Beyond the Surface

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Welcome to Beyond the Surface! Our podcast highlights underrepresented voices in architecture. We humanize architects by uncovering who they are beyond the surface.

NOMASiit


    • May 15, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 51m AVG DURATION
    • 29 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Beyond the Surface

    26: Tom Lee | Drawing from Within

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2025 54:26


    Tom is an award-winning architect and founder of Tom Lee Studio. He has experience across a diverse set of typologies and firms including HDR where he served as Design Principal, and other leading firms including John Ronan Architects, Goettsch Partners, JAHN, Leers Weinzapfel, and Kohn Pedersen Fox.Listen in to hear how drawing influenced Tom's journey in architecture and how he uses sketching as a unique form of communicating design.

    25: June Campbell | NOMA Stories from a Purple Spectrum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 70:45


    June Campbell, is a member of the National Organization for Minority Architects Council (NOMAC). She is the wife of Wendell Campbell, one of the founders of NOMA, who was the organization's first president.This episode also includes special guests, Leslie Campbell and Bryan Hudson.Listen in to hear stories from June about her life and about NOMA's founding.

    24: Ann Thompson | Developing History

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2025 52:10


    Ann Thompson, FAIA, is Executive Vice President of Architecture and Design at Related Midwest. She leads the design and planning of projects across the company's portfolio of mixed-use, mixed-income, affordable and luxury developments, as well as all engineering, zoning and entitlement efforts. Listen in to hear about Ann's career journey from architecture to development, and about how developers take on roles in building communities.

    23: Annabell Ren | Everywhere All at Once

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2025 55:18


    Annabell Ren is the co-founder of the Chicago based firm, New Office. Listen in to episode to hear her experiences as an immigrant to the US, and for a conversation about making cultural designs feel genuine to communities.

    22: Carol Ross Barney | Design is a Superpower

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 61:54


    Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, HASLA, is an architect, urbanist, and educator. She is the 2023 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal recipient, of which she is the first living woman to be individually honored. Listen to stories from her career journey, the mentors that inspired her, and conversation on how design should be in every day life for the public to experience.

    21: Paola Aguirre Serrano | Translating Spaces

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 60:39


    Paola is an urban designer and partner at Borderless Studio, a design and research practice based in Chicago and San Antonio. Listen in to hear about Paola's path between architecture and urban design, and how skills in education can be translated into practice.

    20: Michel Rojkind | Design for Reciprocity

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 61:12


    Michel is a Mexican architect and founder of Rojkind Arquitectos, based in Mexico City. Listen in to hear about Michel's time in music before architecture, and a conversation about how design can be rethought to improve the public.

    19: Jason Pugh | One Step at a Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 57:40


    Jason Pugh is a licensed architect, certified planner, and a Principal at Gensler, where he serves as the Global Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. He also served as the 2021-2022 President of the National Organization of Minority Architects. Listen in to the interview to hear about Jason's journey in architecture and urban planning, along with how NOMA became an integral part of his path.

    18: Deborah Berke | Altering [...]

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2024 52:09


    Deborah Berke is an architect, educator, and founder of New York-based architecture firm TenBerke, while serving as the Dean of Yale School of Architecture. Listen in to hear stories from her career in academia and practice!

    BONUS: Reed Kroloff | Authoring Futures

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2024 65:18


    Reed Kroloff is dean of IIT College of Architecture. He previously served as the Director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum and Dean of the Tulane School of Architecture. Reed was also Editor-in-Chief of Architecture magazine. Listen in to the interview to hear stories from Reed's life, and his journey to becoming dean at IIT.

    17: Chana Haouzi | The Power of Design

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 47:18


    Chana Haouzi is an architect, educator, and founder of Architecture for Public Benefit. Listen to this interview for conversations about the value of architecture and design for the public, and how mission driven work takes skills beyond traditional practice.

    16: Katherine Darnstadt | Altering Practice

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 65:55


    Katherine Darnstadt is the founder of Latent, a Chicago based design practice. Listen in to the interview for a conversation about the changing architectural profession as the next generation of designers mix architecture with other interests to influence design.

    15: Ann Lui | Future of Design

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2024 50:28


    Ann Lui is an architect and founding principal of Future Firm, a Chicago based architecture and design research practice. Listen in to a conversation about architecture shaping life in the city and experiences in the built environment.

    14: Dawveed Scully | Designing Healthy Communities

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 57:56


    Dawveed Scully is Managing Deputy Commissioner of Planning and Development at the City of Chicago. Prior to the DPD, Dawveed was an Associate Principal in the urban design and planning studio at SOM. He is a licensed architect in the State of Illinois and AICP certified urban planner. Listen in to hear about his design philosophies bringing together architecture and urban planning.

    13: Alicia Ponce - Empowering Voices

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2024 50:32


    Alicia Ponce is the founder and principal of APMonarch, a Chicago based architecture firm. Alicia is also the founder of Arquitina, a national 501(c)3 organization with a mission to increase the number of licensed Latina architects in the U.S. Listen in to hear about Alicia's inspirations and the work she does to support women in architecture with Arquitina. This episode also marks one year of the Beyond the Surface podcast. We want to thank everyone who has listened over this past year, and we hope to continue bringing great stories.

