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.

#245 - Code Minimum Architect

Topic

We discuss impostor syndrome, NCARB's IPAL Programs and different paths to becoming an architect, ego and ability, a call to action for the profession, doing theory vs grunt work, and window shopping at auto auctions.

Links

Sponsors

Enscape is a real-time rendering and VR tool for the AEC market. It empowers design workflows by plugging into building modeling software and turning the models into immersive 3D experiences. Visit enscape3d.com/archispeak to sign up for a free 14-day trial.

Infratech outdoor comfort heating systems combine eco-friendly, ambient warmth with unparalleled design versatility, to add year-round comfort to the world’s most prestigious commercial and residential spaces. To learn more visit Infratech-USA.com/podcast.

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Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#244 - Experiencing Galaxy's Edge

Topic

A visit to Disneyland, exploring various layers of an example of the ultimate architectural experience at Galaxy's Edge, and more.

Links

Sponsor

Enscape is a real-time rendering and VR tool for the AEC market. It empowers design workflows by plugging into building modeling software and turning the models into immersive 3D experiences. Visit enscape3d.com/archispeak to sign up for a free 14-day trial.

Infratech outdoor comfort heating systems combine eco-friendly, ambient warmth with unparalleled design versatility, to add year-round comfort to the world’s most prestigious commercial and residential spaces. To learn more visit Infratech-USA.com/podcast.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#243 - Crappy Game of Telephone

Topic

The downsides of hyperrealism during design presentations, when it's time to stop designing, emotional experiences in architecture, and a mini-review of the masterpiece that is Dune.

Links

Sponsor

Enscape is a real-time rendering and VR tool for the AEC market. It empowers design workflows by plugging into building modeling software and turning the models into immersive 3D experiences. Visit enscape3d.com/archispeak to sign up for a free 14-day trial.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#242 - Aloha and As-salam alaykom

Topic

Coming to you from remote locations on opposite sides the world (no, it's not flat—but it does have "sides" 🤣), we have a discussion about the true value of in-person meetings after a year and a half of virtual calls.

Sponsor

Enscape is a real-time rendering and VR tool for the AEC market. It empowers design workflows by plugging into building modeling software and turning the models into immersive 3D experiences. Visit enscape3d.com/archispeak to sign up for a free 14-day trial.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#241 - Future-proofing Architecture

Topic

Architectural representation and its roles in cinema, world-building, alternative realities, the Metaverse, the concept of "future-proofing" space, and more.

Links

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Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#240 - The Process

Topic

How does the architectural design process work? Is it linear—or is it something else entirely—and why?

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Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#239 - Reality to Virtual

Topic

Do you ever feel like you're being watched—or experimented on—when shopping online? A/B testing is a standard practice companies use not only for marketing purposes, but in user interface design and user experience as well. Adjustments are then made over time to suit the preferences of users making use of the data gleaned from the testing. Can/should/do architects do this? What kinds of modifications have you done in environments you have agency over to better suit your experience of space?

Links

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Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#238 – Wax the Carpets

Topic

Post-justified puns, green roof details, not knowing what we don't know, continuing education and building product selection, educating (and selling!) design concepts and building products to clients with the right information for them to make informed decisions, bad alliances and throwing teammates under the bus, and more.

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Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#237 – Unspoken-spoken Rule

Topic

In this episode we’re talking about corporate-sponsored productivity-enhancing drugs. Cormac jumps back on the wagon after an 8-month hiatus so we discuss our favorite morning ritual.

Links

Sponsor

Thanks to our sponsor for helping make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak
and try Twinmotion for free.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#236 – Flanking the Camel Crowd

Topic

We discuss Cormac's recent trip to Saudi Arabia and the extraordinary humbling feeling he experienced during his adventure.

Links

Sponsor

Thanks to our sponsor for helping make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#235 – Zigzag Patterns of Thought

Topic

This conversation is a continuation of our previous episode topic regarding documenting knowledge and includes some deeper theoretical discussion inspired by a recent article on Substack.

Links

Sponsor

Thanks to our sponsor for helping make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#234 – Moving Past Your Past

Topic

We discuss leadership acting as roadblocks and the need for capturing knowledge, teaching, and learning within our practices so we can all participate in leveling up the profession.

Links

Sponsors

This sponsor is helping make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#233 – Snout House

Topic

A conversation about architects designing automobiles and some future-casting about the built environment where cars drive themselves. Will we be a part of it?

Links

Sponsors

This sponsor is helping make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#232 – More Holes than SpongeBob

Topic

Letting 'good' get in the way of 'great': a story about a slow process of perfectionism versus the instant gratification of good enough.

Sponsors

This sponsor is helping make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#231 – A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

Topic

If a tree falls in a rainstorm and rips the electrical connection from your house and you don't see it, does it make a sound? Disaster strikes in Cormac's neighborhood, leading to another sidetrack conversation.

Links

The wind tunnel effect

The wind tunnel effect

A near miss

A near miss

A direct hit

A direct hit

Oh my poor tree

Oh my poor tree

Sponsors

This sponsor is helping make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#230 – Mr. Troxel Goes to Washington

Topic

Evan talks about his recent trip to Washington DC and Cormac foreshadows his retirement plan.

Links

Sponsors

These sponsors help make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Monograph

On August 12, Monograph is hosting Section Cut, a virtual conference dedicated to firm owners and operation leaders. Hear from leaders at Lake|Flato, SOM, Workshop/APD, Colloqate, and more! Reserve a seat today by visiting sectioncut.com.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#229 – Nailed It!

Topic

Evan gives an update on his adventures in construction, we talk about the disconnect between architects and contractors informed through Evan's experiences doing design-build, reminisce about learning how to build by watching This Old House, and more.

Links

Sponsors

These sponsors help make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Monograph

On August 12, Monograph is hosting Section Cut, a virtual conference dedicated to firm owners and operation leaders. Hear from leaders at Lake|Flato, SOM, Workshop/APD, Colloqate, and more! Reserve a seat today by visiting sectioncut.com.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#228 – Architectural Loyalty

Topic

Cormac tries to help Evan understand sports team loyalties. The topic then leads to the question of whether architectural loyalties (to an architect or office, for example) make sense.

Links

Sponsors

These sponsors help make this episode possible:

Twinmotion

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Monograph

On August 12, Monograph is hosting Section Cut, a virtual conference dedicated to firm owners and operation leaders. Hear from leaders at Lake|Flato, SOM, Workshop/APD, Colloqate, and more! Reserve a seat today by visiting sectioncut.com.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#227 – Hugging Architecture

Topic

We discuss Evan’s recent visit (and Cormac’s past visits) to an architectural icon including observations only architects would enjoy and understand.

Links

Image Gallery

All photos © Evan Troxel 2021; all rights reserved.

Sponsor

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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#226 – Hulk Hand

Topic

In an attempt to do anything except talk about architecture this episode, we discuss Cormac's sufferfest on the Appalachian Trail (AT), his discovery of the IT Band, tools for hikers, how Evan recently joined Cormac to hike in Great Falls Park, and a 'type-2 fun' story from Evan to round things out.

Links

Sponsor

Twinmotion is a real-time rendering solution used by architecture, engineering, and construction professionals to create high-quality imagery, client presentations, and interactive experiences that help communicate your BIM data and design ideas, fast. Visit twinmotion.link/archispeak and try Twinmotion for free.

Listen and Subscribe to Archispeak

Comment Rules: Be cool like the Fonz. Critical is fine, but if you’re rude, we’ll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation!
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