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Lilian Asperin is a partner at WRNS Studio, where she helps lead the design process and build teams that deliver aspirational outcomes. Lilian values a firm culture that embraces collaboration, connection to the community, risk taking, and fostering talent. 

Lilian attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her BA in Environmental Design and graduated with honors. After completing her studies, Lilian worked at architecture firms around the Bay Area, including Stanley Saitowitz, the City of San Francisco’s Bureau of Architecture, SOM, and NBBJ. Recently completed projects include the Salk Institute for Biological Studies Master Plan, the Center for Science and Innovation at USF, and UC Merced’s 2020’s Public-Private-Partnership (P3) project. A leader within the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), she organized the first-ever Hackathon for MOOC’s as part of the Pacific Regional Conference and will be continuing her involvement with the organization as 2018-2021 Pacific Regional Chair.

Lilian utilizes her experience as a practice leader and licensed architect to develop synergistic relationships with leaders throughout the architectural and educational communities. Deeply involved with the local community, Lilian works to raise awareness and help break the cycle of poverty in the Bay Area through her work as a Tipping Point Community Partner. Lilian also acts as a Board Director of AIA San Francisco and is the Co-Chair of the Equity by Design Committee, a call to action for everyone to realize the goal of equitable practice and communicate the value of design to society.

In this episode, Lilian shares how her personal experience as a first generation Latinx student has informed her career and passion for the higher education sector. We also talk about inclusive design, how architects should re-think the timeline of the project process, how to map out your career goals with post-its and poster boards, normalizing mental wellness in the profession, and the importance of inviting everyone’s full lives into the office.

It’s a special podcast crossover episode, featuring Practice Disrupted! 

The evolution of architectural practice has been relatively slow towards change, yet modern shifts in business and design management have prompted today’s leading architects to rethink how they work. The Practice Disrupted podcast addresses how technology, cultural shifts, and emerging best practices in business are prompting industry disruption and transformation. The series features thought leaders on business, innovation, entrepreneurship, and/or architecture. 

About the Practice Disrupted Hosts:

Evelyn M. Lee, FAIA, 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 trained in architecture and business management with a decade of experience working with award-winning architects. She founded Apostrophe Consulting to help architects improve firm culture, and strengthen their teams and businesses. She specializes in talent development, change management, and business strategy, including marketing and communication.

In this episode, Evelyn and Je’Nen share some great insights on how to push for change within an organization, how to know when to stay or leave your current job, the value of having an entrepreneurial mindset even if you work for someone else, what services architects should be offering but aren’t, and more!

Check out more episodes of Practice Disrupted at: https://practiceofarchitecture.com/podcast/

Christine Williamson is the founder of the Building Science Fight Club, an Instagram community dedicated to teaching building science and construction to architects and other building professionals. She also provides technical design consulting services to architects, developers, and contractors, assisting with design development and reviewing details and specifications to improve durability, comfort, and energy efficiency.  

In this episode, Christine and I talk about how building science is design, pushing through the painful early years of your career where you feel like you don’t know anything yet, how Christine ended up teaching architects about building science and creating an online course. Christine also shares why she started the Building Science Fight Club,  and gives a behind the scenes look at how she creates content for account.

Learn more about Christine at https://www.christine-williamson.com/

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Janet Tam is a founder and Principal of Noll and Tam Architects. Janet grew up in Richmond, California, and studied architecture at UC Berkeley in the 1970s and early 80’s, when the university was a pioneer of socially responsible design. There, she encountered groundbreaking courses on social factors and user needs, and was drawn to the power of architecture to enrich people’s lives by serving the public good.

Janet and her business partner, Chris Noll, founded their firm in 1992, to establish a talented studio of architects that pursued the ideal of active community involvement and environmentally responsive design. Since its founding, the Berkeley-based firm has become a leader in Bay Area public architecture, and is noted for championing women in leadership roles. Janet’s work, and that of the firm, is regarded for its emphasis on recognizing and articulating shared community values with projects that bind people together in a common vision for the future.

