#495 - EKATERINA SOLOMEINA, Creative Director & Co-founder of Future London Academy
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Ekaterina Solomeina, Creative Director & Co-founder of Future London Academy. The three discussed Ekaterina’s background, the creative vs logical brain, working with Michael Wolff, talent vs learning, entrepreneurship as creatives, starting Future London Academy, FLA programs, participant selection process, designing a learning program that works, AI & adaptability of the program, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT EKATERINA
Ekaterina Solomeina is a creative director, TEDx speaker and co-founder of Future London Academy - an executive school for creatives recognised by Don Norman Design Award, It's Nice That, Dezeen and AIGA.
For 20 years, she worked as a creative director with icons like Michael Wolff and Donatella Versace and co-wrote a book about British Design.
In 2013, she co-founded Future London Academy, revolutionising how creatives connect, learn and lead – uniting thousands worldwide and inspiring them to scale their impact. Future London Academy's alumni lead design at the most iconic companies, including Apple, Nike, Netflix and BMW.
She also hosts Creative Capes, named top design podcast by Wallpaper and Smashing Mag, where she interviews icons like Don Norman, John Maeda, Maria Giudice, Kate Stanners and Stefan Sagmeister.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Ekaterina's background.
(04:09) Creative vs logical brain.
“In architecture, you need a combination of creative and analytical skills, and I believe that is the best combination for any job. You’ll have situations where you need to come up with new ideas and solve problems creatively and non-linearly, and you have to have this ability not to be afraid of something that is so fuzzy and unknown. On the other hand, you have to have these divergent thinking where you can analyze ideas, decide on things, and come up with solutions. The best people out there have some sort of combination of both. That translates into entrepreneurship as well. When you are a founder, you have to be very creative in many situations because there are problems that you've never solved before. But you also need to have some sort of structure and system.” (04:37)
(10:46) Working with Michael Wolff and Versace.
“Michael Wolff said that, “The number one muscle you need to train as a creative is curiosity.” When you sit in a restaurant with him, he will notice 5 million things that you didn't. That ceiling, that window has this color; that waiter’s earrings are so beautiful. He would constantly notice things everywhere. He always said that every time he leaves his house, he sees the world for the first time because he has never seen this version of the world before. I think it's so incredible to have this mindset of never being bored of what you see, even if you're taking the same route, even if you live in the same house. To constantly be surprised by something you haven't seen, because yesterday was a different day. He still has this mentality, even when he's over 90, he cannot be bored. I think that's how we should live our life, to be creative at any age.” (16:09)
(19:22) Storytelling skills talent vs learnt.
(25:19) Entrepreneurship as creatives.
“There is this extra set of skills that is needed when you reach a certain point in your career. Roughly 15 plus years in, you’ve nailed your craft and succeeded within your creative field, but then you feel like you’ve hit the ceiling. Knowing more design skills are not going to take you anywhere further. But you also don't know what you don't know. What do I even need to learn to get to the next level, whether it is to become a Chief Design Officer, or whether it is to scale my company? That was the question that I had in my mind and I didn't have an answer. So I went and spoke to the top CEOs and CFOs, understanding how they got to where they are, what did they need to learn? I also talked to the top academic institutions, understanding what MBAs are, and what is actually helpful and what is not important. It was very helpful to understand what a more holistic approach to design leadership, scale, and next level career looks like.” (27:21)
(37:46) Starting Future London Academy.
“We had a few people who did MBAs and then went to study our program. They basically said that everything you learn on a traditional MBA can be Googled. In any traditional MBA, you are given case studies from 20 years ago, you are given frameworks from books that you could read and download, it's all out there, there’s nothing new. But the thing that's missing is how does it apply to real life? How do you use these things to grow your business, or to run your team, or to hire people? That's why everyone who goes through our program says that it is actually incredible to see real CEOs teaching you how they look at metrics, or what their day to day life looks like, how they make decisions, and how they frame everything to make sure that they prepare for growth or different seasons in the company. That knowledge can't be found anywhere, because these people are not really interested in sharing or writing blogs and books about it.” (41:10)
(43:13) Future London Academy program.
(50:26) Future London Academy participant selection process.
(57:01) Designing a learning program that delivers results.
(01:04:06) Future London Academy cohort size.
(01:07:14) Relationships built in the academy.
(01:10:56) AI & adaptability of the program.
(01:12:51) Ekaterina's favorite building.
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#493 - RODERICK BATES, Senior Director & Product Operations at Chaos
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Roderick Bates, Senior Director & Product Operations at Chaos. The three discussed AI and the future of Architecture, adapting & adopting AI tools, how Chaos is working with AI (material generating, render enhancing, building performance analyzing, and as a collaboration tool), construction documentation, client experience, AI 3D vs 2D capabilities, pre and post AI render workflow, the fragility of the architecture profession & how AI can help, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT RODERICK
Roderick Bates has made a career out of seeking and developing solutions to complex design challenges. As the Senior Director of Product Operations at Chaos, he is responsible for tracking the industry and market trends shaping the way Chaos customers work, both today and in the future. He collaborates with technology partners, customers, and Chaos product and R&D leaders to assess new product opportunities that will shape the future design.
Previously, as a Principal at KieranTimberlake, he led the efforts to develop and commercialize software and hardware tools used by the greater AEC community to improve the environmental and operational performance of buildings.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) AI in Architecture.
(06:32) Adapting and adopting AI.
“Organizations just have to dive in and face their fear of emerging technology. I think there's a lot of concern that these things can be overly intimidating. Our CEO actually vibe coded her own website and presented it the other week. She's not going to win a design award, but it does show that if you are willing, someone who has zero knowledge of coding was able to actually create and deploy a website using AI tools. That's the kind of capability that's really remarkable in the sense of what it means for practices. You can actually take these AI tools and do very sophisticated things, as long as you have an idea of what you want to do. But for a company, it's also a lesson that you just have to do it. You have to move fast and not be afraid to jump in with these tools to try and experiment.” (09:27)
(14:07) How Chaos is working with AI.
