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.

#190 – Understanding The Grimaces

Topic

We discuss the new world of communication and physical barriers that many people are adapting to, and many who are not.

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!

#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.

Links

62465920424__AD9A1231-EA5A-45B3-9414-74E3D5AB3934.jpg
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!

#188 – We Keep Forgetting That's An Option

Topic

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

Links

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!

#187 – V.E. is Neither

Topic

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

Links

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!

#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.

Links

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!

#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!

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!

#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.

Links

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!

#183 - How To Take Notes

Topic

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

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!

#182 - I Saw People Sketching

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

Read More
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!

#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!

Read More
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!

#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.

Read More
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!

#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.

Read More
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!

#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.

Read More
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!

#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.

Read More
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!

#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.

Read More
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!

#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.

Read More
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!

#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.

Read More
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!

#173 - #blackouttuesday

#blackouttuesday

Read More
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!

#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.

Read More
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!

#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.

Read More
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!