In this episode, Janet talks about: her experience of starting a practice while raising two daughters; how introspection and surrounding yourself with experts is key to building a healthy firm; working with a firm therapist; how the strength of the firm’s culture helped them get through the pandemic; what it means to stay “fresh” in the architecture profession; succession planning, letting things go, and passing on knowledge; and how architects never retire but morph into something else.

We want to hear from you! Please send your feedback to hello@designvoicepodcast.com and follow the show on Instagram @designvoicepodcast.

Primaverarch is an organization dedicated to stimulating change for the recognition of women in the architectural profession. Inspired by the renaissance era and the symbolic idea of spring, Primaverarch is a movement of rebirth, revival, and renewal.

Primaverarch was created by Nadeen Hassan, Chaerin Kim, and Soany Marquez, three minority-women who recently graduated from the Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of New York. Throughout their studies, they experienced a lack of professional support, mentorship, and recognition, and so decided to start Primavera. Primaverarch is a catalyst movement that is dedicated to creating a seat at the table for all women in the field.

Learn more about Primaverarch at: https://www.primaverarch.org/

In this episode we talk about: why Nadeen, Chaerin, and Soany started Primaverarch; on giving their interviewees a space to feel empowered, and feel like they have a voice; Primaverarch’s goal of showcasing diverse voices, and that white women do not represent all women; how amplifying black voices should not just be a trend, but is something you’re supposed to be doing constantly; the long term goals for Primaverarch, and creating not just a platform but a space for opportunities and a support system for emerging professionals; on infiltrating national organizations like AIA to push for change; being conditioned in architecture school to just accept the status quo, and the need to push back and question who is being taught or amplified; why the lack of statistics on Middle Eastern or Arab architects is problematic; and how Nadeen, Chaerin, and Soany provide a support system for each other, have each others backs, and push each other forward

We want to hear from you! Please send your feedback to hello@designvoicepodcast.com and follow the show on Instagram @designvoicepodcast.

When it comes to writing for an A/E/C firm, it's easy to think of proposal writing, but what are the other skillsets required for professional services marketers, and how do you go from proposals to bios, to blogs, and social media all in the same day? Holly Bolton shares her insights on writing for A/E/C firms.

Insights into the world of professional services marketing, presented by Josh Miles and David Lecours. The professional services industry is an increasingly competitive one – your firm needs to stand out from the pack, so a marketing strategy can no longer be an afterthought.
 
Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/psm-professional-services-marketing/id969331190?mt=2
 
Visit PSM.show for more: http://psm.show/

Sylvia Kwan, FAIA is a principal based out of DLR Group’s San Francisco office. She has practiced in San Francisco for more than 40 years and her past and present designs continue to impact the built environment in the Bay Area. Sylvia founded Kwan Henmi Architecture in 1980, and in 2017 Kwan Henmi joined DLR Group, where Sylvia continues to focus on the transportation and higher education sectors. She takes great pride in building relationships with clients and exceeding their expectations.

Sylvia is an AIA Fellow, and has served on AIA boards at both national and local chapter levels. She has received numerous awards and personal recognitions for her design and business achievements, including the San Francisco Business Times’ 75 Most Influential Women in Business.

In this episode we talk about:

• Sylvia’s experience of starting her own firm in her 20’s, and what she attributes to her success
• On relinquishing control as the size of your firm grows
• Going into full rainmaker mode, and how Sylvia honed her business development skills over the years
• Business development tips, and advice for public speaking
• On building relationships with decision makers and developing your reputation
• Sylvia’s experience of running her practice while raising two sons
• Kwan Henmi’s merger with DLR Group 
• Sylvia’s goals for this next phase of her career after being in the profession for 40+ years
• Her career highlight
• How Sylvia ended up being cast on Survivor Fiji!

Special thanks to Drew Henmi for this episode’s intro song. Check out the full version of the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4K7uFzRNNk

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Liz Brack is a structural engineer based out of DLR Group’s Phoenix office, where she is actively involved in a diverse range of building types with a focus on K through 12 projects.  Liz is active in the community through the organization and participation of multiple STEM outreach with the local schools. She is also the active Philanthropy chair of the Structural Engineers of Arizona Young Member Group. In addition to her work with DLR Group, Liz teaches an intro to structural engineering course at Arizona State University.