“I really don't want AI features that are tacked on. Everything that we're doing with our AI features has to be part of a workflow. We have an ecosystem of tools, and within the context of that ecosystem, AI needs to function across all of our various software and accelerate workflows between them. We have 30 years of history within the industry. That means that we understand visualization probably better than anyone. If we're releasing an AI feature, it's going to reflect that legacy of knowledge. We're making updates every month, and we're constantly finding ways to improve them so that these AI tools really do serve the needs of the true professional. There are a lot of AI tools, and a lot of them are okay, but there are not many that really make people give up their traditional workflow because it's so much better.” (14:59)
(17:21) Chaos AI material generator.
(22:23) AI render enhancer.
(26:53) Building performance analysis.
(33:33) Collaboration tool.
(36:53) Client experience.
“We're hearing about clients coming to the architect with something that they've generated via AI, for better or worse. They're coming with a house that they rendered according to what they want. They are also starting to take a render or visuals that’s shared by the architect, and they're adjusting it via AI to reflect what they imagine in their mind, and then sharing that as part of their feedback. So it's a very different review process. Part of this is that we're also looking at a shift in who the client is. That client is getting younger, and they grew up in a different digital environment and expectation of how communication should work. Perhaps nowadays people expect a lot more rapid and frequent communication.” (38:19)
(42:16) How AI will change Architecture.
“If you look at where AI is going, you are starting to see more opportunities for automation in architecture processes. You know that an AI-generated building is coming. Autodesk invested $200 million in World Labs, which basically creates a Gaussian splat from a prompt, and it looks like a world that you can navigate. AI capabilities are starting to erode other aspects in architecture, like visualization. Then what is the architect doing? Architects are providing a fundamental service that is going to give a superior experience to the client. I think you need to be very sympathetic about what that client wants if you're going to be providing a superior service versus your bottom-feeder, full AI firm, which you know is coming. Then you're going to have really high-end stuff, and probably a lot of people having to compete in the middle for clients. I think that competing on service is going to be huge, and part of that service is you let the client explore, have fun, and let it be a little bit of a design negotiation with them.” (42:21)
(47:16) AI site enhancer.
(50:48) AI 3D vs 2D capabilities.
(54:05) AI-generated construction documentation.
(55:57) Pre and post AI render workflow.
“The ability for a lot of these AI tools to function as a very, very patient teacher is nice. I think it can present a whole new way for people to learn how to use various tools, and how to visualize by essentially interacting with and asking AI how to achieve your vision. You're not finding a person who can teach you; you can just ask AI, and you can get your answers. It's a very different way of learning and understanding how to use the software.” (01:01:28)
(01:02:18) How different-sized firms are adopting AI.
(01:06:26) Experiment with AI.
“Any major shift in the industry induces strong reactions. When BIM came about, it was a big deal. When parametric architecture came about, people thought it was going to ruin architecture, and we're going to do the same types of buildings. And look at where we are years later. I think any time there is something new that’s disrupting the flow of things, there is a reaction to it, which is usually rejection and fear. But I think once we get to understand it, play with it, and try it, we are each going to find our own way of using it. That's what's going to create the new wave of architecture, and I think that's going to be super interesting.” (01:06:27)
(01:09:31) AI expediting production of good architecture.
(01:12:34) The fragility of the architecture profession & how AI can help.
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#491 - CHARLES DURRETT, Principal Architect of The Cohousing Company
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Charles Durrett, Principal Architect of The Cohousing Company. The three discussed Charles’ education background & research project, influencing culture change through co-housing, what is co-housing, how does a co-housing project start, leading a co-housing project as an architect, what draws people to co-housing, building community, cost of construction, how to increase no. of co-housing projects, maximum and minimum of co-housing residents, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT CHARLES
With a career dedicated to designing sustainable, community-oriented spaces, Durrett is widely recognized for his contributions to cohousing and collaborative living environments. His expertise merges architectural excellence with socially responsible design, making him a leader in shaping inclusive and sustainable communities.
In 1985, Charles Durrett coined the term “cohousing” based on the Danish concept of bofællesskaber, which translates to "living communities." After dedicating years of research in Denmark, Charles Durrett, with Kathryn McCamant, introduced the concept of cohousing to the United States with the seminal book Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves. Now with 40 years of experience, Durrett is dedicated to supporting the growth of new and diverse community-orientated housing projects. As an architect, he realized long ago that developing healthy environments requires starting with the culture and seeking a much wider array of issues than just the sticks and bricks.
Durrett and his team at The Cohousing Company have designed over 55 cohousing communities around the world, including Muir Commons in Davis, California, the first cohousing community in North America. His work has been featured in Time Magazine, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Guardian, Architecture, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and many other publications.
Charles Durrett has received numerous awards, some of which include the World Habitat Award presented by the United Nations, the Silver Achievement Award for Active Adult Community by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 50+ Housing Council, the Silver Energy Value Housing Award by NAHB, the Mixed Use/Mixed Income Development Award presented jointly by the American Institute of Architects and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and a recipient of the Global Over 50’s Housing/Healthcare award. He was also recently declared as a “visionary of the Sierras” by the Sierra Business Council, and the International Property Awards.
In 2023 Charles had the honor of personally meeting with the President of Iceland, Guꝺni Thorlacius Jóhannesson, to present his book One Life, Live It! He continues to devote his efforts to public presentations including two to the United States Congress and the American Institute of Architects. Along with scores of presentations to universities such as Princeton; Stanford; UC Berkeley; University of Oregon; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; University of Minnesota; Oklahoma State University; and his alma mater, California Polytechnic University. The Royal Danish University, School of Architecture, The University of Lund in Sweden; The Art and Architecture Institute of Iceland in Reykjavik; Simon Fraiser in Canada, and a dozen universities in Germany, and many more.
Continuing his commitment to education, Charles Durrett shares his expertise in architecture and affordable housing developments through teaching and presenting as a keynote speaker. His academic focus on community architecture and participatory design encompassing the development of affordable housing, mixed-use projects, public buildings, institutional and educational infrastructures, cohousing communities for neurotypical individuals, neurodiverse individuals, seniors, families, and facilities designed for children. All while addressing socio-economic and environmental challenges.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Charles' background.
