Join us as Kate Mann, Design Partner of ZGF Architects, shares how she designs for people and place, from US embassies to university campuses and New York City workplaces. We explore adaptive reuse, mass timber, the leadership model she teaches her team and why a culture that welcomes messy ideas leads to better design.
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Why a culture that welcomes messy ideas leads to stronger design outcomes.
09:30 How local light, materials and culture shape design from one place to the next.
15:45 The lens for deciding what to celebrate and what to transform in an existing building.
18:18 What it takes to make one of the hardest decisions of a career.
22:58 Why mass timber is about innovation and prefabrication as much as decarbonization.
27:30 How the post-pandemic office can serve people who need focus and people who need connection.
34:37 A leadership model where everyone mentors someone at every stage of their career.
39:30 What gives one design leader optimism about the next generation of architects.
Thanks for listening to the "Building Better Futures" podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any insightful conversations.
Resources Mentioned:
ZGF Architects website, where Kate leads design work from the firm's New York office
#PeopleDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #AECpodcast