Layers of Design Podcast

Hey! This episode wraps us the Global Architects theme and this years episode releases. We’re closing the podcast early this year to wrap up projects behind the scenes. I’d like to say a big thank you to our listeners, supporters and sponsors for tuning in throughout the year and I hope you enjoyed our conversations! I’m looking forward to exciting plans for next year but in the meantime, don’t hesitate to catch up on any episodes you may have missed.

Our guest today is Trevor is the Dean of the School of Design at Dunwoody College of Technology. He is an award-winning architect with over 25 years of professional experience. He has significant international experience; working on a wide range of architecture, landscape architecture and planning projects in Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States. In addition to his role as Dean, Trevor has taught architectural design at the Boston Architectural College, the City College of New York as well as the University of Minnesota and is a frequent guest critic at schools of architecture nationwide.

Prior to joining Dunwoody, he was a Senior Associate and Director of Operations at Snow Kreilich Architects, the recipient of the 2018 AIA Architecture Firm Award. From 2000 to 2016, he co-founded and led an architecture and planning studio on the island of Grenada, completing more than 30 built projects. The work of his firm has been published extensively in journals and books as well as being exhibited at the 2021 Architecture Biennale in Venice.

This episode was refreshing! I appreciate Trevors honesty in navigating the worlds of architecture practice and academia as a Global Architect. He gave us insight on practicing in different countries, why he had to break out of the crowd and differences between practice and academia.

Nmadili Okwumabua is a cultural designer, urbanist and educator in African architecture and community planning. Her passion for design is rooted in a vision where communities in Africa and the Diaspora are developed with new architectural languages that preserve heritage, and are culturally and environmentally sustainable. In 2005, she founded Southern Sahara USA, an international consultancy specializing in the research and development of this new architecture. 

Nmadili Okwumabua attended the University of Tennessee and Georgia State University, where she pursued undergraduate studies in architecture and urban studies. She holds a masters degree in African and African American studies from Clark Atlanta University, where her research centered on the evolution of modern vernacular architecture in Nigeria. In 2013, the fruits of these efforts gave birth to the Community Planning & Design Initiative, Africa, (CPDI Africa), a research-based, culture-inspired initiative created to develop new African architectural languages through design competition. Believing that the redevelopment of Africa's built environment should be as it has always been, built as a collaborative effort between the community members and designated master builders, Ms. Okwumabua engages participation from the design community throughout the African Diaspora, for the accomplishment of the CPDI Africa vision.

In this episode we dive deep into Nmadili's journey in the world of architecture and design, some challenges she took on while exploring what architecture meant for her and why she founded CPDI Africa as well as what the future looks like for her organization.

Link to CPDI Africa: https://cpdiafrica.blogspot.com/

Tune into the first Architecture & The Culinary Space episode!

Architecture & The Culinary Space hosted by The Layers of Design Podcast as part of the Design X Community, is a unique dining and design event aimed at bridging the gap between architects and the public. The event consisted of an intimate dinner with 20 guests, a conversation with the architect, Clayton Daspit and interior designer, Callie Harris of the By George Restaurant at The Candler Hotel, a tour of the hotel, and a delicious dinner. This series offers a unique opportunity to experience dining from an architect's perspective, while connecting with like-minded individuals.

Event Recap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg3ib21FMI0

Shruti Shankar, AICP brings over a decade of design, planning and sustainability experience to Studio One Eleven in her role as Urban Design Director. Her work focuses on creating sustainable and equitable urbanism, and vibrant urban places by combining data-driven insights, design thinking, community engagement and collaborative city-building practices. Shruti holds a Bachelors’ degree in Architecture and a Masters in Urban Design, as well as a global certification in sustainability.

In this episode, she shares the different countries she had the opportunity of studying architecture in and how it helped shape her perspective in her work today. Shruti is a very thoughtful designer and she shares great insight on what it means to be a "Global Architect"

Full Bio

Shruti Shankar, AICP brings over a decade of design, planning and sustainability experience to Studio One Eleven in her role as Urban Design Director. Her work focuses on creating sustainable and equitable urbanism, and vibrant urban places by combining data-driven insights, design thinking, community engagement and collaborative city-building practices. She is experienced in a variety of project types, including visioning, master planning, public space design, and tactical urbanism

for placemaking and testing improvements. Shruti is currently leading efforts on a design manual for outdoor dining for the City of West Hollywood and a study to assess the potential for redevelopment of commercial sites to housing in the South Bay, including site utilization and density studies. She also led the Downtown Huntington Beach and Main Street Urban Design Study to assess the potential for placemaking improvements, and was involved in crafting the vision for the Glendale Arts and Entertainment District. Shruti holds a Bachelors’ degree in Architecture and a Masters in Urban Design, as well as a global certification in sustainability.

Link to Studio One Eleven: https://studio-111.com/

This is the last episode in the Architecture and the community theme. The last few episodes have been all about architects, designers and why we think we should be seen in communities. I decided to give us a bit of a break in the lineup of design professionals and bring in someone in the creative space but not necessarily in the design profession to hear their thoughts. So, in this episode, I have a conversation with Kenzie Rowland.

Kenzie Rowland is a comedic actress, writer, TEDx Speaker, mental health advocate and host of her podcast Therapy Would Be Cheaper. Kenzie’s dedication to mental illness advocacy has run parallel with every creative endeavor she’s taken on. Open with her own diagnosis of OCD, Kenzie seeks to uplift others with mental illness through her own vulnerability, sense of self and always, her sense of humor.