(06:23) Charles' education & research project.
(11:57) Influence culture change with co-housing.
“I believe everybody has a little bit of Architect in them, and everybody comes to the table with values and experiences. So, my job is to get that to resonate with each other. They learn so much about themselves during a project, but what they mostly learn is how they manifest their beholding goals around living in a more sustainable place. We had finished a project where 23 out of 26 people were first-time homebuyers. We're constantly in the position of beer budget, champagne taste, and the champagne usually runs around sustainability. They had it in them; all it took was a little conversation about, “Has anybody been to a clear-cut forest lately and seen what it does to the habitat, watershed, and air quality?” Then all of a sudden the conversation was in short order. I offer them all sustainably grown lumber, and it costs about $2,500 a house, but they consent to that and we saved money on so many other things.” (14:20)
(16:50) What is Co-Housing?
“By definition, co-housing is about knowing your neighbor, caring about your neighbor, and supporting your neighbor. We have 3 acres for 34 houses, and we park all the cars on one side. Everybody has to walk some distance to get to their house, and the older people live closer to the common house. But we had an elderly woman who moved further away from the car park, and I asked her why she had moved. She said, “I find that my life is better if I know my neighbors, and I know my neighbors because I walk home.” There are also extensive common facilities to supplement the private houses, like we have two guestrooms, and we have dinners 4 or 5 times a week. Moreover, it is entirely self-managed. There's no management and every adult is on the board. Every decision is made by consensus. We meet two hours a month to accomplish that.” (18:44)
(23:33) How does a co-housing project start?
(30:45) Leading a co-housing project as an architect.
(36:06) What draws people to co-housing?
(47:17) Building community.
(51:00) Building co-housing through community cooperation.
“The only way you're going to be able to afford housing is if you get organized. And if you get organized, you'll get things done so much easier, so much better than if you go it alone. We have so much pull yourself up by the bootstraps in this culture that we make it harder, a lot harder than we have to be. When we started that project, the average house in Vancouver was $778,000. We had to make houses for 2 or $300,000. We could only accomplish that by cooperating and being super organized. What they did was buy two single-family houses and had it rezoned. Rezoning is challenging. Co-houses do it a lot, but it's very, very complex. This was a very old traditional single-family house neighborhood. We had 0.61 acres, and we had to make 31 houses on it. And, we did, it's affordable, lively, and beautiful. But they only did that by lobbying politicians, etc., because they knew how to organize. Most people don't even know how to begin to get organized.” (52:10)
(57:32) How co-housing members are replaced.
(01:00:12) Cost of construction.
(01:05:23) Distance between work and home.
(01:10:35) How to increase the number of co-housing projects.
(01:16:47) Maximum & minimum of co-housing residents.
“Don't build a co-housing community with more than 50 adults. You don't want to try to get a consensus with over 50 adults. But at the same time, try to get as close to 50 adults as you can, because that way every individual living there has 4 or 5 really great friends over the years. In other words, it all comes down to probability. The second reason is that, if you don't cap it at 50, the responsibilities get delegated a little bit too much and you start to feel like you have a mini city government. Of course, we have a lot of allocated responsibilities here, but the brainstorming and decisions happen a lot at the common meetings. The minimum no. of households should be 15. I’ve been to about 385 co-housing and any time there were less than 15 households, they would always say, I wish it was a little larger. It has to do with the probability of building close relationships. At 50 people, you're going to get that kind of probability working for you.” (01:17:35)
(01:19:37) Favorite building.
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#489 - ANTHONY LANEY, Architect & Founding Partner of Laney LA
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Anthony Laney, Architect & Founding Partner of Laney LA. The three discussed the making of Laney LA’s monograph, Genius Loci vs Tabula Rasa, when to respond to context, Laney LA’s design process, convincing clients to trust the design process, concept vs schematic design, client & architect co-authorship, how producing a book impacts the design process, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT ANTHONY
Anthony Laney is the founding partner of Laney LA, a Los Angeles–based architecture studio focused on designing thoughtful, enduring homes. His work explores how clarity, craft, and collaboration shape the experience of living, placing equal value on design rigor and human experience.
Anthony’s leadership also extends beyond design. He is a compelling voice on creative entrepreneurship and design process, frequently sharing insights about how rigorous thinking and empathetic collaboration drive enduring work. His recent monograph, Poetics of Home, offers a visual meditation on how architecture connects with identity, memory, and belonging.
Under his guidance, Laney LA’s work has been recognized with honors from the AIA and featured in Architectural Digest, Dwell, and Dezeen. A passionate advocate for design communication, Anthony has taught at the USC School of Architecture and through his practice, continues to inspire emerging designers to approach architecture as and exploration of clarity, craft, and human experience.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Making a Monograph.
(09:43) Reflecting on previous projects.
(14:08) Genius Loci vs Tabula Rasa.
“In a suburban context, I'm not always proud of the place. So we are trying to erase or edit the context and create these little walled gardens. Because I don't know if the genius loci, the spirit of the place, in a true suburban context, is timeless and rich in a way that is worth always celebrating. Sometimes it is. But when you're in a natural environment, that's where I think the genius loci can be so palpable and often become one of the most relevant starting points for a design. I think the most interesting blend for us is where you have some significant natural feature, meeting an urban or semi-suburban context.” (18:45)
(22:44) Difficulty of responding to context vs not.
(26:10) Laney LA's design process & discussion.
“One of the books that inspired our monograph is called ‘The Poetics of Music’ by Igor Stravinsky. He has this wonderful quote that says, “My freedom will be so much greater and more meaningful the more narrowly I limit my field of action and the more I surround myself with obstacles. So in a renovation, those obstacles are visual and very clear. But when working with more of the Tabula Rasa, a blank slate, those can be present, but they might be harder to find, harder to see. They're more intuitive. That's where I think it's so important to pause and identify the constraints. Otherwise, we're designers, and we're happy to just start drawing.” (31:59)
(34:25) Convincing clients to trust the design process.
