Loading...

PODCAST

Most Podern Podcast

Minkoo Kang, Libo Li, and Alex Yuen

The podcast about the Built Environment, with the minds shaping it, for the people living in it. Why does the built environment feel broken — and what would it take to fix it? Most Podern is about how the built world really works. We dig into the systems shaping architecture, urbanism, housing, and public spaces, and talk with the people actually building change: architects, planners, developers, and urban thinkers.

arts design

All Episodes

00:38:43

Affordability Is Not a Dirty Word - Building Housing...

Most Podern Podcast ·

2026/09/23

"Everybody says we want more affordable housing... at the same time, they don't want to see anything new."On this episode of Most Modern - a podcast about the built environment - Alex talks with Jesse Batus, Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development at The Community Builders (TCB), one of the largest nonprofit developers in the country, building across 15 states and Washington, DC.We get past the buzzword and into the machinery: the real definition of affordability (no more than

en-us

00:37:28

3 Building Code Rules That Block Missing Middle Housing

Most Podern Podcast ·

2026/08/06

Small multifamily housing is illegal and too expensive to build. Architect Sam Naylor breaks down the building code reforms that could unlock the "missing middle."We know zoning blocks housing. The quieter, equally powerful force is the building code. the invisible rulebook on stairs, sprinklers, and elevators that almost nobody outside the trade ever reads. When a project crosses from two units to three, it leaves the residential code and enters the "commercial" code, where a

en-us

00:48:08

Why Los Angeles Urban Development Is Built Backwards

Most Podern Podcast ·

2026/07/23

Los Angeles urban development faces severe housing scarcity and bureaucratic strain while pioneering polycentric node architecture across 88 cities.Los Angeles attracts creative talent with its promise of personal reinvention, yet physical boundaries and rigid municipal codes hold its built environment static. Developers face multi-year entitlement delays and fractured county leadership while trying to expand housing and fortify against rising wildfire risks. Resolving this urban dilemma requires

en-us

00:23:07

How FutureLot Is Decoding the American Zoning Maze

Most Podern Podcast ·

2026/05/27

Zoning codes run to 3,000 pages, contradict themselves, and change without warning — and right now, they're the single biggest reason most housing projects never leave a napkin.Recorded live at World of Modular 2026, this episode brings in Avi Kaufman, co-founder and Chief Real Estate Officer of FutureLot, to unpack what it actually takes to answer "what can I build here?" across 30,000 US jurisdictions. Avi started with a light-bulb moment during refugee resettlement — a carriage

en-us

00:20:42

This Is Quietly Reshaping How We Build Homes - Dwayne...

Most Podern Podcast ·

2026/05/20

The housing crisis is real. So why isn't modular construction fixing it?Dwayne Torrey is the Director of Construction and Infrastructure at CSA Group — the organization that writes the standards every builder, regulator, and manufacturer in Canada has to follow. He's been working at the intersection of modular construction and policy for seven years, and his answer might surprise you: the technology isn't the problem. The rulebook is.In this episode we get into how consensus standards

en-us

00:41:40

Architecture Off the Assembly Line - with Justin...

Most Podern Podcast ·

2026/05/13

What happens when an architect stops designing one-off buildings and starts designing a system?Justin Brechtel is a licensed architect in California, principal of Iterate Architecture, and VP of Architecture at West Modular — and he's making the case that the way we deliver buildings is broken. Architects have spent decades reinventing the wheel on every project, slowly ceding their leadership role to developers and contractors. Justin's answer: treat architecture like a product. Build the

en-us

00:34:47

What's Your Density Appetite?

Most Podern Podcast ·

2026/05/07

Have you ever walked through a city and felt, almost physically, that it was too much or not enough? That feeling has a name. Alex Yuen, architect, urbanist, and host of Most Podern, calls it density appetite and it might be the most fundamental idea in urbanism that no one is talking about. From the way Tokyo reinvents itself decade after decade to the way San Francisco has quietly frozen itself in place, the cities we live in are a direct reflection of how much growth we're actually willing to

en-us

00:47:11

Why the Future Is Physical: Real Estate, Loneliness &...

Most Podern Podcast ·

2026/02/25

If your city, office, or retail district feels emptier than it used to, it’s not just “remote work” or “online shopping.” It’s a deeper problem: digital convenience is quietly fueling loneliness—and the built environment is being forced to evolve. Winston Fisher argues the next era isn’t virtual-first…it’s a renewed fight for real-world connection.Winston (Managing Partner at Fisher Brothers, CEO of AREA15) breaks down why the future is physical—and what developers, operators, and city leaders get

en-us

00:54:07

Why 12 Million Tons of Glass Goes to Landfills Every...

Most Podern Podcast ·

2026/01/21

Every year, 12 million tons of architectural glass from skyscrapers and office buildings ends up in landfills. Even though you diligently put your glass bottles in the recycling bin, only 30% of collected glass actually gets recycled back into glass.Sydney Mainster, VP of Sustainability at The Durst Organization, is on a mission to change that. After watching hundreds of tons of perfectly recyclable glass from a 40-story building go to waste, she pioneered a partnership to recycle skyscraper windows

en-us

00:32:01

An Architectural Answer to how Cities can Turn Down...

