone! I’m excited to share our final episode of the year, marking one full year of the Building Culture Podcast! This episode is a solo refle...
#30: Sarah Campbell: All About Windows for Design Nerds
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Sarah Campbell, an architectural consultant at Sierra Pacific, to explore the key details that matter when selecting one ...
#29 DEBATE: Chuck Marohn & Nolan Gray - Strong Towns & YIMBY Approach to the Housing Crisis
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Chuck Marohn from Strong Towns and Nolan Gray from California YIMBY to tackle one of the most pressing issues of our ...
#28 Jen Griffin: Fast-Tracking Affordable Housing: How Pre-Approved Building Plans Are Enabling Infill & Changing Communities
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sat down with architect and advocate Jennifer Griffin to delve into real-life examples of missing-middle, pre-approved plan program...
#27 Steve Mouzon: Catching Up with an OG in the New Urbanist Movement
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with OG Steve Mouzon, a well-known architect, designer and instigator of the New Urbanist movement, to explore the art of ...
#26 Daniel Herriges: The Strong Towns Approach to the Housing Crisis
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I sit down with Daniel Herriges, the new Policy Director for Parking Reform, and co-author of The Housing Trap, a book he wrote alongs...
#25 Jaime Izurieta: Reviving Main Street - Designing Authentic Experiences with “The Storefront Guy”
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I sit down with Jaime Izurieta, founder of Storefront Mastery, to explore the transformation of local businesses into powerful engines for community e...
#24 Thomas Dougherty: Designing a One Acre Infill Townhome Neighborhood & Good Suburban Development
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I invited Thomas Dougherty, or lead urban designer, back on the Podcast to discuss real life lessons behind several of our current projects at Buildin...
Welcome to The Building Culture Podcast
02 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Inspiring and equipping architects, developers, and anyone working in the built environment to craft a more beautiful and resilient world for people. ...
#23 Sara Bega: Las Catalinas - Building a Stunning Car-Free, Kid-Friendly, Multi-Generational Town
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Las Catalinas might be the most beautiful town built in the 21st century. And my guest today, Sara Bega, has stewarded its evolution as Town Archite...
#22 Alan Pullman: Creating Meaningful, Mixed-Use Infill Projects that Make Our Cities Better.
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today I get to speak with Alan Pullman, founder of Studio One Eleven, an architecture, urban design and landscape architecture practice focused on hum...
#21 Bobby Fijan: Building Multi-Family Apartments for Families with Simple Adjustments
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I had the opportunity to speak with Bobby Fijan today, who sometimes refers to himself as the Bill James of floorplans. His focus? Building apartm...
#20 Rob Parker: Trilith President - Town Builders of the 21st Century and the New Walkable City
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Trilith is a newly built (and growing) walkable community located next to Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It is one of the most successful TNDs...
#19 Justin Mares - Pt 2: Fixing the Broken Food & Health Systems
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In part 2 Justin Mares and I discuss the broken food and health systems in the US and the need to prioritize human flourishing. We get into the weapon...
#18 Justin Mares - Pt 1: The Great American Poisoning
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Justin Mares is the founder of Kettle and Fire, Perfect Keto, and Surely Non-Alcoholic Wines, and is working on his fourth company: Truemed. I am su...
#17 Andy Boenau: Rethinking Traffic Engineering: Questioning Established Norms & Prioritizing Human Well-being in Urban Planning
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I got the chance to chat with Andy Boenau today, who sometimes refers to himself as a Plangineer, with a background in urban planning and engineering....
#16 Micah Springut: Revolutionizing Architecture with AI & Robotic Stone Carving
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Micah is the founder of Monumental Labs, one of the most exciting companies in the architecture and construction industry right now. It blends human...
#15 Matt Dean: Creating an Authentic Brand in Commercial Real Estate & Caring About People
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I get to chat with Matt Dean of Dean & Co, an award-winning agency that we at Building Culture hired to collaborate on our Townsen...
#14 Devon Zuegel: Building a People-First Town From Scratch with Esmeralda & Rethinking How We Live
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Devon Zuegel is planning a bold, people-centered town from scratch. She has a background in software engineering and has worked at some of the big fir...
#13 Philippe Block: The Incredible Future of Sustainable Construction
04 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I met Philippe Block while studying historic masonry structures in Spain last summer. He presented his work and I was blown away. He is a pioneering s...
#12 Ruben Hanssen: Dutch City Building; Beauty & Culture; Everyday Experience; Tradition v Modernity
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today I interview Ruben Hassan, a Dutch podcaster and founder of the Aesthetic City podcast. Ruben shares his journey from being an engineer to becomi...
#11 Thomas Dougherty: Infill Development; Smaller Scale & Vibrancy; Humanism
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today, I have friend and colleague Thomas Dougherty on the podcast. Last year Tom joined the Building Culture team as our lead Urban Designer. He stud...
#10 Coby Lefkowitz: Beliefs Inform Building; Personal Agency; Creating a Better World for All
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I'm thrilled to have Coby Lefkowitz on the show today. Coby is an urbanist, real estate developer, writer, and consultant based in New York, and I...
#9 Sam Day Pt. 2: Retrofitting Suburbia, Importance of Centers, Architecture School & Development
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today I'm dropping the second half of my conversation with Sam Day. In case you missed Part 1, head back to Episode 8 in our Podcast series to check i...
#8 Sam Day Pt 1: Tackling Housing, Retrofitting Suburbia, Land Value Tax & Infill Development
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the first half of today's episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with a friend and colleague, Sam Day. Sam is an architect, urbanist, and inf...
#7 R. John Anderson - An Insightful Journey From Tradesman to Developer
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today I sit down with the infamous and inspiring R. John Anderson, also known as 'R John the Bad'. We dive into John's unique story, from ...
#6 Matthew Myers - A Deep Dive on Community, Culture & Real Estate Development
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today I get to chat with my business partner and mentor Matthew Myers, a successful entrepreneur, syndicator and real estate developer of unique, infi...
#5 Austin Tunnell - Accepting Suffering, Finding Meaning, the Future of Building Culture
31 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Austin Tunnell shares a personal story of surviving a bus accident and the life changes and challenges he has faced since then. ...
#4 Trevor Acorn - The Future of Construction w/ Structural Mastery from a Structural Engineer
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Trevor Acorn, a structural engineer, discusses his background and experience in the field. He explains his interest in structura...
#3 Anthony Catania - Designing Vibrant Communities for PEOPLE
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Austin interviews Anthony Catania, an experienced architect and urban designer who specializes in New Urbanist communities and TNDs. ...
#2 Matt Hayes: What Every Architecture Student Needs to Know
15 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Listen in on the one-year anniversary of Matt Hayes joining the Building Culture team. Whether you're considering architecture as your field of st...
#1 Ashley Terry: Designing Neighborhoods For How People Want To Live - Wheeler District
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I was thrilled to have Ashley Terry, VP of Development for Wheeler District on the Building Culture Podcast. Wheeler District is a Traditional Neighbo...