“The ‘knowledge attachment correlation’ means we tend to grow more attached to things that we understand well. In other words, as comprehension grows, appreciation and affection grow. Architectural concepts can sometimes be too esoteric, and we lose our clients. But if I can keep a client not only interested in the concept, but if they can fall in love with it because they understand every piece of logic behind it, they become such an invested partner in the creative process. We want to make sure that both in the discovery phase and the concept phase, our clients are growing in their attachment to the main ideas because there will be many forces; scheduled, budget, and practical forces, that are going to threaten it. So if we have a good idea, it will stand the test of time. If we don't, let that idea be killed and let a better one be discovered later on.” (35:21)
(38:07) Concept vs schematic design.
“I'm not going to be dogmatic about fighting for the original concept. I will be dogmatic about fighting for a good concept. Sometimes it comes in the middle of the project, sometimes it comes in the beginning, sometimes it comes later. But we want to find it eventually because, in my opinion, great architecture is both intellectually stimulating and meaningful in the embodied experience. In other words, my favorite homes have a great story, and I don't need to walk inside them to be inspired. I can be told about the premise and the process, and I can admire that.” (39:53)
(43:38) Client & architect co-authorship.
“It's a combination of discipline and flexibility. The discipline is to find something poetic. That's dogmatic. But the flexibility is the humility to say we think we know what it is, reality is going to test and confirm or change that, and we're going to learn more. You can't imagine a 500-page novel on the first day. There's going to be surprises along the way. So I feel like architects are in this dance with the reality of attempting to predict the future, but also, hopefully inventing when we don't get it right.” (44:17)
(49:28) Sense of home & book audience.
(52:24) Rhythm of Home.
(54:43) Process of creating a Monograph book.
(01:03:32) How producing a book impacts the design process.
(01:06:08) Feedback on book.
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#487 - THOMAS ROWNTREE, Architect & Founder of Tomrowstudios
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Thomas Rowntree, architect & founder of Tomrowstudios. The three discussed how Thomas got into architecture, advice to prepare for architecture school, experience of architecture school & avoiding burnout, why Thomas started posting on social media, architecture marketing & social media presence, career timeline, Thomas’ book “Architectural Influence", why architecture profession is misunderstood, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT THOMAS
Thomas Rowntree is an architect and the founder of tomrowstudios, and one of the first and largest architecture-focused personal brands on social media. He has produced viral content that has reached millions of views, using digital platforms to inspire, educate, and guide designers around the globe. Thomas is also the author of Architectural Influence, a strategic guide to building an effective online profile and communicating the value of architectural work in the digital age.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) How Thomas got into architecture.
“I went into architecture with no preconceived ideas. I could go into it fully open-minded and think with a clean slate, with no one telling me this is how it normally works in practice, this is how we design buildings. I went into it fully clean and not really knowing what I was getting into. In so many ways, it benefited me, and it made me want to be curious about the profession and curious about what architecture even is. I still ask that question to this day. What is architecture? What is the role of the architect? That is a real purpose to the work that I do, which is that I'm still trying to question that.” (05:36)
(07:20) First year of architecture school.
(12:47) Advice to prepare for architecture.
(18:30) Architecture school experience.
“In the first few months of architecture school, I developed insomnia. I'd struggled to sleep for about three months because I put so much pressure on myself to do well and to be successful. But also, I'd got so caught up in the whole machine of all-nighters and everyone spending time in the studio until really late in the morning. You want to spend time with people, and in the studio, you want to be a part of that culture. But I realised pretty quickly that I couldn't sustain it. I couldn't finish my degree and go into a master's degree with this kind of mentality and way of working. I realised that I'm going to have to start building some systems and routines for me to start studying at certain times of the day to make sure that I can get my work done, so I'm not working late. So literally after the first year of university, I didn't do a late night after 2 a.m. for the rest of my architecture career.” (20:52)
(24:27) Avoiding burnout in architecture school.
(32:40) Why Thomas started posting on social media.
(40:51) Architecture marketing & social media.
“Practices that are more developed and mature, they have their own ways of getting clients on board. They're used to doing that, they understand that process, and it works for them. But they could be doing so much more with the opportunity of a free tool like social media. You can reach almost anyone anywhere in the globe in an instant. Obviously, it's huge; there's billions and billions of active users on social media. But for some reason, practices don't necessarily lean into it to build their clientele and to build their portfolio. Instead, they almost use it as a portfolio piece and a repurposing of website content. They just publish images, rather than leaning into it as, we can show you our value and the service that we can offer you. What is your unique selling proposition is as a practice?” (41:36)
“Confidentiality. When I've been working in practice, they've been very careful not to show the process. We can't necessarily show the behind-the-scenes because this is a confidential project. They don't want to give away the secrets to what makes their projects unique. You almost have to do the content after the fact. So once the process and the project is done, you then go back in time and then you talk through the process and document the process. I do think it's a massive shame. You are confining something that is useful for a client to see and understand how you work and your processes. By building a brand identity and a brand reputation, what it does is it gives you not only exposure to your brand and to grow your brand, but also to encourage potential employees to work with you. So it can attract talent as well.” (46:06)
(49:30) Social media presence & working in a practice.
(54:15) Thomas' career timeline, social media vs practice.
(01:03:57) Thomas' book ‘Architectural Influence’.
(01:12:27) Lessons learnt from writing the book.
(01:16:09) Architecture profession being misunderstood.
“There is a real opportunity for the general public to have an interest in architecture and generally understand how buildings are, how they work, and how they impact people. Then you have architects who are struggling to communicate it. I find that sometimes it's about simplifying it and just putting it down to the bare bones of the process, how you would build something. For an individual who was trying to build their practice, if they stood in front of a construction site and talked through the process of how it was actually being built and certain elements of the design, the general public would understand and be interested in that. Then it gives them exposure and it shows their expertise and also proof that they're actually building something.” (01:19:51)
(01:22:48) Thomas' favorite building.
