We’ve worked alongside people for years, only to realize that we know nothing about their personal life. And it probably affected our working relationship. Knowing your colleagues as humans reframes inevitable challenges at work. Had we known our colleagues better, would we have worked through disagreements better or found new ways to collaborate? Yeah, we sure would have.Alison Rand, who helped establish the discipline of design operations through roles at Hot Studio, Frog, Automattic, and SAP,

The vast majority of freelancers want one thing: more clients.But what if that’s not your biggest problem? What if you’re booked solid… And now the “good problem to have” is that you can’t ever take a vacation because your income is tied to the hours you work? It’s a dollars-for-hours trap. No work = no money. Vacation? You're not making money. Get sick? Not making money. In the hospital? Not making money. Your income is handcuffed to the hours you work. And there's a ceiling. A

From school principal to design strategist, Brian Proctor shares how his unique journey fuels smarter, more empathetic learning environments. In this episode, get a direct look at how real classroom experience transforms the future of school architecture.The bridge between educational leadership and architectural designHow firsthand classroom experience reveals blind spots in school planningStrategies for creating inclusive, flexible spaces for every learnerTips for integrating community voices into

Transcripts available at diceexploder.comOne of my favorite parts about these episodes where I'm highlighting a single moment from an actual play is how many practical lessons I can bring back to my own table by going beat by beat through a significant moment in play. And today, Maia Wilson has brought a particularly significant moment from her show Maia's Game Room in which one character, in desperate straights, is pressured by an NPC to pay for his help with sex.It's an intense moment

Send us a text In the final episode of the Home by Country series, host Nico Smutylo takes you inside children’s bedrooms around the world to reveal how design can shape calm, growth, and better living. From Denmark’s sense of calm and longevity, to Japan’s adaptable simplicity, to Germany’s structured precision, this episode uncovers how global design philosophies teach children rhythm, focus, and independence—and how you can bring those ideas home. You’ll learn how a rug or Roman shade can ...

We are revisiting the 2025 Trend Themes with a clearer lens. Flexibility became a perk for the few, not a standard for all. Big donors shaped politics while calling it populism. AI fakes moved from novelty to everyday content. Living alone became something cities must plan for. Cities focused on what was easy to count, while people demanded proof for every claim. October made this obvious: donors pushed court outcomes, newsrooms argued over how to label AI content, housing costs dominated local

Today we're welcoming Spencer Wood, known as the Real Estate Cowboy, who's calling in from inside his geodesic dome in Kingfield, Maine. Spencer has been living in a camper on his 10-acre property for nearly four years while building this unique structure—and he's still mid-build, which makes this conversation particularly valuable. While most guests come on after their projects are complete with polished success stories, Spencer shares the raw reality of being in the thick of it, wrestling w...

In this conversation, Shamsul Rosunally shares his journey from the corporate world to embracing his passion for storytelling and creativity. He discusses the challenges of self-doubt, burnout, and the importance of mentorship in navigating the creative industry. Shamsul emphasises the power of storytelling, the need for representation, and the impact of AI on creativity. He reflects on the significance of films like Black Panther and the evolving landscape of creativity, encourag...

Aurecon’s chief engineer Tanya de Hoog sits down with Silicon Valley pioneer Chandrakant Patel. They explore how imagination fuels innovation and why engineering fundamentals like rigour, creativity and systems thinking are as important today as they have ever been.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rocky Rourke proves that you don’t need employees, investors, or a perfect plan to build a successful design studio. Just creativity, guts, and a little weirdness. In this Live from Creative South Episode of The Angry Designer Podcast, Rocky shares how he turned his imaginary friend into a brand, his freelance hustle into a thriving agency, and his ADHD into a creative superpower. From losing clients overnight to using ChatGPT as a fake client, Rocky’s story is proof that being different is...

In this episode, we invite the architecture and art historian Professor Anooradha Iyer Siddiqi, whose research focuses on histories of modernity, migration, and settlement, to reconnect with Sandi Hilal and Alessandro Petti — fellow academics architects and crucially, cofounders of DAAR, which stands for Decolonising Architecture Art Research. Reflecting on years of research around refugee camps, histories of conflict, domesticity and permanent temporariness, this conversation resonates with

Damien Crough from prefabAus, a recognised leader and advocate for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in Australia. As Co-founder and Executive Chairman of prefabAUS, Damien has been instrumental in positioning the organisation as the national peak body for offsite construction. Under his leadership, prefabAUS has grown from a grassroots initiative into a respected and influential voice shaping policy, driving research, and fostering collaboration across government, industry, an...

Energy prices are heating up — and building owners, managers, and homeowners are feeling the pressure. In this episode of Building Knowledge with the Building and Realty Institute (BRI), we dive into what’s really happening across the energy markets and how to prepare for the months ahead.Our guests, Jim Slattery (CEO) and Tim Connors (VP) of The Slattery Energy Consulting Group Inc., break down:Heating oil and natural gas price forecasts for winter 2025–26Energy-saving strategies for residential

Keywords podcast, architecture, coffee, friendship, sketches, Alexandria Library, personal stories, design, tribute, learning curves Summary In this episode, Kurt and Jamie engage in a heartfelt conversation that weaves together personal anecdotes, reflections on coffee culture, and a tribute to a dear friend. They discuss the challenges of podcasting, the evolution of coffee quality, and the significance of sketches that represent their shared experiences. The conversation culminates in ...

Episode 3 of our website series is the “not glamorous, insanely essential” one. Hosts Liz and Chelsea walk through the two meetings that make or break a web project before a single pixel gets designed: the Kickoff + Sitemap meeting and the Discovery session. First, the Kickoff & Sitemap: how we set expectations, timelines, roles, and guardrails... then map the site in a humble Google Sheet with pages, subpages, notes, and any special functionality. We share how we prep before the meeting

In this episode of Boulevard Beat, Meghan and Krissa open the floor to listener questions — diving into real-life design dilemmas from couples and clients with competing styles. From masculine and feminine balance to the surprising color choices clients make, the duo shares how design becomes both creative expression and relationship therapy. Meghan talks through her approach to honoring both partners’ visions, creating harmony through listening, compromise, and thoughtful design solutions. Krissa

For our next episode, we have a very special guest, Chelsea Choquette. Chelsea is a product designer with a background in public relations and communications, who made the natural pivot into UX after leading marketing and design teams for nearly 10 years. With a deep love for storytelling and a strategic mindset, Chelsea has spent the last several years designing enterprise-level products for companies like The Home Depot and LexisNexis, as well as supporting clients across a wide range of

In this conversation, Tania Madah, founder and CEO of Lean Architect LLC, shares her unconventional journey into architecture and her vision for the future of the AEC industry. She emphasizes the growing role of technology, user-centric design, and collaboration in shaping smarter, more sustainable built environments. Tania discusses the challenges architects face in adopting new tools, the importance of internal innovation, and the responsible use of generative AI. She advocates for a future where