Dialogues in Design

In this episode of Dialogues in Design , I sit down with Abdur Raafay , an architectural designer and mentor helping international architects navigate the UK job market. From arriving in the UK as an international graduate to securing his first role through self-learning and persistence, Abdur shares practical insights that every architecture student and young professional should hear. We discuss:...

Architecture is often surrounded by conversations about long hours, low salaries, and uncertainty. But what if we shifted the focus towards optimism, confidence, and taking control of our careers? In this episode of Dialogues in Design , I sit down with Chris —architect, mentor, content creator, and podcast host—to explore what it really takes to build a meaningful career in architecture. We talk...

In this episode, Nikita has a dialogue with Ayush Hazare, to explore architecture as a deeply cultural and human practice. We discuss Indigenous knowledge systems, decolonial education, and how design can emerge from lived realities, memory, and place. A conversation about learning from communities, and rethinking what it means to design for people. Ayush Hazare is an architect, independent resear...

In this episode of  Dialogues in Design , I speak with Moritz Rietschel, co-founder of Raven, a company working at the frontier of AI capabilities and CAD. His work builds on research at UC Berkeley exploring how early large language models can be integrated into CAD as AI collaborative tools, alongside work in robotic fabrication. In our conversation, we explore the evolving relationship between...

In this episode of Dialogues in Design: Early Career Conversations, I speak with architect, educator, researcher, and founder of NTAR, Nicolas Turchi. Nicolas shares his journey from architecture school in Italy to working with great architects, before establishing his own research-driven practice and pursuing a parallel career in academia. Together, we discuss: • How architecture education differ...

In this episode of Dialogues in Design: Early Career Conversations, Nikita talks to Erin Pellegrino. Erin Pellegrino is a registered architect, educator, and co-founder of Out of Architecture: a career platform and community helping architects understand and expand their value within and beyond traditional practice. Through Matter, her design and fabrication studio, Erin maintains an active practi...

In this episode, Nikita speaks with Tim Ung , a New York–based architect whose professional work focuses on behavioral health facilities and whose parallel YouTube practice explores conceptual residential design. The conversation traces Tim’s journey from uncertainty in architectural education to developing a clear, human-centred approach to practice grounded in empathy, communication, and mentors...

Ar. Mahesh Rameshwar Bangad is an Associate Professor at BNCA. He is a registered PhD Scholar at SPPU. He has a Masters in Environmental Architecture, A post graduation in Project Management from UK and a Diploma In Indian Art & Architecture. He is the current Chairman of AESA and an EC Member of IIA Pune Centre and INTACH Pune Chapter. In this conversation, we talk about how Mahesh has built...

Morgan Chawaga is a career and business coach and the founder of The Healthy Architect, dedicated to helping CEO architects create MORE IMPACT and MORE INCOME. Through her evidence-based coaching, Morgan has successfully guided architects to become true firm owners and leaders, 2.5x their revenue in less than 6 months, create +20% profit margins, and lead people with integrity, all while achieving...

Hiloni is the Founder/Lead Architect of Hsc Designs. Hsc Designs is a young award winning, Multidisciplinary firm based out of Ahmedabad. Hiloni believes in combining the client's requirements, context challenges, climate and community requirements to come up with unconventional solutions for projects. All of her projects have an intrinsic experiential value that makes the spaces more usable and e...

Mike is an Architect and Writer from Buffalo, NY empowering other Architects to overcome chronic burnout, engineer self-awareness, and build thriving careers. As an Associate at Trautman Associates with over 18 years of experience in the field, Mike served two consecutive terms as a Board Member and Secretary for the AIA Buffalo/WNY. During his tenure with the AIA, he Co-Founded the Buffalo Emergi...

Sana Tabassum is the creative director of :scale, a communications studio and platform dedicated to empowering emerging creatives and helping brands tell authentic stories. For the last 6 years, she has built a global community through content, events, and mentoring, while expanding into strategic communication services for creative professionals in architecture and design. Her work focuses on sim...

In conversation with Jake Rudin, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Out of Architecture a career consulting firm that helps creatively-driven architects and designers find roles that challenge and fulfill them. He is passionate about helping others discover and pursue their unique talents and aspirations, and he serves as a mentor, talent partner, and advisor for several startups, organisations, a...

This week on Dialogues in Design, we spoke to Oliver Lowrie. Oliver is Co-Founder of Ackroyd Lowrie, an award-winning East London architecture studio known for people-centred, sustainable design. He writes a regular column for Building Design, co-hosts the Urban Forecast podcast, and has built a large LinkedIn following sharing insights on the future of architecture. Oliver is a judge for the BD A...

In this episode of Dialogues in Design: Early Career Conversations, Maja Kovacic Kalra talks about how marketing is important for architects as well as for young architecture graduates. She shares her insight on making efficient websites and some tips for social media presence.

In this episode, Tarang Daptardar, a global leader with 30+ years of experience, speaks about the pivotal career decisions that define and transform professional journeys. If you're at a crossroads or planning your next move, this conversation offers thoughtful insights on navigating those defining moments.