The Anti-Architect

In this episode, Christian sits down with Louis Koehl, AIA, CPHD, Director of Sustainable Design at Handel Architects, for a deep dive into what sustainability really means in today’s built environment. Forget buzzwords and marketing veneers - Louis unpacks sustainability as a design foundation, not a feature. And for the first time on the podcast, Christian and Louis pull up actual project photos in real time - like the w...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Sean DeDeyn, co-founder of The Axel Group, a full-service staffing and recruiting firm for the AEC industry. Christian and Sean discuss his “Anything but Typical” approach to finding the right talent for the job. He shares how he built a business rooted in asking the right questions, culture-first placements, and speed. Sean also unpacks his theory that company culture starts in th...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Jonathan Schultz, Co-founder and Managing Principal of Onyx Equities and Host of The Jon Schultz Podcast: The Myth of Overnight Success. Christian and Jon discuss his approach to real estate development, his company's pivot from office to life sciences and industrial, and the transformative potential of AI in real estate. Jon dives deep into the significance of responsiveness, crea...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Denise Young, a 22-year veteran in strategic partnerships and business development. As Business Development Manager at Turner Construction–an international construction services company that completes $17 billion in construction across 1,500 projects annually–Denise plays a key role in mentoring staff on best practices for business and professional development. Denise is also the P...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Michael Fox, President of Fox Building Group. Michael began his career at The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and launched his firm in 2021. Fox Building Group specializes in high-end, detail-driven commercial projects ranging from ground-up interiors to residential multifamily, condos, luxury townhouses, and 3M+ single-family homes. Michael’s team is in Tampa, Nashville, and So...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Brian Tolman, Co-founder of Origin. Brian is an award-winning architect and designer of industry-defining places for work and play. Before co-founding Origin in 2021, Brian founded the award-winning Convene Design Group, where he led a team of over 40 designers, strategists, and architects. He spent the first 18 years of his career as a firm leader and managing principal at STUDIOS...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Kristina Reynolds, Co-founder and Principal Consultant & Facilitator of Collective Social Intelligence (CSI), also known as Fly-CSI. With over 30 years of experience mentoring top global CEOs and partnering with leading brands like PepsiCo, McDonald's, and L’Oréal, Kristina combines her expertise as a behavioral psychologist and her background in advertising, marketing, and dec...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Ryan Anderson, Vice President of Global Research and Planning at MillerKnoll. His team leads MillerKnoll’s research, shares insights publicly across the world, and provides workplace strategy and application design services to the company’s customers. With 30 years of industry experience, Ryan’s work has centered on how the places we inhabit can be better designed to support health...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Michael Leondi, Vice President of Design & Construction at Rockefeller Group. With more than 25 years of experience in commercial real estate and construction, Mike is based in the company’s Morristown, New Jersey, office overseeing the development of projects in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Since 1928, Rockefeller Group has evolved from developing the iconic Rockefeller Center...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Tom Shen, President and CEO of Shen Milsom & Wilke (SM&W), a leading global consulting firm specializing in IT, Audiovisual Systems, Security, Acoustics, and Medical Equipment Planning. With a career spanning over 30 years, Tom has shaped SM&W into one of the world's most respected and highly acclaimed consultancies. Tom’s leadership has guided the firm’s growth across ...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Mark Benhar, Founder and President of Benhar Office Interiors, one of New York's largest dealerships for furniture and architectural products and a MillerKnoll Platinum Certified Office Furniture Dealer. Mark plays a key role in overseeing leadership and management across the company, engaging in sales, marketing, recruitment, and driving growth. Under his leadership, the managemen...

In this episode, Christian sits down with David Brown, Head of Brand Experience at DIRTT, a global leader in industrialized construction. After decades of crisscrossing North America, David understands operations, manufacturing, and construction trends and has seen firsthand the importance the built environment plays in our lives. Using technology to streamline the process, David understands the benefits of multi-trade and...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Robert Otani, CTO of Thornton Tomasetti, a multidisciplinary engineering and consulting firm. Robert has extensive structural design and project management experience involving commercial, infrastructure, institutional, cultural, and residential structures on projects totaling over $2 billion in construction. Robert established and oversees the CORE studio. His professional and aca...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Cyrus Izzo, President and CEO of Syska Hennessy Group, a leading global engineering firm specializing in full-service MEP, information and communication technology, architectural lighting, vertical transportation, and commissioning. Cyrus joined Syska in 1993 as an electrical engineer and, in 2023, became the firm's President and CEO. He has overseen a geographic expansion into Dub...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Julie Engh, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, Project Manager at Watershed Partners, an employee-owned and managed project management firm specializing in retail, hospitality, institutional, healthcare, and residential projects. After almost 20 years leading design and construction through all project phases, Julie's expertise bridges architectural history, construction management, and architec...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Joseph Dennis, Principal/General Counsel and Ethics Officer of Arup Americas. Arup Americas is part of Arup Group, one of the world’s largest engineering firms with over 18,000 employees worldwide and a multi-disciplinary practice. He oversees an eleven-person legal team with a portfolio of responsibilities that includes the firm’s contracts, disputes, intellectual property, corpor...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Michael Abboud, CEO of TetherView. With over 20 years of experience in the field of IT, Michael has built a reputation for his deep technical expertise and his unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. TetherView is a leading IT solutions company based in Oceanport, New Jersey, and has become one of the most trusted names in the industry to companies across a wide range of se...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Lise Bornstein, AIA, Partner at KFA Architecture. Lise has devoted her architectural design career to creating spaces and opportunities where people and communities thrive. She is responsible for business development, project conceptualization and design, as well as office operations and culture. She has managed projects and campus master plans with complex entitlement packages, mu...

In this episode, Christian sits down with Rob Adler, President of Robert W. Adler & Associates. Rob is an architect and design professional, running his architecture firm that focuses on both residential and commercial projects. Over the past three decades, Rob’s practice has expanded from designing single family homes to designing commercial projects and major developments. Today, he boasts a portfolio featuring some ...