Practice Disrupted by Practice of Architecture

How are architects disrupting the inefficiencies of the design and construction process?

The founders of CONCERT initially set out to design a technology solution to replace documents with digital instruments of service. They quickly realized they were designing a new value proposition of trust and protection in the documentation process.

Within most design studios, digital drawings and models are continually being updated throughout the design, construction and even operations process. CONCERT enables digital delivery with any file type, including PDFs and digital models, on The Concert Digital Exchange©, so that designers can secure and protect their IP.

In this episode, we’ll discuss blockchain, the economic forces at play in AEC, and the opportunity for architects to expand our agency through the development of technology.

Guests:

Adam Wilbrecht, AIA is a Principal at Cuningham Group Architecture and co-founder of CONCERT. A registered architect and specialist in both building and design technologies, Adam is an active member of the AIA’s CIO Large Firm Roundtable, as well as the AEC-IT Leaders Group, and the University of Minnesota Consortium for Research Practices.

Show Links:

getconcert.com

Cuningham.com

aecitleaders.org

Blockchain explained

Adam Wilbrecht on TRXL

What are best practices for the new digital-first workplace?

Future Forum enables leaders to reimagine work through data and dialogue, to create a people-centric and digital-first future of work.

Helen Kupp, Director of Product Strategy of the Future Forum joins Evelyn Lee and Je’Nen Chastain to share lessons learned from the Remote Employee Experience Index.

Future Forum has launched the Remote Employee Experience Index, a new quarterly report that will provide the data and analysis that organizations need to navigate this new world of work. To access the full global report, click here.

Guest:

Helen Kupp is the Director of Product Strategy of the Future Forum, where she leads membership program development, and strategic partnerships.

Previously, Helen led the Strategy & Analytics team at Slack, where she drove various cross-functional initiatives such as international launch and strategy, building our professional services offering, and leading Slack’s fundraising and direct listing efforts.

Before Slack, Helen held various bizops and product roles at Thumbtack and BloomReach, primarily focused on launching and scaling new initiatives. Prior to a career in technology, Helen was a consultant with Bain & Company.

Helen received a BS from Caltech and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She’s a new mom to a spunky 10 month old baby boy, and is passionate about advocating for and creating better support for working moms.

Show Links:

futureforum.com/blog

Remote Employee Experience Index

slack.com

Welcome back to Practice Disrupted! Hosts Evelyn Lee and Je’Nen Chastain launch season 2 with guest moderator Wanda Lau.

In 2020 Evelyn and Je’Nen set out to explore the evolution of architectural practice in a changing world. In the six months between the start of the podcast to the end of season 1, the world experienced rapid transformation into a post COVID world. 

In 2021 they’ll continue to investigate practice shifts in the architecture profession while discussing how the pandemic has prompted additional change. Together they’ll find new solutions to current challenges while elevating the value of architects.

Hosts:

Evelyn M. Lee, AIA, MBA, MPA is a licensed architect in the state of California, with over 15 years of experience working with individuals and companies that are looking to reshape their future. She is the founder of Practice of Architecture, the first-ever Senior Experience Designer at Slack Technologies, and the first female Treasurer to AIA National‘s Board of Directors.

Je’Nen M. Chastain, MBA, Assoc. AIA is the founder of Apostrophe Consulting, a management consultancy serving professionals in architecture. With 10 years of experience working in the field, she is known for content creation of programs, research, and resources that support next generation leaders. She frequently collaborates with the Practice of Architecture and the AIA.

Moderator:

Wanda Lau is an editor, writer, and podcaster covering technology, practice, and op-eds at ARCHITECT magazine, the journal of the AIA . She is an award-winning editor and writer who has covered everything from building codes to firm culture. She is also a host and producer of the ARCHITECT Podcast Network. Prior to joining ARCHITECT, she worked for a decade in the AEC industry as an owner’s representative, engineer, and communications director—but not all at once.

Show Links:  

practicedisrupted.com

http://practiceofarchitecture.com/ 

https://apostrophe.consulting/  

https://www.architectmagazine.com/author/wanda-lau 

Follow us on social media: @practiceofarch

Season 02 trailer

Hosts:

Evelyn Lee, Founder of Practice of Architecture & Senior Experience Designer for Slack Technologies

Je’Nen Chastain, Founder of Apostrophe Consulting

Moderator:

Dimitrius Lynch, Chief Creative Director for Gabl Media

Guest:

Rebekah Bukhbinder

Rebekah Bukbinder is an Art Director working in film and television. She has collaborated on notable productions including The Mandalorian, Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. A graduate of SciArc with a Master of Architecture, Rebekah’s background in architecture and fascination with the ephemeral has led her into the world of filmmaking and ultimately has informed a career in set design and world building. Her work in television and film transports audiences into imaginary worlds for people to experience.  She believes her career has been a balance of taking risks, and serendipitous moments that led her to where she was meant to be. 

You can see more of Rebekah’s work on October 30 when Season 2 of The Mandalorian airs. 