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#485 - KIRK LAUTERBACH AND CHRISTINE KEGEL, COO and CEO of Blue Alpine Builders
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Kirk Lauterbach and Christine Kegel, COO and CEO of Blue Alpine Builders. The four discussed Kirk & Christine’s background, how they met, working with your partner, good contractor & customer service, contractors & architects working relationships, ideal client, architect and contractor relationship, understanding everyone’s needs & communications, advice for clients working with contractors, favorite place in Tahoe and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT KIRK & CHRISTINE
Blue Alpine Builders builds custom homes that blend intentional design with expert construction. Led by CEO Christine Kegel and COO Kirk Lauterbach, two professionals united by a belief that great homes should feel grounded, purposeful, and deeply personal. Christine shapes client experiences and design vision with creativity and strategic insight, while Kirk anchors projects with operational excellence and building science expertise. Together, they deliver custom homes that feel beautiful, and enduring — spaces where life unfolds with intention.
Kirk Lauterbach is the COO of Blue Alpine Builders, where he leads construction excellence, operational execution, and technical delivery. A second‑generation builder, Kirk’s journey in construction began in the foothills outside Yosemite, apprenticing under his General Contractor father and learning the craft firsthand amid the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada.
After working across Colorado, Washington, and Utah, Kirk returned to the Sierras in 2020 to build custom homes that reflect both place and purpose. When he’s not on a jobsite, you’ll find him making music or exploring the outdoors with his partner and their pups, continually inspired by the landscapes that shaped his path.
Christine Kegel is the CEO and Head of Design + Client Experience of Blue Alpine Builders, where she leads the creative vision, client partnerships, and overall business strategy. With roots in graphic design and brand strategy, Christine believes that thoughtful design builds trust, enhances daily life, and creates environments where people feel truly at home. She guides clients through the build process with clarity, care, and open communication, ensuring that every home reflects both function and personal meaning. When she’s not on a jobsite, you’ll find her hanging from aerial silks or swimming at the river with her 2 pups and Kirk in tow.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Kirk & Christine's background.
(13:37) How Kirk and Christine met.
(17:25) Working with your partners & roles.
“Homeowners have a busy life. They don't really care about all the nitty-gritty stuff. So I'm giving them the TLDR about what’s important. This is a multi-year relationship where you're building something together. It's inherently a collaborative process; it just doesn't work if people don't approach it that way. There needs to be someone who sees all the moving parts and knows how to distill that and communicate that effectively so that not everybody has to see the bird's eye view, but they do need relevant information. Subcontractors and designers need to coordinate with each other for it to be a truly cohesive project and not a house where all the rooms just feel off.” (26:42)
(30:39) Good contractor & customer service.
“Everybody has a different idea of what a General Contractor is or does. We've certainly interviewed clients before where they've hired us because they want to be in control of the job, they want labor, and somebody who can do it all. I've had to explain that's not what we do as a GC. If you want a framer, you can hire a framer. But the reason you would hire us is to oversee and manage the job. If we clarify that early on in the project, then I find there's less assumptions being made, and fewer of an ego battle where people are upset that we're charging them for a service that they are trying to do themselves because they don't understand what our role is.” (34:10)
“Being a good carpenter does not mean being a good business owner. I knew they were separate. I think there are a lot of very talented carpenters and farmers out there, but maybe they don't have a website [or other forms of formal contact]. I bet that a lot of the communication that the client wants is not going to happen. They're going to say, “Well, I don't have a website. I don't do computer stuff.” I'm hyper aware of how much money these projects cost when people are spending hundreds of thousands, millions of dollars. I think it's fair that they get updates and communication.” (39:04)
(42:30) Contractors & architects working relationship.
(49:20) Ideal client, architect, and contractor relationship.
“There’s a natural scope creep that happens when you get excited about creating. Specifically, in the last couple of years, it's been hard to nail down pricing just with how volatile the building cost has been. We've experienced before where we've gotten plans from an architect and bid them for a client, and the client's like, “Wow, that was double what I expected to pay. But I really still want to do this job.” We can still get them an update to their house and really figure out why they even want this remodel in the first place. How do we make their money have the most impact, even if we do scale down the scope? I hate to see the standoff where an architect won't compromise on the grand scheme of their vision, and the homeowner is just like, “I told you where my line was, and I'm not crossing it.” Then the project never gets realized, and that's sad.” (55:23)
(01:07:00) Understanding everyone's needs & communications.
(01:12:12) Advice for clients working with contractors.
“It does not matter what day we say the project will be done. The owner will almost always try and move that forward, thinking that we'll just squeeze it in quicker. It doesn't work like that. As soon as you move into that project, then we're getting texts on the weekends like, “When are you coming back to do that?” But you live in the house now. We had three subs in there who were in the middle of finishing, and it was apparently of the utmost importance that you moved in on this date that we never promised. Everybody has pulled their stuff out of the garage. That's not enjoyable for the client. It's not enjoyable for us because you just turned what could be another two weeks if we just had the place into two months. We had full-time work during those two weeks. You remove that, so now we're on another job.” (01:18:10)
(01:20:18) Favorite place in Tahoe.
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#484 - ERAN CHEN, Founding Principal of ODA Architecture
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Eran Chen, Founding Principal of ODA Architecture. The three discussed Eran’s background and education, moving to New York, early career, the business of architecture, establishing ODA, ODA design approach, multidisciplinary architect, exciting projects, maintaining design quality in a large office, his favorite building, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT ERAN
Since establishing ODA in 2007, Eran Chen has earned a reputation for mold-breaking designs that will deliver a better urban future. Having completed more than 50 buildings in just over a decade, he has become one of the most prolific architects in New York. Chen's work has been widely published around the world and recognized by the AIA, the Society of American Registered Architects and others. In addition to guest lecturing globally, Eran is also an Adjunct Professor at both Columbia University and New York University.
His recent projects include the renovation of the former Postkantoor in Rotterdam, an urban plan in Chicago, and the conversion of a defunct parking garage into a public park and class A office building in Buenos Aires. His writings on architecture have been published in ODA’s book, Unboxing New York.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Eran's childhood & background.
