Alternative Design

Send us Fan Mail What if we are missing a transformational opportunity to rethink the experience of space by only “checking the boxes” on accessibility standards? We take a deep dive into the etymology of “normal” and discuss how this term has propped up power structures that have continued to limit how marginalized bodies experience space. Tune in as we discuss how the built environment can go “b...

Send us Fan Mail What if the answer to reclaiming our atmosphere lies in using more concrete? What if concrete could mineralize billions of tons of carbon and store it permanently in the built environment? In this episode we're featuring the COO of the Foundation for Climate Restoration and eco-anxiety expert, Dr. Erica Dodds. We also speak to the CEO of Blue Planet Systems, Dr. Brent Constan...

Send us Fan Mail What if personalized color therapy experiences could influence our body, mind, and emotions in a profound way? As designers, we prescribe colors in the built environment to promote positive human outcomes. We know humans are deeply sensitive to the energy of color, but what you may not know is that your unique perception of color is dictated by much more than your eyes. A promisin...

Send us Fan Mail We explore an architectural experiment in the middle of the Nevada desert known as Black Rock City. Every summer, Burning Man Project hosts a temporary city that draws thousands of people to celebrate the ceremonial burning of a human effigy known as “the Man”. Attendees are invited to test their limits, embrace a spirit of gifting, and radically express themselves in Black Rock C...

Send us Fan Mail We explore a preventative, a restorative, and a deconstructive alternative in the current design and construction of carceral facilities. In the workplace strategy world, we often design for the “power of choice”. Employees can choose how, when, and where they work in order to support productivity and wellness. But, is it only employees who deserve the “power of choice”? Who shoul...

Send us Fan Mail Join us as we explore alternative solutions for short-term and long-term mental healthcare. As our U.S. Olympian, Simone Biles, reminded us during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, we must prioritize the fitness of our minds and our emotions. Much like the "spikes" in viral cases during the pandemic, we are now encountering a "spike" of those who are struggling wit...

Send us Fan Mail What if the technologies and innovations that we have deemed as low-tech, primitive, and unsophisticated could actually hold the keys to solving climate change? In Episode 6, we look at radical indigenism as a movement that seeks to explore indigenous philosophies in relation to design and harness that wisdom to build a more resilient world. We talk with designer, activist, academ...

Send us Fan Mail We go beyond the current exploration of space to unveil the first potential settlement on Mars. We chat with Alfredo Munoz, architect and owner of ABIBOO studio, and Miquel Sureda, Master Coordinator of the Space and Aeronautical Engineering program at Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya. Alfredo, Miquel, and their team of scientists have brought their creative dream into reality...

Send us Fan Mail We look at a Meditation Chamber, a Museum of Ice Cream, and a Sensory Cocoon to understand the value of experiential design that immerses the user into the narrative of the built environment. These case studies will shed light on the intersection of technology and architecture, revealing how the right mix of both can engage the physical senses and create deeper emotional connectio...

Send us Fan Mail Join us as we reveal some key learnings from Motown and compare their creative songwriting process to our industry's building design process. We're taking our listeners back to the days you could be "Dancing In the Streets" before you had to "Stop In the Name of Love". It's no secret that Motown had repeatable success in creating some of America&...

Send us Fan Mail From the impact of limited exposure to architecture at a young age, to not celebrating minority architects and designers more, guests Maya Bird-Murphy from Chicago Mobile Makers and Jake Heffington and Edwin Harris from Diversify Architecture help bring light to the often-unseen challenges for people of color. We go beyond what you don't see to discuss a range of leaks that o...

Send us Fan Mail We discuss a concept that perhaps isn’t familiar in the design industry, but is thriving in the health and wellness community. A "microbiome" is simply the collection of micro-organisms in a particular environment, whether they be inside your gut, on your skin, or even the chair you're sitting on. We talk to Jack Gilbert, a microbiology professor from USCD on how th...

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