So in this episode, we talk about design, architecture and comedy but we also really lean into dealing with mental health as creatives. Since the month of May is wrapping up, I’m inclined to focus on the importance of mental health in a profession that challenges us daily. I met Kenzie about a year ago at our neighborhood Barre studio where she’s an instructor. She is both thoughtful and intentional! Her journey through dealing with mental health as a creative is inspiring. Between Kenzie's podcast about mental health and her experience with mental health just like most of us, she left us with some very insightful tips.

Link to Therapy Would Be Cheaper: https://www.therapywouldbecheaper.net/

Link To Kenzie's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uux6N06JMEw

Welcome to this weeks episode!

As vice president of research and insights at OFS, Doug brings more than 15 years of experience collaborating with product and interior designers from around the globe. A well-respected and expressive thought leader in the design industry, Doug is also the host of the highly-rated Imagine a Place podcast that inspires connection and collaboration, while exploring the role place plays in people’s lives. He has hosted guests from Fortune 500 companies and aspiring entrepreneurs alike, facilitating authentic conversations about everything from the latest workplace trends to neuroscience and architecture. In addition to these accomplishments, Doug is a passionate storyteller and published children’s book author. He loves talking about his career and his four keys to personal growth (Humility, Creativity, Optimism, “Go Giver” Mentality), which he often shares with the younger professionals he mentors.

In this episode, Doug gives us a peek into his story as he shares what draws him to design, some lessons he’s learned as a podcast host, the value of design and he got me rethinking the idea of human centric design - to name a few. Doug's approach to his work and interactions are thoughtful. Our conversation reminded me why I enjoy meeting so many design professionals and sharing their unique stories!

Link to Imagine a Place Podcast: https://ofs.com/imagine-a-place/podcast

Link to Design Your World book: https://a.co/d/d6lpqb3

This weeks episode is with an "experienced Owner with a demonstrated history of working in the architecture & planning industry. Skilled in AutoCAD, Revit, Interior Build outs, Adaptive Reuse, Strong business development professional with a Bachelor of Science (BS) focused on Architecture from Tuskegee University, I have a conversation with, Monica Fenderson, owner of MOSA Architects. 

Georgia Department of Transportation DBE and NY/NJ Port Authority MBE, North Carolina Historical Underutilized Business, City of Atlanta SBE, AABE, FBE"

This was a fun, inspiring and educational episode! Monica was so open in sharing her knowledge and experience with us. We covered so much from why she chose Tuskegee University, to her love for fashion, motherhood in the industry and why she decided to write a book on her journey. I walked away from our conversation feeling like I could take over the world and it was a beautiful reminder that all our paths are different and we need to recognize and embrace them. Let’s get into it!

Link to MOSA Designs: https://www.mosaarchitects.com/

Link to purchase her book: https://a.co/d/8ThmOYo

This week's guest is Emmanuel Garcia, a project architect at Wheeler Kearns Architects in Chicago and the president of Arquitectos, The Society of Hispanic Professional Architects in Chicago, IL. At WKA, Manny has led institutional, commercial, and educational projects including the Purple Llama Coffee & Record Shop in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, schematic design for Ednovate’s USC Hybrid High in Los Angeles, and the Chapel of St Joseph at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Des Plaines, IL – which has received several awards including an Interfaith Design Award from Faith & Form and an Interior Architecture Award from AIA Chicago. In 2021, Manny helped transform a former bank building into a welcoming new headquarters for the North Lawndale Employment Network, a nonprofit on the West Side of Chicago whose clients include citizens returning from incarceration and others who face the day-to-day financial hardships of poverty.

Apart from his experience, Manny gives us so much insight into creating community spaces, building relationships and working with members of the community to create thoughtful projects. This episode is very informative and I particularly appreciate the tips Emmanuel give to young designers pursuing community oriented design.  

Link to Emmanuel's full bio: https://wkarch.com/person/emmanuel-garcia/

Learn more about Arquitectos: https://arquitectosinc.org/

This week, I have the privilege of conversing with Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE, the Chief Executive Officer of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) which is a dynamic network of more than 96,000 architects and design professionals throughout 200 chapters committed to enhancing the built environment.

Woods previously served as President & CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) where she led efforts to expand the organization’s programs and markets while growing and strengthening its membership base.

Prior to joining NIBS, she was the Sr. VP & Chief Marketing Officer at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), where her team was responsible for all marketing and revenue-generating programs – including marketing the International Builders Show, sponsorship sales and partnerships with major national companies.

Woods is the author of the book "Never Get Their Coffee: Empowering Fearless Leadership" and currently serves as Chair of the Board for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She also currently serves on the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland School of Architecture, previously served as Vice Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council Board of Directors and is a global speaker. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland in College Park and lives with her husband and daughter in Howard County, Maryland.

Lakisha's involvement and dedication to serving and advocating for the built environment and its professionals is admirable. Stop by the show notes to read her full bio including various organizations she has held or holds leadership roles in. 

Being on the board of AIA Atlanta, I’ve had the chance to learn and experience the impact this organization has on members and the profession as a whole. So, having a conversation with Lakisha Woods about some of the work AIA is doing to enhance the value of our profession was inspiring! As always, I hope you enjoy

Link to AIA National Website: https://www.aia.org/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=aiamem-search&gclid=CjwKCAjwiOCgBhAgEiwAjv5whLIZmWcPOfrdpkEb8441iheHyf-4ky6EdbYMNqKkStlWY-fOnqVLrBoCJ7oQAvD_BwE

Link to America By Design: https://www.bydesign.global/americabydesign/architecture/architecture-episodes

This episode is brought to you by American Metalcraft, Inc: https://americanmetalcraft.com/