(04:22) Architecture education.
(09:25) Moving to New York.
(12:37) How Eran found success in New York.
“My philosophy is connected to these principles: clear vision and relentless pursuit. You need to have a clear vision and know exactly where you're going. Even if you change paths throughout, every time you change the path, at least you need to convince yourself that you know where you're going, because there's no time for hesitation. You have to have real clarity about your priorities and what’s important because it's so easy to lose focus. Everybody's trying to push you away from your vision. The second thing is pursuit, because a lot of people have that great vision, but they don't actively pursue that vision. The last and most important part of it is to be relentless. You have to be relentless.” (14:22)
(17:43) Early career.
(25:37) Success in the business of architecture.
“We can be great designers, but we can also be good business people. We should be able to look our clients in the eyes and sell our talent. I think our profession has a pretty severe challenge, where we come out of school, and we feel like we're not as convincing as the people who are working in industries of money. We're intimidated by that. We feel that because we care about design, how does that line up with the idea of business? It's a huge mistake. I didn't feel that way. I went to the developer, I looked him in the eye, and I felt equal. That feeling has allowed me to project a certain confidence on their behalf that I can get it done.” (26:39)
“The business part of architecture is not the goal, but it's an essential tool for us to be independent. It's an essential tool for us to stand strong behind our ideas and to be able to pursue them. It's very hard to do all of that if you don't have the backbone of business understanding. It doesn’t matter what you build; they all cost money. Somebody needs to pay for it, and people need to trust you with their money. It doesn't matter if it's institutions of private clients, you have to take them through this, and you've got to have the understanding of where they're coming from in order to be able to be successful.” (32:02)
(32:53) Establishing ODA.
(46:39) ODA design approach.
“We have now made what was intuition into philosophy. The first is that the human experience is the driving force for the design, not the function or the form. Every aspect of a building we design, we're not just thinking about how the building would satisfy the program or the function, but what type of human experiences can it generate that is unique? I call it form follows experience as opposed to form follows function. I think that in the modern world, the function is becoming secondary. You can do anything from anywhere. Right now, cities are not built based on what function they're giving, but the type of experience that it provides to the people who would propel them to go out, to gather, and to meet each other. That's the leading factor. So we ask ourselves, "What is this building going to do to enhance the human experience?”” (48:14)
(51:20) Multidisciplinary architect.
“It would be a mistake to not do it [architecture, interiors & landscape] under one umbrella, because the narrative needs to be one. How many times have you come up with an idea, a narrative, or an ideology for a building, and then they bring in interior designers who come up with totally different ideas? How they live together, to me, is a very weird situation.” (54:48)
(55:23) Projects that Eran is excited about.
(01:01:12) Maintaining design quality in a large office.
(01:03:38) Becoming a developer?.
(01:04:56) Eran's favorite building.
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#482 - NOAH ROTH, Founder of Streetcraft
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Noah Roth, Founder of Streetcraft. The three discussed Noah’s background and education, starting Streetcraft, the cause of traffic, types of interchanges, human experience of urban planning, online comments, urban design advocacy & communication, business of Streetcraft, solutions to improve streets & how architects can help, strangest intersection, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT NOAH
Noah Roth is the founder of Streetcraft, a platform that uses visual storytelling and urban design to explore and improve our built environment. As a leading voice on social media, Noah creates solution-oriented videos that simplify complex urban planning and transportation issues, sparking conversations about change. By combining animation, design, and compelling narratives, his work helps people see how streets and places can be transformed, inspiring audiences to think differently and take action toward creating better places.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Noah's background & education.
(05:04) Starting Streetcraft.
(09:15) What is the cause of traffic?
(11:40) Types of interchanges.
“So much of [engineering] is right or wrong. There's no room for grey areas there. But with traffic engineering, there's the entire human psychology aspect of it. How is it actually going to function when you put people into it? Because everyone sees things differently and responds to things differently. It's really fascinating, but it also makes that type of engineering so much more difficult. How do you get better compliance, and how do you make sure that it is going to do what you want it to actually do?” (23:26)
(24:53) Human experience of urban planning.
(40:29) Online comments.
“Bike lanes seem to always trigger people. [I would say,] “There could be space for bike lanes here.” And people are like, “But I don't own a bike, and I hate biking.” And it’s like, maybe you don't have to use them. It could be for other people. “But what about when it snows?” Then get in the car and drive. Just because a bike lane is built, that doesn’t mean that everyone has to use the bike lane all the time for every trip. It's the all-or-nothing mentality, I guess.” (44:03)
(44:42) Urban design advocacy & communication.
“You're not building a house to sell. You're building public infrastructure that is going to benefit or hurt everyone who uses it. It's a very fine line, and it's something that the public gets involved with. So, you're basically selling to the public and coming up with a way to communicate that to people. The average person is not a traffic engineer. If they don't have an understanding of the why behind the infrastructure solution, I think that scares a lot of people. They might think, “Why are we changing this? It's worked fine forever.” But maybe there’s been a significant number of crashes due to this specific design feature, and by changing it, we expect there to be significantly less accidents. If people can’t understand something, they don't know why they even hate it or love it.” (51:41)
(53:47) Business of Streetcraft.
(55:21) Solutions to improve streets.
“How does architecture actually impact road use? If you make things pedestrian scale versus car scale, it's going to feel more like a pedestrian environment, and it also changes what the designation of the place is. If you have a bunch of pedestrian-scale buildings that are fairly close to the sidewalk, that space is going to feel more like a traditional urban downtown setting, versus if you offset it by a huge parking lot with a strip mall, that place will feel like a commercial corridor. It just continuously reinforces the idea that it's a car space, and I shouldn't see people walking. If you see people walking, you're probably going to be less likely to stop for them or look out for them in general. So, I think some of that really ties back to how the architecture is designed.” (01:01:10)
(59:45) How Architects can improve the streets.