In this episode we talk about

• Mentorship programs, and what qualities an ideal mentor has
• What Liz finds most compelling about working on K-12 projects
• The percentage of women engineers in the AEC field, and what the profession could do to encourage more girls to pursue the career
• How every structural engineer has a favorite type of structural system
• The career trajectories of structural engineers
• Design challenges in projects, and the crazy things architects ask for
• Advice for engineers newer to the profession
• Leaning on your mentors

Elaine Molinar is a Partner and Managing Director at Snøhetta. She began her career as a designer of the Alexandria Library in Egypt after participating in the initial conception for Snøhetta’s winning competition entry. Throughout her time with Snøhetta, Elaine has held key positions in major cultural projects and competitions in Canada, the Middle East, Europe and the United States including the award-winning Norwegian National Opera & Ballet and James B. Hunt Jr Library at NCSU. In 2005, she helped found Snøhetta’s New York office after the firm was awarded the National September 11th Memorial Museum Pavilion at the World Trade Center in 2004, the office’s first commission in the Americas. Elaine currently leads the general management of Snøhetta’s US practice.

Elaine’s commitment to the issues of social and physical well-being influences her work not only as a design leader but also as an employer and cultivator of Snøhetta’s growing practice. Her early training in classical dance and performance brings an insightful understanding of ergonomics, perception, and comfort to the environments we design and inhabit. Her experience in the design of theaters, libraries, and the workplace has given Elaine an in-depth understanding of complex programmatic issues and has positioned her well to champion design from the user’s point of view.

Elaine’s work has led to numerous international awards and recognition including the Stanford Prize for Innovation in Research Libraries,  AIA/ALA American Library Award,  and an AIA Presidential citation, among others.  Elaine has served as guest lecturer, studio critic, and awards juror in addition to daily practice. She is a member of the American Institute of Architects and is a LEED accredited professional.

Erica Loynd, FAIA is a Principal based out of DLR Group’s Seattle office, and is a Justice and Civic Studio Sector Leader. Erica is particularly passionate about sustainability, restorative justice, and the impact of the built environment on human wellness. She is an expert at leading teams to elevate conditions for disenfranchised people, and setting innovative justice standards that support wellness, equity, and transformative programs to successfully return people to their communities. Volunteering with AIA WA Council as the state licensure advisor, AIA Seattle’s mentorship programs and membership steering committee, Erica has worked with architects and aspiring candidates to enrich their careers in architecture. She has also been leading the national AIA Academy of Architecture for Justice Knowledge Community to push for innovations in research and operations to better serve all people.

In this episode we talk about:

• Being elevated to an AIA Fellow, and what Erica’s application experience was like
• Why Erica believes architects should not walk away from justice architecture work
• Inspiring and educating justice architecture clients to do better
• Changing existing conditions as much as we can on a path towards stopping incarceration
• How Erica first became involved in the justice + civic sector, and what she finds most fulfilling about her work
• The rapid testing and COVID response sites in King County, Seattle that Erica and DLR Group designed at the outset of the pandemic

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Qeturah Williams is a Senior Architect based out of DLR Group’s Houston office. As a Project Manager and Senior Architect with 16+ years of design and construction experience, her expertise lies in the management of all phases of the architectural design process - from direct collaboration with new and existing clients to visioning, programming, design, and construction administration. She loves the technical aspect of architecture and finds that there's nothing more satisfying than seeing a well-drawn detail implemented by a skilled tradesperson. Qeturah’s broad range of work includes diverse commercial projects across multiple market sectors - institutional, industrial, Laboratories, Healthcare, High Education, and K-12 Education.

Qeturah is especially passionate about education projects, and their immediate, positive impact to the client, community, educators, and learners. She believes that through design, architects are the stewards of the future, entrusted by the clients as partners to meet and exceed their goals. Qeturah is the 11th Licensed Female African-American Architect in Texas and 7th in Houston.

