MINDED podcast

A sculptural exploration of identity, heritage, and the future of electric mobility through the creative lens of artist Mattia Biagi and the design universe of Flying Flea.

What happens when a motorcycle becomes a material memoir - and an electric brand becomes a cultural platform?

Artist Mattia Biagi and Flying Flea’s Head of Brand Peter Beadle join MINDED to reveal how craft, symbolism, heritage, and innovation shaped MotoTotem, the first artist-led reinterpretation of the Flying Flea C6 unveiled during Paris Design Week.

In this episode, Yuri Xavier speaks with Mattia Biagi, the Los Angeles–based artist known for his expressive material language, and with Flying Flea to explore how the C6 became a sculptural object that bridges past, present, and electric futures. Together they discuss the role of craft in mobility culture, the symbolism of the Flying Flea frame, and the cultural significance of the Artbike movement.

Biagi reflects on how the collaboration became a memoir of his personal journey, incorporating Murano glass, Italian travertine, and leather embossed with the swallow motif. Peter expands the conversation into the brand’s broader creative vision: global activations, design-education partnerships, and an approach to mobility rooted in authenticity, heritage, and cultural storytelling.

This conversation moves through craftsmanship, material identity, artistic collaboration, mobility design, and the evolution of future-facing brands - offering a rare view into how art and electric engineering collide to create something timeless.

Why do some objects feel alive?In this episode of MINDED, designer Mathieu Lehanneur reveals the emotional, scientific, and instinctive forces that shape his work. Known for blending art, technology, psychology, and poetry, Mathieu explains why he sees objects as “stem cells” carriers of energy, memory, and human connection.We explore:• The emotional energy hidden inside objects• Why touch is the first test of good design• His process of adding, then subtracting• Childhood experiences that shaped his creative sensitivity• Designing the 2024 Olympic Cauldron• Survivalism and design in an uncertain world• Why legacy doesn’t matter but opening tiny doors doesThis is a conversation about the invisible life of objects, the meaning of creativity, and how design shapes the way we feel, think, and interact with the world.Chapters:00:30 — Becoming a designer04:00 — The art of subtraction07:00 — Objects as stem cells11:00 — Why touch matters15:00 — Objects revealing themselves22:00 — Opening tiny doors26:00 — Survivalist design35:00 — Book + film recommendationsIf you loved this episode, check out:• Antoine Picon — Architecture & AI• Michèle Lamy — Art, Chaos & Creation• Yinka Ilori — Joy, Color & MemorySubscribe for weekly conversations with the world’s leading creative thinkers.#MathieuLehanneur #DesignPhilosophy #EmotionalDesign #MindedPodcast #CreativeProcess #IndustrialDesign #DesignThinking #ContemporaryDesign

Antoine Picon is Professor of the History of Architecture and Technology at Harvard Graduate School of Design and one of the field's most rigorous thinkers on the relationship between technology, urbanism, and human experience. In this conversation, he reframes the questions everyone asks about AI and architecture. Rather than debating whether machines will replace designers, Picon asks what AI reveals about what it means to be human. What separates embodied intelligence from computational thinking? Is creativity actually the defining human quality, or is it something else entirely? He discusses architectural intention, the difference between buildings and buildings marked by human purpose, and why the real challenge of smart cities isn't technical capability but clarity about what we actually want. This conversation examines whether machines can understand what makes a place livable, and why answering that question requires understanding ourselves first.

Top Insights

• AI will shift architecture from creating forms to curating options.
• Smart cities introduce both efficiency and new urban fragilities.
• Digital perception reshapes how we experience materiality and scale.
• Ornament remains essential: it connects sensory experience with meaning.
• The biggest challenge ahead is reconciling digital innovation with planetary limits.
• Education is entering a 'cyborg phase' where human-machine authorship merges.
• Cities must redefine their relationship between the artificial and the natural.

In this conversation, Los Angeles–based designer Jamie Bush goes deep on the fingerprints of his work: calibrated proportion, playful scale shifts, and layered vignettes that bring warmth without relying on trends. He shares how a studio can stay curious across typologies and geographies—from historic restorations to a New Orleans hotel with deco and jazz-age notes—while keeping budgets honest and craft purposeful.Founder of Jamie Bush + Co., Jamie has led projects across the U.S. and abroad, from LA to London and Finland, as well as rural retreats in Canada and Santa Fe. Trained in architecture, he frames interiors as cultural legacy: spaces that should feel right today and still feel right decades from now. Rather than chasing novelty, he prioritizes proportion, material integrity, and the long view of stewardship.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction01:20 Current State of Los Angeles Design Community07:30 Working Across Geographies: London, Finland, Canada, Santa Fe10:21 Proportion as Fingerprint: Bush's Design Philosophy13:30 Working Across Diverse Styles and Typologies18:43 Creative Inheritance from East Coast Family20:45 Discovering Architecture at Tulane University23:13 Projects Now Take 5-7 Years (vs Historical 2-2.5 Years)26:30 Designing for Stewardship: The Silver Top Lesson28:48 Investment Value vs Artistic Vision31:04 Budget Honesty: $800 vs $2,400 Per Square Foot34:42 Team Exposure to Clients and Long-Term Relationships35:26 Control vs Growth: The Delegation Challenge37:50 Why Staying in One Aesthetic Lane Feels Pathological39:36 Bread-and-Butter Projects Fund Passion Experiments40:40 Creative Courage Increases With Age44:58 Father Ronald Bush and Family Pride48:20 The Best Compliment: Clients Copying Published Work50:16 Recommendation: Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino51:35 Recommendation: The Diplomat52:07 Future Guest Recommendation: Max Lamb KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED- Proportion, composition, and scale as design fingerprints- Designing for longevity and future stewards- Budget honesty: where craft matters and where it doesn't- Studio growth enabling creative risk through financial stability- Working across geographies and historical precedents- Why "playing safe rarely makes something enduring"- The financial structure of passion projects vs profitable work- Historic restoration: John Lautner's Silver Top house- New Orleans hotel with 1930s deco and jazz-age influences- How creative courage increases with age and experience💬 STANDOUT QUOTES"Proportion is the fingerprint.""To stay in one lane is sort of pathological to me. I'll wither up and die to do the same thing over and over.""Playing safe rarely makes something enduring.""The best homes are multi-generational homes that are passed down or stand the test of time.""Something that might cost $800 a square foot might cost $2,400 a square foot to do it extraordinarily well.""I feel very comfortable going out on the limb and challenging a client in a playful way. I don't care. I'm not fazed by those things."ABOUT JAMIE BUSHJamie Bush is an interior designer with 30 years of practice in Los Angeles. Trained in architecture at Tulane University, he founded Jamie Bush + Co., working across typologies from historic restorations to hospitality to residential retreats. His philosophy prioritizes proportion over style, stewardship over trends, and long-horizon thinking over short-term aesthetics. Bush's work has been featured in Architectural Digest's AD 100.Website: jamiebush.comGUEST RECOMMENDATIONSBook: Invisible Cities by Italo CalvinoTV Show: The Diplomat (starring Keri Russell)Future Guest: Max Lamb - London-based designerSubscribe for weekly conversations with leading creative figures in art, design, and architecture.