“The reason why it [road design] becomes so subjective is that it all comes down to how people feel and what they want to prioritise when it comes to the built environment. When people are sitting in traffic, that doesn't feel good for them. So they want to do something that will eliminate that feeling, and that might look like adding more lanes. But now someone else feels unsafe walking along it, or the people who live there feel uncomfortable with the level of noise that is produced. It really does come back to how people feel, and it's a competing aspect of how we can make sure that there’s something that feels best for everyone. There's usually never a perfect solution. There's always compromises to be made, for the most part, if there's money and space involved.” (01:08:49)
(01:10:20) What's next for Noah?
(01:12:24) Strangest intersection.
(01:15:11) Noah's favorite place.
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#480 - OMAR GANDHI, Founder and Principal of Omar Gandhi Architects
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Omar Gandhi, founder and principal of Omar Gandhi Architects. The three discussed Omar’s background and education, the architect stereotype, the influence of office location on his architecture practice, establishing his own practice, modern vs traditional architecture, finding the right clients, project variety and firm size, design competitions, the importance of having architects on CA, the office’s structure and design process, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT OMAR
Omar Gandhi, founder of Omar Gandhi Architects (OG), established his studio in 2010 with offices in Toronto and Halifax, Canada, and most recently in Berlin, Germany. Renowned for its critically acclaimed work, OG has garnered international recognition through a diverse portfolio of projects, including innovative urban infills, large-scale public works, and interventions in historic landscapes. Gandhi and his team are celebrated for their playful and unexpected approach to design, which reinterprets the familiar with bold, site-responsive architecture. The practice’s work is distinguished by meticulously crafted details and a profound engagement with the physical and historical context of each site.
Winner of 25 international awards in 2023-24, including Practice of the Year awards from Architizer, Architects Newspaper Awards, and the Architectural Masterprize, Omar Gandhi Architects continues to earn widespread international praise and academic recognition. Additional accolades include the Canada Council for the Arts Professional Prix de Rome, Architectural Record Magazine’s 2018 Design Vanguard, and the Canadian Governor General’s Medal in Architecture. Founder Omar Gandhi is actively engaged in academia, having served as a Louis I. Kahn Visiting Assistant Professor in Architectural Design at the Yale School of Architecture, and was named among Monocle magazine’s Most Influential Canadians.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Omar's background & education.
(06:55) Not a stereotypical architect.
(10:09) Influence of office location on architecture practice.
“I'm certainly less interested in chasing other people's language, style, and whatever hottest sustainability trend there is. I feel like we're in a great spot where we can just do our thing, and as a result, if you maintain a level of honesty in the work, it's going to be unique.” (17:35)
(18:12) Establishing own practice.
(28:58) Modern vs traditional architecture.
“We all sort of leave school with these grand ideas and realize that not a single soul around us, minus the people we went to school with or people in our field, really understands what we're doing and why we do it. My parents are a good example of that. They're proud of the stuff that we do, but they couldn't think it's weirder.” (34:37)
(35:56) Finding the right clients.
“Bigger budget projects don't necessarily make the project more interesting. There's something about the constraint of limited means, whether it’s the scale of the building, or other parameters you're dealing with, it just makes for slightly more interesting results, even if it's a bit more difficult.” (39:19)
(39:44) Project variety and firm size.
“One thing that I always thought was ridiculous is this idea that you can't enter into an arena of a specific kind of work and not do something exceptional. They're always asking how many of a project type you've done, but no one ever asks how many of those were good. Quantity doesn't mean quality. Whether it was our first restaurant or first art gallery, the approach is the same and design is design. Our own personal experiences weigh into this equation. I really think you can do anything. It's a made-up thing that you have to be specialized in that way. I think design comes down to an interest in these things.” (42:06)
(45:49) Design competitions.
(48:13) Establishing firms internationally.
(55:24) Importance of having architects in construction administration.
“We all know what happens when we're not on site. It's like the kids starting a party when the parents aren't around. So, what was the point of trying to do something special, cohesive, and interesting if it's all just happening on site [without the architect]? It's tough to convince the client of this, probably because a lot of architects just shrug that part of the process [construction administration] off. They may offer that as a service and just say, "We do it up to this point, these are your drawings, good luck with it.” But the difference between a project you're proud of and a project that you're not. is your activity on site, the relationships you build, and the problem-solving that happens with the builder and consultants.” (56:20)
(57:55) Omar Gandhi Architects' office structure & design process.
“The fact of the matter is, I don't really care if it's a story about me or not. It's just not that important. But that is seemingly the most important thing to much of the profession. Certainly, as it goes back generations, this silly idea of ownership it's a joke. It also never existed before, this idea of the divine sketch and all that. There are a lot of people involved in a projec,t and ideas go from the student to the intermediate architect to the structural engineer and back, and things are constantly moving. Sure, maybe the design starts with some sketch I made or someone else made, but that's definitely the least important part of the whole thing. We've actively fought against that kind of idea just because it doesn't matter. It's all about the work.” (01:01:04)
(01:04:43) Publishing architecture work.
(01:07:55) Omar's ideal project type & favorite building.
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#478 - GARRETT NEAL, Principal Lighting Designer at Neal Lighting
SUMMARY
This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Garrett Neal, principal lighting designer at Neal Lighting. The three discussed Garrett’s early career influence, the evolution of Neal Lighting, working with family, defining lighting design, client presentations, and the process of lighting design. when to engage a designer, common misconceptions, technology advancement & impact on lighting design, scopes and challenges, psychology of lighting design, how to fix poor lighting, the future of lighting technology, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT GARRETT
Garrett is the principal lighting designer at NEAL and a second-generation architectural lighting designer. Garrett grew up on his grandfather’s job sites and watched his father design at an early age. He feels fortunate to have been passed down an eye for aesthetics and taught the skills to execute the design of a beautiful space.
Garrett is currently working on a wide range of projects, including large-scale hotels, restaurants, multifamily and luxury residences. He has an aptitude for quickly building relationships with our clients and fellow design team members, and contractors.
Garrett’s passion for architecture, art, music, and culture helps to inspire each project he works on. His clear communication of the lighting design concepts early in the project gives the design team and clients the ability to proceed through each phase confidently.