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/12/18

What if a powerful climate solution in cities isn’t a new building, but the roof that’s already there? As heat waves intensify across Europe, architect and MIT-trained educator Olivier Faber explains how his firm, Roofscapes is transforming overlooked rooftops into cooling, accessible, green infrastructure. Starting with Paris’s iconic zinc roofs, the conversation unpacks why existing buildings are misaligned with today’s climate, how shading and vegetation can dramatically reduce indoor

en-us

00:41:46

A New Era for Sprawl

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/12/10

The American suburban dream is unsustainable—but we're not giving up on it.David Kooris, Executive Director of the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority and lecturer at Yale, explains why sprawl no longer works as an economic engine and how we can retrofit existing suburbs to be more prosperous, walkable, and sustainable.In this episode, we explore:✓ Why the suburban development model is fiscally unsustainable✓ How to transform aging strip malls into thriving town centers✓ The art of community

en-us

00:35:25

Planning Coachella - Reiko Wei

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/12/03

What hidden design choices make a 125,000-person festival feel effortless—and what happens when being off by just one foot throws everything into chaos? Why do some festivals become cultural icons while others collapse spectacularly? And how did one architect watching the Fyre Festival documentary suddenly realize, “I could do this a million times better”—and then actually go do it?In this episode, Reiko Wei, design production manager at Goldenvoice (the team behind Coachella & Stagecoach),

en-us

00:46:02

America can't Build. Can Modular Construction be the...

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/11/26

How do we build faster, smarter, and more affordably in a world running out of patience and running short on skilled labor? Tom Hardiman, Executive Director of the Modular Building Institute, joins Alex Yuen and Libo Li to explain how modular construction can reshape the built environment. From cutting construction timelines in half to reducing waste and expanding access to housing, Tom shows why modular is not a trend but a practical tool for a more sustainable, efficient, and inclusive future. The

en-us

00:26:03

Why Affordable Housing Isn’t Affordable

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/11/11

Why does building “affordable” housing cost so much in the built environment? From land prices to loan rates, construction inflation to endless permitting, Alex and Libo break down the true costs of creating homes and why the system often works against the very people it is meant to help. They unpack how financing, regulation, and risk collide, what makes America’s housing model unique, and what simple reforms could unlock more livable and affordable cities for everyone.Subscribe to Most Podern

en-us

00:38:36

Design School for The Displaced - With Scott Key

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/11/04

What happens when you run an architecture studio inside a refugee settlement — and let refugees lead it?Scott Key (founder/CEO of Every Shelter) is back to break down how a 10-week “design school” in Nakivale turned buzzwords like “co-creation” into actual, working solutions — cow-dung bricks that survive soaking, shelter-wide mosquito netting, and quality water that families can afford.Why it matters:Refugees are displaced for 20+ years — which means they need permanent, local, extremely affordable

en-us

00:40:42

The Architect Who Healed NYC After 9/11

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/09/24

In this conversation, Kevin Kennon, reflects on his experiences surrounding the events of 9/11, particularly his involvement in the Ground Zero viewing platform and the subsequent World Trade Center competition. We discusses the emotional impact of architecture, the importance of community and collaboration in design, and the lessons learned from revitalizing Lower Manhattan. Kennon emphasizes the need for architects to articulate their vision and the role of travel in enhancing one's

en-us

00:31:06

The Four Horsemen of Urban Decline

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/09/17

Why do some cities thrive while others slide into decline? Alex Yuen and Libo Li break down the Four Horsemen of Urban Decline - which include the Disease of Me, Construction Constipation, High Capital Contrast, and Identity Crisis. From San Francisco’s stalled growth to Tokyo’s adaptability and New York’s relentless appetite for change, this conversation reveals the hidden dynamics that decide whether a city stagnates or reinvents itself. Clear, provocative, and grounded in real-world examples,

en-us

00:42:16

How Building Codes Shape American Urbanism - Type V...

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/09/03

Why do American neighborhoods so often look the same, filled with “five-over-one” apartments or endless rows of wood-framed houses? In Part II of our conversation, architect Jeana Ripple—author of The Type V City and Chair of Architecture at the University of Virginia—explains how Type V construction and building codes interact with zoning, finance, and policy to shape entire cities. From Chicago’s fire-driven codes to Seattle’s tolerance of replacement, Ripple shows how materials influence

en-us

00:30:22

Why U.S. Homes Are All Built the Same Way - Type V...

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/09/03

Why are nearly all American homes built out of wood when most of the world uses brick, steel, or concrete? In Part I of our conversation Architect Jeana Ripple, author of The Type V City, explains how the U.S.’s reliance on light wood framing—known as Type V construction—became the national default. She breaks down the benefits (affordability, flexibility, sustainability) and the hidden risks (mold, storm damage, limited adaptability) that slowly shape the country’s homes, neighborhoods, cities, and

en-us

00:30:06

Why Architects Should Code - With Alex and Libo

Most Podern Podcast ·

2025/08/20

In this conversation, Alex Yuen and Libo discuss the importance of architects learning to code, exploring how coding can enhance creativity, efficiency, and control in architectural design. They delve into Libo's personal journey into coding, the impact of technology on architectural practice, and the future implications for the built environment. The discussion emphasizes the need for architects to embrace technology to improve their work and the overall quality of architecture.TakeawaysArchitects

en-us

85 results

Similar Podcasts

Podcast Patapoe

0d0a

Brotkast - Brot úr þáttum og opnir þættir

Brotkast ehf.

Castback Podcast

E se prepare, porque o HYPE já vai...

Paneloids: Comic Books & More

paneloids.com

Choice Classic Radio Drama & Horror | Old Time Radio

Choice Classic Radio