Will Meyer and Gray Davis, co-founders of Meyer Davis, share their design philosophy centered on "sense of place" and reveal how they create timeless luxury hospitality spaces for Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, and Del Vue Hotels.In this inspiring conversation, Will and Gray discuss their research-driven approach to balancing brand DNA with local culture, working with artisans and craftsmen worldwide, and why they choose timeless design over trends. From their recent projects in Dubrovnik, Sardinia, Mexico, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, discover how they became "humble interpreters" of place.🎯 KEY TOPICS:- Sense of place in hospitality design- Research-driven design methodology - Balancing luxury brands with local authenticity- Working with local artisans and craftsmen- Timeless design vs. trendy design- Four Seasons & Mandarin Oriental projects- Design partnership and collaboration- Materials that age beautifully- Trust-based client relationships- The creative process in design

Design legends George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg get candid about creativity, market speed, mentorship, and why soulful imperfection - and empathy - matter more than trends.

Juliana Vasconcelos: "I Spent 3 Days in Paris Just Thinking to Design Milan's Most Immersive Installation"Brazilian architect Juliana Lima Vasconcelos reveals how 3 days of silent led to creating one of Milan Design Week 2024's most immersive installations the Lavazza coffee experience.In this episode, Juliana discusses:- The 3-part experiential journey using pregnancy sounds and coffee textures- Why she uses meditation as a design strategy- How Brazilian materials transformed her career- Winning the CDA Award for Best Commercial Interior- Her approach to sustainable materials and AI in design- Growing up with a pianist grandmother and studying classical music- Strategic project selection and brand collaborationsJuliana Lima Vasconcelos is a Brazilian architect and interior designer based between Belo Horizonte, Paris, and London. She's been recognized by Architectural Digest Italy as bringing "Made in Brazil to the world."🎧 LISTEN ON:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/minded-podcast/id1431518294Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5JxKVhZ46mHTZ7eZ0STgHWWebsite: https://www.mindedpodcast.com/⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction02:15 The Lavazza Installation: Concept & Process08:30 What is Experiential Design?12:45 Working with Maria Cristina Didero & Timeline18:20 Career Turning Point: Architecture to Installations24:10 Winning the CDA Award28:35 Sustainable Materials & Future of Design35:50 AI in the Design Studio40:15 Growing Up in Brazil & Musical Influence46:20 Recommendations: Books, Films, Future Guests#JulianaVasconcelos #MilanDesignWeek #ExperientialDesign #Architecture #InteriorDesign #BrazilianDesign #Lavazza #DesignPodcast #MINDEDPodcast #SustainableDesign #CDAawards

What does it take to design entire worlds for Marvel's Fantastic Four and Loki?

How do you translate a script into an immersive cinematic environment? What makes retro-futuristic design work? Is perfectionism helping or hurting your creative process? How do you balance art with the logistics of massive productions? What's AI's real impact on creative innovation?

In this episode of Minded Podcast, production designer Kasra Farahani answers all of this and more. Host Yuri Xavier explores the craft, philosophy, and discipline behind some of cinema's most iconic universes - from Marvel's grandest stages to the emotional power of worldbuilding that feels authentically real.

What makes Rivian different from other EV brands? Jeff Hamoud, Chief Design Officer at Rivian, explains the company’s design philosophy: approachable yet premium, functional yet fun. In this conversation with Yuri Xavier on the MINDED Podcast, Jeff breaks down how Rivian balances form and engineering, creates vehicles that families and adventurers can both enjoy, and avoids the aggressive cues of traditional trucks. Plus, he shares book and film recommendations, and who he thinks should be the next guest.

https://www.mindedpodcast.com/

What happens when joy and grief share the same canvas?

Artist and designer Yinka Ilori joins MINDED to talk about designing emotional spaces, drawing from community, and how colour became his creative language. He shares the personal stories behind his vibrant work—and what it really takes to stay grounded while being seen as a public ambassador for joy.

We also discuss the promise and risks of AI in art, and why emotional connection still matters more than ever.

Topics:

• Purpose in creative practice

• Grief, joy, and emotional design

• AI and the future of public art

• Mentorship, memory, and heritage

• Building a studio that fuels imagination