Open Plan Podcast

It's been a long time coming, but ever since we went on her podcast, From the Honeycomb , we wanted to bring Katerina over to ours! Listen to this interview to learn more about how she transitioned from her previous job working for another architect to starting her own business. Aside from architecture, Katerina also runs her podcast and helps other entrepreneurs start their own firm. Follow...

In this casual catch-up, Maria and Emily give each of their 5 things they'd tell themselves when starting out in the professional world. They both also share some biiig life updates at the beginning of the episode! While much of this episode is motivated by the trials of a new job or a first job, much of this advice is still relevant no matter where you are in your career! Let us know what 5...

On another incredible interview, Maria and Emily sit down with Caitlin Brady, host of the Architectette Podcast! What happens when you're done with exams and can finally call yourself an architect? Listen in to hear more about how to advocate for yourself while being one of the youngest in the room, career progression and importance of life outside of the office. Listen to Architectette Follo...

It's finally here! Maria shares all of her most useful tips and tricks she learned from her experience as an international student going to college in the United States. Even if you're not in the architecture field, this episode is packed full of amazing advice.  00:00 - Getting to college 15:20 - In-college experience 34:15 - Post-college advice 43:25 - Listener Questions Support the sh...

In our next installment of the ARE 5.0 Series, Emily goes solo to talk about the 4th exam in our recommended test order - Programming & Analysis!  She covers the content of the key sections in the test, goes over practice questions, and covers study resources + miscellaneous tips that YOU need to PASS this exam! Good luck to everyone studying - we are rooting for you! Be sure to follow @openpl...

Get ready for an unfiltered catch up of what happened this summer! It's been a whirlwind of life events and we are catching you up on all things wedding, Eras Tour, vacations and we get a bit ~deep~ at the end. We hope you enjoy! Here are timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:30 Eras Tour Recap 9:30 Emily in Atlanta 11:03 Hamptons Bachelorette 13:43 Brazil Wedding 44:10 Maria's Takeaways Support the...

In this episode, Emily and Maria share practical habits they are incorporating into their daily life that breaks up the monotony of the everyday grind & brings the joy back into simply LIVING. We hope this episode inspires you! Use code OPP15 for 15% off Desk Crits Guide to the ARE 5.0 Support the show Follow us on IG @openplanpodcast Use code OPP15 for 15% off Desk Crits Guide to the ARE 5.0

In our next installment of the ARE 5.0 Series, Emily goes solo to talk about the 3rd exam in our recommended test order - Construction & Evaluation!  She covers the content of the key sections in the test, goes over practice questions, and covers study resources + miscellaneous tips that YOU need to PASS this exam! Good luck to everyone studying - we are rooting for you! Be sure to follow @ope...

Kate Reggev truly does it all! By day she is an architect working as an Owner's Rep while teaching at Columbia GSAPP, and by night she is an architectural writer for publications like MadameArchitect, Architectural Digest, Dwell, and more.  Interested in transitioning from a traditional architecture firm to the Owner's side and flexing your project management skills? Or learning how to g...

Negotiating a new job offer or a promotion can be uncomfortable - but we're here to change that!  Using the valuable advice they've received on their own journeys, Emily and Maria give in-depth guidance on how to change your job search mindset and get what you deserve during the negotiation period. What do you say when an employer asks for your ideal salary number? What do you do when yo...

In our next installment of the ARE 5.0 Series, Emily goes solo to talk about the 2nd exam in our recommended test order - Project Management!  She covers the structure of the test, the content of the 5 key sections in the test, and how you would see the section content in question form.  She also dives deep into the most important resources you need to PASS this exam. Feel free to DM us on Instagr...

This is Part II of a very special interview with Rashida Ng, RA, NOMA! Rashida is one of the first 500 black women to be licensed architects in the United States.  She currently serves as Associate Professor and Chair of Undergraduate Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. In this episode, Rashida gives valuable  advice to anyone who might be interested in teaching, and how that has playe...

