Practice Forward Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

V Owen Bush welcomed Bo Sundius, owner of Bunch Design, to the Practice Forward podcast to discuss technology and tools reshaping architecture. Bo Sundius shared Bunch Design's approach to ADU design, focusing on custom, people-first designs and their "doppelganger" process for rebuilding homes after the Altadena fires. Bo Sundius explained that their firm provides a unique service by offering custom architectural design within an accessible budget range, unlike the typical patron relationship with wealthy clients.

This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers.From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design.Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Today I’m joined by Bo Sundius, founder of Bunch Design in Los Angeles. Half his practice delivers “from-scratch” ADUs for regular people. The other half helps Altadena families rebuild homes lost to fire—starting from photos and memory, then carefully reimagining daily life. Bo’s team has built a fast, humane process: conventional construction, standardized drawings, and a plan-reuse option they call the Doppelganger, all aimed at speed without prefab shortcuts.

Bunch Design Website

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https://www.bunchdesign.net/

V Owen Bush welcomed Hormuz Batliboi, who shared insights into Batliboi Studio's architectural approach, emphasizing precision and the integration of fine arts and math, as demonstrated in projects like the Brooklyn Heights Loft and their Bed-Stuy Townhouse. They discussed how their experience in larger firms shaped their practice philosophy, balancing rigor with a boutique approach, and highlighted their use of technology, such as 3D scanning and Matterport, for client collaboration and navigating landmark districts. Hormuz Batliboi also expressed aspirations for offering VR/AR tours and expanding into commercial projects, while V Owen Bush informed them about Scan to Plan's advanced modeling and Heritage BIM capabilities.

This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers.From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design.Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Today on Practice Forward: architect Hormuz Batliboi, founder of Batliboi Studio in Brooklyn. His studio reworks NYC residential—brownstones, lofts, and apartment combinations—especially in Landmark districts—with a calm, light-driven clarity and joinery that reads like furniture made architectural. Recent work includes a Brooklyn Heights loft carved from a former manufacturing shell, a Bed-Stuy brownstone re-stacked as an owner triplex over a garden unit, and a Heights triplex inside a former church resolved through circulation and storage. We’ll talk about the moves that keep these spaces legible—and the tolerances that keep them honest.

Batliboi Studio Website

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https://www.batliboi.studio/

V Owen Bush introduced Mark Foster Gage as a renowned architect, author, and thought leader, and they discussed Mark Foster Gage's real resort project, Treyam, located in Saudi Arabia, which features an "otherworldly" design with elevated structures and immersive glass elements. Mark Foster Gage explained his design philosophy, which emphasizes pushing architectural boundaries through speculative work and aesthetics, and criticized modernism for its "anti-aesthetic" approach, advocating for beauty and civic pride in architectural design. They also discussed advancements in construction, the impact of computation on architecture, biases in architectural software, and the importance of reintroducing the concept of beauty into architectural discourse.

This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers. From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design. Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Mark Foster Gage is an architect, author, and thought leader challenging architecture’s traditional boundaries through his bold embrace of aesthetics and speculation. As the principal of Mark Foster Gage Architects and Robert A. M. Stern Professor of Architecture at Yale, his work provocatively questions how beauty shapes our cities, communities, and political realities. Through iconic speculative projects like the Khaleesi Tower, writings including On the Appearance of the World, and his influential philosophy of “Speculative Aesthetics,” Mark repositions architecture as a powerful force for social dialogue, ethical reflection, and cultural imagination.