    12: Brian Lee - Building a Community of Family

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2024 39:49


    Brian Lee, FAIA is a Consulting Design Partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Listen in to hear about design ideas an influences in his architectural career.

    11: Bryan Hudson - Home Grown

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2024 55:12


    Bryan Hudson, NOMAC, AIA is a former NOMA National President. Listen in to hear about the path he took through architecture and NOMA. Bryan talks about the mentors and influences in his life, and how he now gives back to the next generation, especially with his firms and his continued NOMA involvement.

    10: Dr. L. David Stewart - Everything is Architecture

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2024 59:53


    Dr. L. David Stewart is an advocate and consultant for race, equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives for companies. Listen in to hear about his path from architecture school to a doctorate, his involvement with NOMA, and more about the belief that "everything is architecture".

    09: Daniel Mai - A Road Less Traveled

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2023 41:22


    This month features Daniel Mai, vice president for NC NOMA, and an HR Manager at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting. Daniel studied architecture and after exploring different careers in the architecture, construction and engineering industry, he ended up as a recruiting an HR professional in architecture firms, which we explore in this episode.

    08: Maurice Cox - Designing Policies for Change

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2023 66:42


    This month features Maurice Cox, the former Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Planning and Development. Listen in to hear stories from a long career in architecture, academia, and politics.

    07: Ernie Wong - Shaping a Landscape Legacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2023 39:58


    This month features Ernie Wong, the founding principal and president of Site Design Group, an award winning landscape architecture firm. Listen in to hear his story, and learn more about the relationship between politics and design.

    Special: Human Scale

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2023 29:32


    Beyond the Surface has a special episode featuring Walmer Saavedra, the co-founder and executive director of the non-profit organization Human Scale. The organization was founded by a group of architecture students who wanted to make a positive impact on communities. Listen in to hear about the organization and all the great work they do!

    06: Linda Chavez - Driven to Design

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2023 40:16


    This month's episode of the NOMASiit Podcast features Linda Chavez, a Principal at Future Firm in Chicago. She focuses on civic and community driven spaces. Listen to follow Linda's journey from Mexico to Chicago, and the perseverance it took to get where she is now.

    Special: Meet the Presidents feat. Alex Sanchez and Calyn O'Banion

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2023 33:13


    This special episode of the podcast features the 2023-2024 NOMASiit Presidents, Alex Sanchez and Calyn O'Banion. Listen in to hear Alex and Calyn's stories, as well as the plans they have for the organization this year.

    05: Mustapha Williams - Mentee to Mentor

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2023 47:15


    This month's episode of the NOMASiit Podcast features Mustapha Williams, an architect at Gensler in Chicago. At the firm, he serves as the North Central Region Community Impact Leader, and a member of the regional Summer Intern Committee. Follow Mustapha's journey from getting into architecture at a young age to where he is now, giving back to inspire youth pursuing architecture.

    04: Ashlen Williams - The Call to Diversity

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2023 36:37


    This month's episode of the NOMASiit Podcast features Ashlen Williams, an architect at KOO in Chicago, and the current I-NOMA President. Listen in to follow Ashlen's story from growing up in Missouri, to where she is now in Chicago. Join us in a conversation about promoting diversity in the architecture profession, and how getting involved with professional organizations provides a platform for advocacy. Note: This is a candid conversation in which the views expressed are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not reflect the opinions or official positions of I-NOMA or AIA-Chicago. 

    03: Jen Park of Park Fowler Plus - Breaking Barriers, Paving Futures

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2023 42:25


    This episode of the NOMASiit Podcast, "Beyond the Surface'' is titled “Breaking Barriers, Paving Future," featuring Jen Park. Discover the remarkable life and accomplishments of Jen Park in this episode. From being an award-winning architect and co-founder of Park Fowler Plus, to receiving prestigious honors like the AIA Chicago 2019 Dubin Family Young Architect Award, Jen's journey is truly inspiring. Additionally, we delve into her vital roles as a professor and studio coordinator at Illinois Tech, as well as her influential contributions to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion within the field of architecture.

    02: Davey Friday - Born to Build Chicago

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2023 40:29


    This episode of the NOMASiit Podcast, "Beyond the Surface'' is titled “Born to Build Chicago" featuring Davey Friday. Davey is a recent IIT alumni and a practicing multimedia fine artist, with several gallery exhibitions under his belt. He's currently an urban designer with Perkins & Will. Learn about his life, achievements, and values to understand what Davey envisions for the city of Chicago.

    01: Jesus Jimenez - Journey to Architecture

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2023 60:17


    This is the first episode of the new NOMASiit Podcast, "Beyond the Surface''. Jesus is a recent IIT graduate, designer, veteran, father, and husband. In this episode, we follow Jesus's journey and learn about his life, setbacks, and achievements on his path to getting an architecture degree at IIT.

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