The Broke Architect

Welcome BACK to season 4!!! This is episode 2 of season 4. In this episode, I talk to ⁠ Emre Süner , an architectural designer from Turkey who is now based in the UK and is seeking employment. Emre is a dynamic and innovative architectural designer with a decade of experience across arts, commercial, and design fields. Known for meticulous attention to detail and outside-the-box thinking, I bring...

Welcome BACK to season 4!!! In this episode, I talk to Helen Maunders , a self-employed Architect based in London, UK who has been in business for over 13 years at her practice Grafeso .  Helen is passionate about creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional and has a deep understanding of the building regulations and the construction process. She is also a strong communicator and has a...

Special Episode – “Are we creating too many Architects in the UK? 🎙️ The Broke Architect Podcast – Special Pre-Season Episode 📅 Release Date: [17th December 2024] ⏱️ Duration: Approx. 57:43 minutes 🚨 "DON'T MISS THIS EPIC EPISODE!" 🚨 Before we dive into the much-anticipated Season 4 , we’re bringing you a special pre-season episode that will leave you inspired, informed, and ready to take on th...

For the final episode of season 3 I speak to RIBA President Elect for 2025-2027 Chris Williamson who is Founding Partner of WestonWilliamson + Partners part of the EGIS group . Chris and has over 35 years’ experience in practice. He is also a NORTHERNER and has spent 30 years in transport projects attracting commuters out of cars onto safe, efficient well designed public transport including the de...

Today we have a CLIENT! Robin Roberts , an Architect and a Fellow of the RIBA, is also the Chief executive of the Sutton Housing Society and is therefore a CLIENT! However, Robin is also a Chartered Surveyor. The only individual to be simultaneously recognised as a fellow of both institutions, holding FRIBA and FRICS. Robin seeks to identify more powerful ways to deliver projects, recognised by a...

This is Part 2 of my interview with ⁠Ramesh Pari ⁠ who works for a well-known grocery tech firm. You may ask: “ Why am I interviewing someone from a tech company?” However, it may surprise you that Ramesh is an architect and is the Head of BIM Design & Coordination.  In part 2 Ramesh talks about his work in the TECH sector and how he is thriving, getting more pay and family time. We discuss th...

This is Part 1 of my interview with Ramesh Pari who works for a well-known grocery tech firm. You may ask: “ Why am I interviewing someone from a tech company?” However, it may surprise you that Ramesh is an architect and is the Head of BIM Design & Coordination.  Ramesh left being a practising architect 6 years ago after not finding enjoyment in the profession and in his own words had a toxic...

Meet Emma Cogswell , a lighting designer based in the South of the United Kingdom in a town called Maidenhead, for the rest of the world it’s near Windsor.  Emma is enchanted and intrigued by the thrilling effects of light, and lights' magnetic appeal. Instantly hooked by its special power, she has worked within the lighting industry for 25 years.  Emma has worked with many industry experts an...

Meet Mohammad Balila who is a multi-cultured, Ivy League-educated architect and designer with 17+ years of experience in the profession and academia having worked in the United States of America, United Kingdom, Italy, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. He has worked in various projects involving small and large scale residential, commercial, educational, institutional, hospitality and urban p...

Meet Tom Lewith formally of TDO but now with New Works, a new type of practice that operates a new business model. Tom and his business partner Doug Hodgson and fellow director Ben Rowe head up the business which is only a couple of months old.  TDO went into 'planned' liquidation as they couldn’t see a way to make the traditional business model of architecture work. Out of the ashes often comes r...

If you are thinking of quitting architecture this is the episode to listen to. Imagine just qualifying as an Architect and then deciding to QUIT to go into banking? That's what our next guest did, Clarissa Evans is a British Architect who has pivoted into the world of development finance and went back to her studies to gain further qualifications to earn BIG MONEY! Clarissa has previously work...

I have with me today New York City Architect Bill Mandara , the CEO and Co-owner of Mancini Duffy. Bill has twenty-five years of experience in architectural design and is also a musician.  Bill has contributed his design abilities on a variety of project types including industrial facilities, corporate offices, residential housing, retail facilities, and educational facilities but he is now best k...

