Episodes

What’s it really like to work in architecture? The hosts of Archispeak know, and they’re here to share real-life experiences. Since 2012 architects Evan Troxel and Cormac Phalen have been podcasting their brand of real talk on everything from design, tools, and work/life balance to generational differences, mentoring, job hunting, and more. Probing questions, revelatory interviews, and unique insights have grown their audience and become a weekly ritual for students and seasoned professionals alike.

#189 – Pull The Motor

Topic

We follow-up on Cormac's double-jointed, shadetree mechanic adventure and wax nostalgic on Haynes manuals. And then, somehow, bring it back to architecture.

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#188 – We Keep Forgetting That's An Option

Topic

We discuss taking ideas from other industries — like auto manufacturing — and applying them to architecture.

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#187 – V.E. is Neither

Topic

We discuss ways to deal with last-minute changes on projects, which is something that never really happens. 

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#186 – Why I'm Likely Leaving

Topic

We discuss a recent Twitter thread about structural engineering career angst and parallel issues we have observed in the architectural profession.

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#185 - Architectural Levels of Pain

Topic

Cormac tells us a story of superstitious happenings, and we discuss the true meaning of three seemingly innocuous words that show up on so many drawing sets: Protect In Place.

And be sure to check out the latest announcement from Gābl Media!

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#184 - Are You A Worker?

Topic

Cormac and Evan discuss the sentiments expressed in the recently posted 'Letter to a Young Architect' by critic Kate Wager in Architecture Review.

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#183 - How To Take Notes

Topic

Evan and Cormac talk about having too many digital input devices to maintain clarity while working.

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#182 - I Saw People Sketching

We discuss the new format for Archispeak, and Cormac pays a visit to the office.

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#181 - I Don't Know if This is Depressing

Evan and Cormac talk about the effort that is required to design the future of our beloved profession of architecture. It's time to take responsibility fellow architects!

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#180 - We Chose Witches

Evan and Cormac start the episode all over the place but eventually bring it back to architecture, work/life juggling, and the evolving work schedules and behaviors we've found now that school is starting up in households around the world.

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#179 - Guerilla Architecture Redux

Summer break is here, and this is a redux of a previous episode where we discussed the movie Citizen Architect with a very special guest, architect Steve Hoffman.

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#178 - Putting the Guidelines Aside

Cormac and Evan talk about the consequences of breaking the BIM when deadlines are looming, how the design process is time travel, and the need for a vacation.

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#177 - A Boat-Shaped Cubicle

Cormac and Evan talk about what they are doing instead of vacationing this summer, the importance of knowing how things go together, some of their favorite construction tools, conducting Zoom calls on water, and more.

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#176 - Field Observation Report – June 2020

Architects are anthropologists and psychologists too, right? Join us for a conversation about some behaviors we are observing during Covid-19 — along with everything else that's going on in the world right now — and how they might relate to architecture and design.

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#175 - Hoarding at the Highest Level

Evan and Cormac continue to nerd-out and do a deep dive into three buildings. Come along on the journey of experiencing capital "A" architecture during a time when it's practically impossible to do so.

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#174 - Nerding-Out on Architecture

Evan and Cormac nerd-out and go through a laundry list of great architecture that they've visited, hoping to narrow it down to do a deep dive into one building each in the next episode. Come along on the journey of experiencing capital "A" architecture during a time when it's practically impossible to do so.

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#173 - #blackouttuesday

#blackouttuesday

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#172 - The Design of Art

Evan and Cormac discuss an episode of Netflix's docuseries Abstract: The Art of Design that focused on Olafur Eliasson's philosophy, process, and work, and relate that to what we do in architecture.

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#171 - Resting Architect Face

Picking up from some cues in the last episode, we talk about the Eames' movie The Powers of Ten, a design studio Cormac is participating in at Auburn, good communication skills, the power of the diagram, putting construction on display, and more.

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#170 - Guerilla Architecture

In this episode, we follow up on the homework assignment and watch the Citizen Architect movie... because, what else do you have to do?

We also welcome a special guest, Cormac's longtime-friend from architecture school Steven Hoffman, who was not only in the movie about the Rural Studio but was also a student and instructor there.

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