Garrett is an active member in both the Illuminating Engineers Society of North America (IESNA) and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) and is also (CLD) as a nationally recognized Certified Lighting Designer.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Garrett's early influence.
(06:00) Evolution of Neal Lighting.
(08:04) Working with family.
(12:01) What is lighting design?
“We [Lighting Designers] design the space for how it should feel and look with the lighting. We work just like an architect or an interior designer does. We're on board from schematic design all the way through to construction administration, and we bring the vibes to the space. We make it feel comfortable and intentional by really understanding the architecture and highlighting the materials.” (12:33)
(19:39) Presenting lighting design to clients.
(23:48) Lighting design process & when to engage a designer.
“[There’s a misconception that] the fancy lighting designer is going to spend way too much money or they’re only going to design with the most expensive stuff. But it doesn't have to be expensive for it to be a successful design. It just has to have a purpose, and it has to be well thought out by the designer.” (31:33)
(32:09) Misconception about lighting design.
(36:40) Adjustments to lighting post delivery.
(41:41) Technology advancement affects lighting design.
(44:24) Lighting design scope & challenges.
(47:30) Use of software in lighting design.
“Lighting programs do not consider the importance of shadow and darkness. They're like, here's how much light you have on the ground, here's what your reflectance is, and here’s what it should be from a candela standpoint. It's a great tool, and it's necessary for certain spaces and project types where we do have to meet minimum criteria in different areas, especially for commercial projects. But in a nice hospitality or a residential space, it's about designing with a gut feeling and experience for the most part.” (50:07)
(53:15) Psychology of lighting.
“When you're out for dinner, and it's transitioning from day to night, if you pay attention, you’ll notice the lights dim at some point and everyone will kind of relax. Even if it's just decent lighting, they will sense the shift, and it has an immediate psychological impact. These 100 people in one space all feel the same thing at the same time, and it just completely changes the vibe. It’s like, “Oh, okay, now I can have the second glass of wine.” (54:17)
(55:26) Simple ways to fix poor lighting.
“It's easier to do it right the first time than to go back and try to do a little rehab on the space. It's often more costly too, and is always harder to get just right. So, it’s super important to get it right from the beginning. But I don't think it takes a lot more than somebody who knows what they're doing to make recommendations on how to improve the space with the budget provided. There's definitely always something that can be improved in that regard. A lot of times, it’s about removing things because there’s too much light. I feel like most spaces are overlit, so it's just about taking some lights out or switching them to another type of light.” (56:07)
(58:44) Project type that Garrett would like to do.
(01:02:42) Challenge of lighting interior vs exterior spaces.
(01:06:32) Future of lighting technology.
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#476 - TIM HAY, Co-Founder of Fearon Hay
SUMMARY
This week David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Tim Hay, co-founder of Fearon Hay. The three discussed the visibility of architecture ideas & process, realities of achieving architecture design, the business of architecture practice, architecture community helping young architects, Fearon Hay studio size and operations, local vs international projects, client relationships, working on different project types, architects in public policy and development, what Tim would do instead of architecture, his favorite building, and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT TIM
Fearon Hay is a design-led studio undertaking a broad range of projects in diverse environments, the firm is engaged in projects on sites around the world.
Tim hay and Jeff Fearon founded the practice in 1998 as a way to enable their combined involvement in the design and delivery of each project. Together, they lead an international team of experienced professionals.
The studio approaches every project with a commitment to design excellence, a thoughtful consideration of site and place, and an inventive sense of creativity. Fearon Hay enjoys responding to a range of briefs: Commercial projects for office and workplace, complex heritage environments, public work within the urban realm or wider landscape, private dwellings, and detailed bespoke work for hospitality and interior environments.
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Visibility of architecture ideas & process.
“These small physical models are such visual tools. I find when they're sitting in my peripheral vision, and it might not be what we're working on at that time, but the visibility of them means that those moments where your mind or your eyes wander, you capture a glimpse of them, you look at it, pick it up, rotate it, and you think about it. You participate in a process of design that I don't think happens in the digital modeling world. I remember seeing the images of Frank Lloyd Wright's studio with screeds of paper and people drawing, the visibility of the production and working was incredible because there was a sense of visible creation.” (08:03)
(16:49) Realities of achieving architectural design.
(21:08) Business of architecture practice.
(31:23) Architecture community helping young architects.
(36:20) Fearon Hay studio size & operations.
(40:08) Local vs international projects.
“We go beyond just trying to understand what the client wants. We want to know everything about the area. We bring a set of thinking and ideas that are unique because of where we are from [New Zealand]. As we export that thinking. There's this sensitivity to being an outsider and needing to learn, not just through online research, but forming relationships, meeting people and other architects, the openness and the giving that we are so lucky to receive. When we find ourselves in these different places, we dive into so many different parts of it to try and understand it. Building this foundation for the design and creative process is a really important part of feeling confident to design in those places, because we haven't been blasé or naive. We have invested in the place.” (44:42)
(48:46) Client relationships.
(56:15) Different project types.
(01:06:04) What would Tim do instead of architecture?
“There are the best parts of the cities and the parts that aren’t fantastic. You think about what would make that place better. What's missing? Sometimes it’s not significant things, maybe it’s bits of missing infrastructure. If part of what we do in the future is seeing these issues and actually being responsible for initiating development solutions or opportunities that enhance cities or communities, that fascinates me. We're not just waiting for someone else to come up with the idea and take that initiative. We can start looking at problems that exist and opportunities to make places greater.” (01:10:17)
(01:15:44) Architects in public policy & development.
“People talk about education and how you would bring up a child in the best possible way. If they apply that sort of thinking and sensitivities to cities, you'd say, “Oh my God, it's terrible. This child can't grow. It's awful. It's got no ability to imagine a future because of the constraints.” The world has a lot of pressure at the moment, so many problems to be solved. But if there was a sense of opportunity and optimism, so that the places that we all lived in had a sense of exciting vision for the future, 30, 40, 50 years from now, so that our children and their children have a sense of where it might go. Those visions don't really exist.” (01:16:36)
(01:27:31) Tim's favorite building.