It was an absolute pleasure to talk to the mega talented Razan Altiraifi who is; a Design Technologist, Architectural Designer and Programmer who works for the large US practice, Perkins and Will. Razan is located in North Carolina and has a growing TikTok presence where she talks about architecture and tech. Razan has moved from the TECH sector into Architecture, which is RARE because most of my...

Season 3, Episode 13 is all about Part 3 with fellow podcaster Maria Skoutari who is an Architect, Mentor to Architectural Assistants & Architects, and a fellow Podcaster & Founder & Host of " Part3 With Me ".  In this episode, we discuss how students of architecture often fear Part 3. We talk about the issues facing the profession. We talk about regulations, responsibilities...

This is the first episode in a series of special episodes on the state of volume house building located in the UK. This podcast was generated from a LinkedIn post showing pictures of modern British housing and the post received 104 individual comments and over 25,400 impressions.  The post reads: “ When you fly into England you see green….then you land on concrete and drive home on tarmac back to...

In episode 11 of season 3, we hear of the heartbreaking struggle of Amy Francis-Smith who despite all of the odds became an Architect, a successful one at that! Amy and I ask each one of you who listens to this podcast to support the Architect's Benevolent Society by donating. You know it's the right thing to do. https://absnet.org.uk/get-involved/donate/ Amy's story is of someone who...

In episode 10 of season 3 we talk to Architect Christina Linda Chan who was born and raised in Toronto. We discuss why must broaden architecture schools creative foundation. We talk why she took on Airbnb’s and became really good at it! We discuss pay and how other professions couldn’t believe what architects really get paid! Linda has worked in both the corporate architectural firms and the desig...

Episode 10 is a lecture given by Jason Boyle at De Montford University School of Architecture on International Women's Day 2024. In this lecture, Jason talks about the current state of the profession of architecture and he looks at the reasons why we are in such a mess. He talks about Glassdoor, inflation, money, job ads and titles and also possible solutions. We hear from: Architects like Paul Id...

In this episode, I talk to Su Butcher who trained as an architect and managed three successful architects’ practices during the ‘90s and noughties. She also managed the first-year design studio at the University of Liverpool School of Architecture from 1992-95 whilst taking a PhD in Architectural Education. Su’s then setup her own consultancy which offers strategic help to construction product com...

According to Government statistics, more than 1.4 million people are dependent on alcohol in the UK. 33,000 people die each year due to alcohol-related incidents or associated health problems. In this episode, I talk to James who is not an architect because I could not get any architect to admit that they had a problem with alcohol and also wanted to appear on the podcast. However, this is a deepl...

Meet Dena Prastos , an Architect and Civil Engineer who was raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and has a deep-rooted appreciation for nature and mankind's ability to design, build, and create infrastructure in some of the world's toughest conditions. Dena has led projects around the world conducting heavy civil construction, marine engineering, and waterfront architecture. Dena's unique expe...

In this episode we are asking the question, will Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) enable Architects to be highly profitable? AI could give architects the potential to automate many tasks and generate designs from a set of prompts or parameters to do more for less. We discuss GenAI's future, its limitations, software costs, culture, skills and where AI could add the most value. We talk t...

In this episode we are asking the question, do Architects lose focus and deliver more than a client asked for? Do we suffer from scope creep and end up doing lots of things that "A" the client didn't ask for and 'B' giving away far too much for free? Let's do LESS, by doing the RIGHT things and let's make efficiencies on those services the client requires....right? In...

In this episode we are asking the question, "Is the Profession of the Architect DEAD?" The basis for this is that for 7-10 years of study, the salaries you get at the end make for a low Return on Investment (ROI), making the professional unsustainable. This was a recorded debate with the following people: Mayowa Daniel Aganna - Part II Architectural Assistant (Bristol, UK) Bryon McCartney - Brandi...

This is the first episode of Season 3 of the groundbreaking podcast: THE BROKE ARCHITECT. In this first episode, I talk to Architect Rion Willard who helps Architects win in business. Rion is a Director of Consulting and Business Transformation at Business of Architecture. We discuss the LIES we are told and often believe in the Profession of ARCHITECTURE. We talk about education, training and how...