In this episode we talk about:

• Qeturah’s 10 year plan to become an architect, and her experience in architecture school at University of Houston
• Qeturah’s licensure journey, and why it was never an option to not get her license
• Becoming a mentor, and stepping forward as an example of what success in the field can look like
• Moving into a Project Management role, and Qeturah’s advice for new PMs
• What Qeturah loves about K-12 projects, and the challenge and joy of being entrusted by clients to make a positive mark on society
• How architecture is a very visceral profession, and what Qeturah finds most rewarding about being an architect
• Qeturah’s advice for emerging professionals and her advice specifically for Black female professionals

Natasha Espada, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP BD+C is the founder and Principal of STUDIO ENÉE Architects. She has over 25 years of design and construction expertise in both renovation and new construction for institutional, civic, and commercial clients. Natasha served as the 2020 President of the Boston Society for Architecture. Her platform focused on equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice in the profession, as well as working to make Boston a Design City by bringing art and design to all neighborhoods in Boston.

She has been a speaker on Equity and Practice at the AIA Grassroots Conference in Washington, D.C., AIA Connecticut’s Equity Summit, and AIA New Hampshire’s The Future of Practice Conference. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Northeastern University and has been a design critic and lecturer at Harvard GSD, MIT, Yale, Wentworth, Roger Williams, and the BAC. Since 2012, she has served on the Committee for Green Communities and the board of the Permanent Public Building Committee in Needham, MA. Natasha is a graduate of University of Florida and holds a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Virginia with a certificate in American Urbanism.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• When Natasha decided she was ready to start her own firm
• The prep that went into it before she made the jump
• The biggest challenge of starting the practice
• On forming a new, collaborating type of design practice
• Her goals for the firm, and what the ideal size is
• Natasha’s experience as an adjunct professor
• The idea of code switching and feeling like you need to hide your true self at work
• When Natasha realized she could be herself
• Advice for emerging professionals who feel like they still have to mask themselves at work
• Natasha’s work as the 2020 President of BSA, and what she plans to do next

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Vanessa Kassabian is a Cultural+Performing Arts design leader based out of DLR Group's New York office. She works closely with teams across the firm to facilitate design discussions and provide critical guidance on considerations around site, programming, massing, aesthetics, and execution. Vanessa has extensive experience designing for significant cultural programs throughout the United States, as well as in Canada and Mexico. As a strong proponent of collaboration and an integrated design approach, Vanessa works to foster client, consultant, and internal design team relationships from concept design to construction completion.

Born and raised in Texas, Vanessa is an active member of the American Institute of Architects and a LEED Accredited Professional. As a champion for the power of design, Vanessa focuses a great deal of her time on educating and mentoring the next generation of designers and has served as a visiting professor at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and a guest lecturer at the Haifa International Waterfront Conference in Haifa, Israel. She previously led a research-based design workshop at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Environmental Design, and has served as a studio critic at Columbia University, the Pratt Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Syracuse University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

In this episode we talk about:

- Vanessa’s design philosophy, and how it has been shaped by her previous experiences at OMA/REX and Snohetta, and now at DLR Group

- How to build a strong design culture 

- What we miss about being in the office

- How to increase diversity in design leadership, and Vanessa’s advice for emerging professionals who want to become Designers

- How we need to expand the notion of what constitutes “design”

- If you can teach someone to be a good designer

- What Vanessa finds most rewarding about being an architect

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Elections are again underway, after they were suspended in 2020 due to safety concerns with COVID-19. Organisations interested in conducting their own elections (instead of using the Australian Electoral Commission, which is the default position under legislation) have approached the ROC for guidance and we have assisted them to navigate the process.

In our latest episode of ROCpod we discuss the challenges and offer practical solutions to them, including how a registered organisation can obtain an exemption to conduct their own elections.