Show Links:

https://tinyurl.com/disneyplusTheMandalorian 

https://tinyurl.com/disneyplusTheRiseofSkywalker 

https://tinyurl.com/netflixTheDarkCrystal

Guest:

Leah Alissa Bayer, Founder and Managing Director of EVIA Studio

Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA, NCARB, LEED GA, is Founder and Managing Director of the architecture start-up EVIA Studio. First registered in 2017 in California, Leah is licensed to practice in CA, Hawaii, and Washington state and is based out of home offices in Palo Alto, CA and Bellingham, WA, while EVIA Studio serves clients throughout the Pacific States. A true multi-disciplinarian, Leah received her Bachelor of Architecture with an aerospace-centric thesis, a Minor in Fine Arts, and four years of structural engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2014.

Equally passionate about serving as a leader in practice for her profession as she is to her firm, Leah is dedicated to volunteer work. She is the AIA Silicon Valley Treasurer and incoming Vice President for 2021, founding Chair of the AIASV Practice Leadership Committee, Founding Co-Chair of the Architectural Intelligence Conference, Advisor to AIA National's Center for Practice, and Chair of the NCARB Experience Advisory Committee.

EVIA Studio isn't your traditional architecture firm. They’re an award-winning, 100% women-led, virtual team of diverse professionals spread across the country who are passionate about creating exceptional living spaces for everyone. From extra space for a growing family to a vibrant showroom for a new business, healthy affordable housing or a luxurious getaway - whatever it is, they've got you covered with their commitment to outstanding service and design. They believe buildings should look great, feel great, and do great things for our communities. 

Show Links:

https://www.eviastudio.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/eviastudio/ 

https://www.facebook.com/eviastudio/ 

https://twitter.com/eviastudios 

Related Podcasts:

https://tinyurl.com/entrearchitectLeahAlissaBayer

https://tinyurl.com/youngarchitectLeahAlissaBayer

https://tinyurl.com/insidethefirmLeahAlissaBayer

Guests:

Anne Foreman, Co-Founder of At Your Core

Steph Mann, Co-Founder of At Your Core

Anne is a cross-functional, values-oriented business leader who thrives when facilitating a team and simplifying and solving complex problems. She has worked for major companies including Method and Mattel, managing large brands, budgets and teams as well as go-to-market plans for start-ups with limited resources. She flexes from strategic to tactical to impact company values and operating principles.

Steph has 15 years of experience in brand management and management consulting, delivering profitable growth with a key focus on people leadership and strategic choices. She has always sought to improve organizational culture and team effectiveness and gets a LOT of energy from cultivating new connections and nurturing relationships in work and life.

Show Links:

Learn more at: www.atyourcore.co

Blog article mentioned in the show:

How to live your company values across the employee experience https://www.cultureamp.com/blog/how-to-live-your-company-values-across-the-employee-experience/

Client Interview with Tile’s CEO, CJ Prober:

https://www.atyourcore.co/2019/04/02/new-ceo-cj-prober-starts-with-trust-at-tile/

Stats worth sharing with your leadership team:

In an employee experience study, 80% of employees felt more engaged when their work was consistent with the core values of the organization.1  And, when employees are engaged, absenteeism lowers by 41%, productivity boosts by 7%, turnover lowers by 24%.2 Speaking of turnover, 84% of workers would consider leaving their current job if offered another role with a company that had an excellent reputation (and most would require only a 1-10% salary increase to make the move). 3 And attracting high talent is the goal here: companies with cultures that attract high talent enjoy 33% higher revenues.4

1. “Employee Experience Index” IBM White Paper, 2017 
2. “State of the American Workplace” Gallup, 2016
3. “Americans Would Rather Remain Unemployed than Work for Companies with Bad Corporate Reputations” by Elaine Quayle, HR Daily Advisor, October 2013
4. “Culture Wins By Getting the Most Out of People” Gallup, July 2018

Future leaders of the profession share diverse perspectives on architecture and the LGBTQIA+ community.

Guests:

Ryan Gann, Designer at Ross Barney Architects

A.L. Hu, Design Initiatives Manager at Ascendant Neighborhood Development

Lora Teagarden, Architect at RATIO

Yiselle Santos Rivera, Firmwide Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion at HKS

Amy Rosen, Sociospatial Designer at PLASTARC

Ryan Gann, Assoc. AIA

Ryan Gann has blazed a trail founded on service, leadership, and design. From his time as an engaged student leader to his expanding contributions to the built environment, Ryan has managed to stay ambitious while having fun along the way.

As a designer at Ross Barney Architects he has worked on some of the studio’s most ambitious civic projects. These architectural and urban design investigations have allowed him to collaborate with communities across Chicago and the world, expressing the role public space plays in everyday life.