MFGA website

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https://www.mfga.com/

V Owen Bush introduced Winka Dubbeldam, a Dutch-born, New York-based architect and founder of Archi-Tectonics, who discussed her firm's "performance over form" ethos, exemplified by projects like the Asian Games Eco Park and their "file-to-factory" approach which integrates regulatory constraints into design. Dubbeldam also shared insights into her architectural education philosophy, emphasizing digital design integration and adaptive reuse, as well as her recent book, "Strange Objects, New Solids, and Massive Things", and an upcoming book, "Monsters and Mutants". This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers. From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design. Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Winka Dubbeldam is the Dutch-born, New-York-based architect behind Archi-Tectonics—a studio celebrated for turning parametric experiments into high-performance buildings, from Tribeca’s pixelated V33 condos to Hangzhou’s Asian Games eco-park. A longtime Miller Professor at UPenn and incoming Director & CEO of SCI-Arc, she bridges practice and pedagogy with an ethos she sums up as “performance over form.” Her book, Strange Objects, New Solids and Massive Things, chronicles that file-to-factory approach, wiring designers directly to manufacturers. Simply put, Winka designs envelopes that think and cities that breathe—exactly the mix of innovation and intentionality we explore on Practice Forward.

Archi-Tectonics website

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https://www.archi-tectonics.com/

V Owen Bush introduced Desiree Edge (Washington), a multidisciplinary interior designer and founder of Designs By Des Interiors, highlighting her unique approach to creating trauma-informed spaces, and also introduced Scan2Plan as the podcast sponsor. Desiree Edge shared that their design philosophy was deeply inspired by a traumatic house fire they experienced in seventh grade and their father's deployment during 9/11, which instilled in them a purpose to help communities and families with home care and home life, emphasizing the home as an internal sanctuary. Desiree Edge also discussed challenges in transitioning to interior design entrepreneurship, the integration of psychological insights in design, balancing psychological depth with aesthetic appeal, and their critique of the "Instagram effect" in design.

This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers. From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design. Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Desiree Edge (Washington) is a multidisciplinary interior designer and the founder of Designs By Des Interiors, based in Mansfield, Massachusetts. With a background in architecture, lighting design, and psychology, Desiree creates thoughtfully integrated, trauma-informed spaces that blend emotional wellness, sustainability, and functionality. Her unique hybrid approach and passion for holistic design have led to her recognition as a Wayfair Tastemaker and positioned her as a growing voice in residential and small commercial interior design across New England.

Designs By Des Interiors website

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https://designsbydesinteriors.com/

V Owen Bush introduced Ric Stott, founder of Stott Architecture, highlighting his firm's focus on environmentally high-performance design and sustainability, which originated from the 1974 oil embargo. Ric Stott discussed various projects, including the carbon-neutral HGA House and the renovation of the Suffolk Theater, emphasizing the integration of sustainable technologies and innovative construction materials like SIPs and ICFs. The discussion also covered the increasing role of technology, such as AI and LiDAR scans, in modern architectural practice, and Ric Stott's evolving perspective on architectural relevance, shifting from fame to user comfort and sustainability. This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers. From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design. Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Ric Stott is the founder of Stott Architecture, a Southampton-based firm known for its environmentally responsible, high-performance design. With roots in carpentry and over 40 years in practice, Stott blends technical precision with emotional resonance—evident in projects like Suffolk County’s first LEED Platinum carbon-neutral home. His work emphasizes sustainability, craft, and the power of architecture to elevate everyday life.

Stott Architecture website

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https://www.aslasho.com/

V Owen Bush introduced Madelaine Mayer, founder of Adroit, an interior architecture studio specializing in small space living, highlighting Adroit's commitment to precision and Scandlan's sponsorship as an as-built service. Madelaine Mayer explained her transition from large-scale projects to Adroit, emphasizing her entrepreneurial spirit, the application of BIM rigor to small projects, and her focus on efficiency, client confidence, sustainability, and employee growth. Madelaine Mayer also shared her vision for Adroit's growth, including internal mentorship, increased brand influence, and the expansion of their philanthropic initiative.

This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers. From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design. Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Madelaine Mayer is the founder of AD:ROIT, a boutique interior architecture studio translating big-firm rigor into small-space precision. With roots in BIM-heavy megaprojects and civic work, she now brings that same digital discipline to residential transformations—balancing reversibility, wellness, and high craft.