She Builds Podcast is a show featuring the seldom told stories of women who build; women whose worth is not taught in architecture school, but who have shaped the industries of architecture, construction, and development throughout history. The podcast was started by Jessica Rogers, Lizi Raar and Norgerie Rivas, three friends who, after graduating from Syracuse University School of Architecture together, wanted to fill in the gaps in their education and share those with others. Episodes have featured Norma Merrick Sklarek, Julia Morgan, Jane Drew, Eileen Gray, Zaha Hadid, and many more! 

In this episode, Jessica, Lizi, and Norgerie share the origin story of She Builds, their process for researching and putting together the show, and the most interesting things they’ve learned about the women they’ve featured. We also talk about the importance of seeing others like yourself in the profession, and how architecture history curricula are still stuck in their old male-dominated Eurocentric ways, but that this might slowly be changing.

Learn more about She Builds at www.shebuildspodcast.com!

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Joann Lui is an architect and founder of the Facebook community Women Architects Collective. With over 2700 members and counting, the Women Architects Collective has grown into an active community where women architects find support, build their networks, and celebrate their accomplishments. Joann is also a personal brand strategist and helps architects and designers build an unforgettable online presence and get noticed in their careers and businesses. 

In this episode we talk about what inspired Joann to form the Women Architects Collective, why everyone should have a personal brand, and what the most important factors are in building your personal brand. Joann also gives some great advice for introverts on how to find your voice when it might be out of your comfort zone, and shares her thoughts on leadership and mentorship.

Learn more about Joann here: www.joannlui.com.

And check out the Women Architects Collective here!

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Registered organisations often engage with multiple regulators at one time. For example, most organisations require the assistance of the ROC and the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) to fill their office positions through elections.  If your organisation is considering a rule change, listen to the podcast to discover how the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and the ROC can provide advice and assistance to you throughout the process.

In our latest episode of ROCpod: Talking with the Registered Organisations Commission we focus on the ROC’s relationships with the FWC, the AEC and the Fair Work Ombudsman. The podcast will help you understand the related functions of each agency, and how to obtain support when undertaking compliance work.

Julia Nagele is the Director of Architectural Design at HEWITT Seattle. She believes the success of today’s projects rely on the expertise of many, and is dedicated to creating an inclusive environment that promotes participation from a broad range of diverse thinkers. Julia helps enforce these values at HEWITT, as the team strives to address complex urban conditions in a straightforward and elegant manner. Her experience as an Assistant Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington reinforces her professional practice by guiding team projects as an editor and forming strategies for successful outcomes. She believes the art and science of making architecture, navigating agencies and understanding complex client organizations requires her to connect the dots at the right time for the right people. In doing so, the most opportunity and value for a client’s project will be realized.

In this episode, Julia tells the story of how a chance encounter in Rome led to her moving to Seattle. Julia shares how her career transitioned from an ebbing and flowing path to a clear trajectory upware, and gives some great advice on how to become a Designer at a firm. We also talk about how there are no shortcuts to being innovative or creative, and what it’s like to be on a Wikipedia list of the tallest buildings designed by women.

HEWITT projects referenced in the episode:

The Emerald

Luna Apartments

Mama Tower

222 Dexter

Winka Dubbeldam is the Chair and Miller Professor of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, where she has gathered an international network of innovative research and design professionals. She has also taught advanced architectural design studios at Columbia, Cornell, and Harvard University, among other prestigious institutions. Winka was named one of the DesignIntelligence 30 Most Admired Educators 2015, and has been a juror at the Prix de Rome, several AIA juries, and at the Bogota Architecture Biennale in 2010.

As the founder/principal of the New York firm Archi-Tectonics, Dubbeldam is widely known for her award-winning work, recognized as much for its use of hybrid sustainable materials and smart building systems as for its elegance and innovative structures. Archi-Tectonics' work ranges from residential to commercial, from real to virtual, and is realized in urban designs, architectural designs, and installations.

In this episode, Winka talks about her role as Chair of Architecture at UPenn, and highlights some of the exciting programs and research that's happening at the school. Winka also talks about her experience starting Archi-Tectonics, what the hardest part of running your own practice is, and the impact she hopes to have through her work.