Ryan is the recipient of the 2018 AIA Associates Award, Schiff Foundation Fellowship from the Art Institute of Chicago, and was the inaugural Architect-in-Residence at the Hyde Park Art Center. Ryan previously served on the national boards of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), and the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

A.L. Hu, Assoc. AIA

A.L. Hu is a queer, trans, nonbinary Taiwanese-American architect, organizer, and facilitator who lives and works in New York City. Their practice synthesizes organizing for racial, class, and gender justice with world-building and design; rethinks the architect’s role in facilitating accessible spaces; and manifests in design, visual media, and collaborative cultural work. They are a 2019-2021 Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow and Design Initiatives Manager at Ascendant Neighborhood Development in East Harlem. They shared their experiences on a panel of queer architects at the AIA National Conference on Architecture in 2019; was a Thought Leader at the AIASF Equity by Design Symposium in 2018; and received the 2018 AIANY Emerging New York Architects ARE Scholarship. They received a Master of Architecture from Columbia University GSAPP in 2017, and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with a minor in Sustainable Design from UC Berkeley in 2012.

Lora Teagarden, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Lora is an Architect at RATIO, headquartered in Indianapolis, and the founder of L² Design, LLC. A published author and creator of #AREsketches, her passion for the profession drives her to mentor young professionals and volunteer in her community. She is a 2017 Young Architect Award winner, the 2019 Chair of the Young Architects Forum, 2020 AIA Indianapolis President, and was recently elected as an At-Large Representative on the AIA National Strategic Council. Her website and blog offer unique insights into professional practice, together with inspiration and tips for young architects.

Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, NOMA, LSSYB, WELL AP, LEED AP

Yiselle Santos Rivera is a medical planner and the Firmwide Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion at HKS, Inc. With national and international experience on a broad range of healthcare, institutional, and commercial/mixed-use projects, she thrives on building belonging and designing for inclusion.

Seeking to empower the next generation of leaders, she co-founded the Latin American Interior Designers, Engineers, and Architects (LA.IDEA) DC Committee and founded the “Women Inspiring Emerging Leaders in Design” (WIELD) event, recipient of the 2019 AIA Diversity Program Recognition Award.

Mrs. Santos currently serves on the AIA National Board, the AIA DC Chapter Board, and is Advisor to the DC NOMA Board. She is a member of the AIA Equity and the Future of Architecture Board Committee, the New Urban Agenda Taskforce, and the AIA COVID-19 Health Impact Taskforce.

Yiselle is an author, storyteller, and recipient of the 2018 AIA Associate Award.

Amy Rosen

Amelia ("Amy") Rosen recently served as the 2018-2019 National President of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and the 2019 Student Director on the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2019 National Board of Directors.

Amy is currently working as a Sociospatial Designer at PLASTARC in New York City and is a 2020-2021 At-Large Representative on the AIA Strategic Council, where they serve as a co-convener for the Mental Health and Architecture Incubator. They were born and raised in Los Angeles, and moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2012, where they received a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Science in Sustainable Design from Carnegie Mellon University.

Amy applies integrated design methodologies to everything they do - seeking opportunities to tie architecture into systematic and fluid urban networks. Amy is an advocate for the power of design - to inspire, to unify, and to heal - and is especially passionate about queer space theory, efficient urban water management strategies, and innovative ways to blur the boundaries between the private and public realms. Using their architectural education as a backbone, Amy incorporates equity and social sustainability into their design process. Amy further leverages a passion for data, research, difference, and experimentation in order to unveil innovative design strategies that empower users and ensure a more resilient future. 

Show Links:

http://www.r-barc.com/

https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/solutions-and-innovation/rose-fellowship

https://ascendant.nyc/ 

https://www.l-2-design.com/

https://www.ratiodesign.com/

https://www.hksinc.com/

https://www.aiadc.com/committee/laidea

https://www.aiadc.com/event/wield-women-inspiring-emerging-leaders-design 

https://plastarc.com/ 

How are individuals using their training in architecture to explore diverse career paths?

Guest:

Wandile Mthiyane, CEO at Ubuntu Design Group

Wandile Mthiyane is an Obama Leader, Tedx Fellow, architectural designer, social entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of Ubuntu Design Group (UDG). Ubuntu Design Group is an architectural organization that focuses on social impact design projects ranging from individual housing to urban design scale. Influenced by his childhood experiences growing up in post-apartheid South Africa, Wandile founded UDG on the core idea that if apartheid architecture could be used to segregate and oppress, then community-led design should liberate and enable opportunities for all.

Learn more about Ubuntu Design Group:

Ubuntu Design Group exists to solve architectural design and financial inclusion problems of low-income communities around the world. Our mission is to empower inadequately sheltered families to overcome economic and social challenges and barriers, through innovation and collaboration in designing for the future vision of their home and community.

Show Links:

https://ubuntudesigngroup.org/

https://www.ubuntuasa.org/ 

related podcasts:

https://tinyurl.com/youngarchitectWandileMthiyane 

https://tinyurl.com/midnightcaretteWandileMthiyane 

articles:

1.https://www.archdaily.com/947507/i-grew-up-where-architecture-was-designed-to-oppress-wandile-mthiyane-on-social-impact-and-learning-from-south-africa 

2.https://archinect.com/features/article/150208185/undoing-apartheid-architecture-with-wandile-mthiyane

3.https://www.noma.net/news/the-architects-of-systemic-racism-south-african-wandile-mthiyane-tells-an-american-story-on-architizer/