This is Part I of a very special interview with Rashida Ng, RA, NOMA! Rashida is one of the first 500 black women to be licensed architects in the United States.  She currently serves as Associate Professor and Chair of Undergraduate Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. In this episode, Rashida tells stories of her experience as a POC in architecture school and as a young designer in th...

Emily is DONE with the ARE's! In this episode, Maria interviews Emily about all the details of her exam journey and how she made it to her final pass. Emily opens up about her fails (yes, there were multiple), what her exact study schedule was, how to stay sane throughout the whole process, and much more! Be sure to stay tuned to the end for Emily's 7 tips that she’s gathered from passin...

It's summer internship season! And we want YOU to crush it. Whether you are doing a summer internship or beginning a new architecture position, we have 10 ways for you to make the most of your time at work. We cover advice that we wish someone told us when starting out, including being more communicative, prioritizing your goals, utilizing your firm's resources, and much more! These are...

In our next installment of the ARE 5.0 Series, we are breaking down the exam we recommend taking first - Practice Management! We discuss what the test is generally about, the exact resources we used/are currently using, and critical study strategies to PASS this exam. Timestamps: Emily & Maria's Catch-Up: 0:00 - 9:57 Practice Management Content: 9:57 - 1:04   Test Strategies 45:00 Use cod...

It's the first of our ARE [Architecture Registration Exam] Series! So you've decided you want to get licensed...now what?! Starting can be overwhelming - but we've got you covered! In this intro episode,  we cover all the steps required to become licensed and how to begin the process. How do you become eligible to sit for exams? Are there time limits to reporting AXP hours? What exa...

Early friend of the pod & award-winning architect Bryn Young sits down with us for an engaging conversation about her journey into architecture and all the amazing things she is doing. Bryn started her firm after completing her Masters (with a newborn in tow!) and has been running her business, podcast, and ARE resources/coaching program ever since. Tune in for a real and honest chat about mot...

From the University of Michigan Master of Architecture program, friends and classmates Collin Garnett & Timothy Peterson join us in the studio!  What made U of M stand out when they applied to grad school? What's it like living in a college town like Ann Arbor?  What's the studio culture like? (spoiler: it might not be what you think) Plus, we all go down the rabbit hole about what w...

We're back for our first episode of 2022! Maria and Emily catch up with some big life updates (hint hint it might involve a job change) and give their recommendations on what they are loving right now.  They then dive into strategies on how to prioritize yourself this year and combat burn out. They cover topics like focusing on your mental health, silencing negative thoughts, setting boundari...

In this Professional Series interview, we speak with Tracy Carusi,  2021 President of AIA Atlanta and Former President/CEO of Collins Cooper Carusi Architects. We dive into Tracy's past (including some statements she received about being the only woman in the drafting room), how she put the "Carusi" in Collins Cooper Carusi, and why introverts make fantastic leaders. She also lends...

In one of our favorite episodes yet, we sit down with Ellen Dunham-Jones; architect, urban designer, educator, author, podcast host, viral TED Talk host...the list goes on! We cover a lot of ground with Ellen during this episode, including the adversities she faced as one of the few women in her architecture program, what sparked her interest in "retrofitting suburbia," and how autonomou...

It’s another exciting installment of our Professional Series, but this time with one of our own! Emily interviews Maria about her role as a Marketing Manager at Collins Cooper Carusi. What does a Marketing Manager do at an architecture firm? How did she pivot from a designer role to a marketing role? What is a typical day in the life of a Marketing Manager? We discuss these topics and much, much m...

Happy 1 Year Anniversary! We can't believe it's already been a year since our first episode went live, and we're so grateful to you for sticking with us during this time! In this bonus episode, we discuss a few of our favorite moments and behind the scenes from the last year and share some fun stats. We also want to thank you for listening and hear more about your thoughts on how we...

We're back with another professional interview! From Studio SOGO, Leslie Ellsworth is a firm owner, principal  and mother of two. We talked about how she started her career, the difficulties she went through as a young mom at a small firm, how Studio SOGO came to be and how they're trying to do things differently in terms of increasing equity in the profession.  She also offered some val...