AD:ROIT website

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https://www.ad-roit.com/

V Owen Bush and Shawn Hamlin discussed the historical significance of the Capital Region and the ongoing project to restore the Stephen and Harriet Myers residence and develop a cultural center. Shawn Hamlin detailed the design incorporating a historic Dutch barn, sustainable building practices aiming for net-zero energy, and the client's vision for an engaging community space, highlighting challenges with SHPO regarding geothermal well impact. The conversation also covered the evolution of architectural documentation, the use of 3D printing, their work in educational building modernization, the importance of client vision, and the anticipated start of construction for the Myers Center project in the fall.

This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers. From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design. Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Shawn Hamlin is the founding principal of Hamlin Design Group, where he leads civic and educational projects that thread sustainability, cultural legacy, and public impact. From NetZero museums like the Stephen & Harriet Myers Underground Railroad Interpretive Center to large-scale adaptive reuse efforts like Harriman Building 5, Shawn’s work blends technical rigor with narrative intent. Across every project, he’s asking: how do we build with memory—and with meaning—for the next century?

Hamlin Design Group website

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https://www.hamlindesigngroup.com/

V Owen Bush introduced Adam Dayem, who discussed his teaching at RPI, emphasizing the transition for second-year students from theoretical design to practical architectural problems involving representation conventions and a past adaptive reuse project at St. Mary's Church. Adam Dayem also shared insights on the impact of AI and parametric tools on architectural representation, the balance between practical skills and architectural thinking, and the overemphasis on visual perception in the field. The conversation then shifted to Adam Dayem's project, Sleeve House, detailing its design inspiration, materiality, budget constraints, spatial experience, and the subsequent commission for a winery by the owners, followed by a discussion on challenges in teaching embodied design and future directions for architectural practice and potential collaborations.

This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers.From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design.Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Adam Dayem is an architect and educator whose work bridges speculative design and built form. As founding principal of Actual / Office and assistant professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he’s best known for projects like the Sleeve House—a formally rigorous, materially expressive residence that’s become a case study in representation-driven practice. Whether guiding students or clients, Adam navigates the friction between theory and delivery with precision, making him a compelling voice in the evolving landscape of architectural modeling, pedagogy, and practice.

actual / office website

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https://www.aslasho.com/

V Owen Bush and Rahul Shah discussed Tight House's focus on sustainable and energy-efficient residential design, the benefits and challenges of applying passive house principles to both new and existing homes, and the architect's role in considering long-term relevance and human ecology. Rahul Shah emphasized the importance of air tightness, insulation, and mechanical ventilation for comfortable and durable homes, while also highlighting the value of preserving and retrofitting existing building stock. The conversation also covered Rahul Shah's firm's adoption of new technologies like Scan to Plan and concluded with a discussion about potential collaboration on a project at three honeysuckle in Kennelon, New Jersey, including pricing and deliverables for updating existing plans.

This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers.From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design.Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

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https://www.scan2plan.io/

Rahul Shah is the Principal Architect of Tight House, a full-service architectural and interior design firm based in Maplewood, New Jersey. He is a registered architect licensed in New Jersey and New York, NCARB certified, and a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC). Shah's diverse experience encompasses ground-up new construction, additions, renovations, senior affordable housing, modular construction, landscape design, and custom cabinetry. His design philosophy emphasizes that the spaces we inhabit can enhance our way of life and elevate our everyday experiences .Tight House specializes in designing energy-efficient, durable, and environmentally responsible homes. The firm strives to build homes to the Passive House standard, focusing on airtight construction, continuous insulation, high-performance windows, thermal bridge-free detailing, and heat recovery ventilation systems .Shah's approach is solutions-based, integrating hands-on fabrication, zoning, site analysis, and architectural detailing. He collaborates closely with clients to create bespoke homes that are not only beautiful but also aligned with future energy demands .

Tight House website

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https://tighthouse.com/