Design and Build – Details, episodes & analysis

Design and Build, a podcast for all things commercial interior design and architecture. This is the trailer!

Whether you've been in the design and build industry a long time, a short time, a student or simply passionate about the built environment; this podcast is for you!

I'm your host, Becca Mizzi-Harris, a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales UK.

In each episode with the help of my hand picked guests and their speciality knowledge, we'll have friendly and honest conversations, exploring topics such as; design processes, methods and practices, collaboration, sustainability, inclusivity... All design and build topics big and small.

So, join me as I talk to some amazing guests about topics that are shaping and effecting our day to day work and life with the Design and Build podcast.

First episode of Season 1 coming September 2024.

If you’d like to connect with me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, you can find me on LinkedIn and Instagram. I would love to hear from you!

Feel free to reach out and ask questions, suggest topics or guests. Would love to make this podcast as helpful and insightful as possible for all of us in the Design and Build industry! Fire away.

You can find out more about me and my freelance interior design services for designers and businesses at www.mizziharris.com.

In this episode, I'm joined by Lauren Roberts. With a career in hotel design (the ultimate hospitality experience) we explore the importance of customer journey, creating immersive experiences, aligning interior design and brand narrative with business goals and target audiences, all of which is paramount to Lauren’s design approach.

Lauren is an experienced hospitality and retail interior designer based in Berkshire, and runs her design studio, Studio Flux (formerly LR Interiors).

Hope you enjoy the episode!

Episode Highlights

03:30 Transitioning from Construction to Design

06:33 Understanding Immersive Interior Design

09:25 Managing Client Expectations

13:21 Involving Staff in the Design Process

18:03 Weaving Brand Narrative into physical space

26:16 Attracting the Local Community for Long-Term Success

42:20 Hospitality struggles post pandemic

Find us online

You can find Lauren Roberts online via her website, LinkedIn and Instagram.

You can find me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, on LinkedIn and Instagram. I would love to connect with you.

This episode is kindly sponsored by Orangebox.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review, and share with a friend to enjoy!

This podcast is lovingly recorded and produced by Becca Mizzi-Harris at Stiwdio Mizzi-Harris Ltd.

Becca is a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales. Helping dozens of busy designers and design teams grow and smash deadlines with her flexible freelance services. You can find out more at www.mizziharris.com.

In this episode, I’m joined by Ross Hartland. A solo architect and the founder of Initiate, a Bridgend-based practice, in South Wales. Collaborating with homeowners, charities, developers, and local authorities to bring new life, light, and joy to old buildings.

By sharing his journey online, Initiate has cultivated an impressive Instagram following of over 140k, creating a platform to connect with fellow designers, market services, and diversify revenue streams.

Despite being a one-person studio, Initiate ranked in the Top 10 of Beedier’s league of the most popular UK architecture practices on social media and won Archiboo's Best Use of Social Media Award in 2024.

In this conversation, we dive into Ross’s background, he shares his journey, detailing his transition from working in a corporate architecture firm to starting his own practice. We discuss his passion for heritage buildings and adaptive reuse, and the challenges he faces.

Together we discuss and emphasise the importance of marketing, community engagement, and maintaining a work-life balance while navigating client relationships. Reflecting on the realities of running a business and the significance of social media in building connections and generating leads.

This was a great chat - hope you enjoy!

Episode highlights

12:19 Interest in Historic Buildings and Adaptive Reuse

17:07 Starting a Solo Architecture Practice

20:29 Challenges of Winning Clients

26:00 Social Media and Networking

29:29 Conclusion and Takeaways

29:55 Creating Value Beyond Architecture

37:02 Balancing Time and Prioritizing Creative Tasks

43:45 Diversifying Revenue Streams

48:18 Understanding the Financial Aspects of Running a Business

Find us online

You can find Ross Hartland online via his ⁠website⁠⁠, YouTube, TikTok, and ⁠Instagram⁠. And his online store with super helpful assets for designers and architects here.

If you’d like to connect with me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠. I would love to connect with you.

This episode is kindly sponsored by ⁠Orangebox⁠. Thank you!

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating/review and share with a friend who might enjoy! And of course, subscribe to keep up with the upcoming episodes.

This podcast is lovingly recorded and produced by Becca Mizzi-Harris at Stiwdio Mizzi-Harris Ltd.

Becca is a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales. Helping dozens of busy designers and design teams grow and smash deadlines. You can find out more at ⁠www.mizziharris.com⁠.

In this episode, I’m joined by Kate Usher. An experienced Menopause Coach and Workplace Consultant specialising in working with organisations that want to take a proactive approach in supporting their people with and through menopause.

Join us as we explore the implications of menopause in the workplace. Highlighting the lack of awareness and support for women experiencing menopause, the stigma, and the need for organisations to create supportive environments. Kate emphasises the importance of including men in the conversation and the business case for supporting menopausal employees. We also discuss practical design considerations for creating menopause-friendly work spaces and the necessity of open conversations about women's health issues - which benefit everyone!

Kate lives in London but works with businesses across the UK, Europe and North America. Working with businesses that recognise and value the benefits women bring alongside the need to recruit, invest in and retain brilliant employees.

This was a super insightful episode, I hope you enjoy!

Episode Highlights

01:30 Introduction to Menopause and Its Impact

06:38 Understanding Menopause: Myths and Realities

10:36 Workplace Stigma and Menopause

14:33 Creating Supportive Work Environments

17:07 The Business Case for Menopause Support

22:45 Designing Menopause-Friendly Workspaces

28:43 Leading Organisations in Menopause Support

43:40 Key Takeaways and Future Directions

Find us online

You can find Kate Usher online via her ⁠website⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠, YouTube, TikTok, X and ⁠Instagram⁠.

If you’d like to connect with me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠. I would love to connect with you.

This episode is kindly sponsored by ⁠Orangebox⁠. Thank you!

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating/review and share with a friend who might enjoy! And of course, subscribe to keep up with the upcoming episodes.

This podcast is lovingly recorded and produced by Becca Mizzi-Harris at Stiwdio Mizzi-Harris Ltd.

Becca is a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales. Helping dozens of busy designers and design teams grow and smash deadlines. You can find out more at ⁠www.mizziharris.com⁠.

In this episode, I chat with Nile Pilcher in depth about sustainability, how we're making positive changes, and if we're doing the right thing as a collective in the Design & Build industry.

We chat about the need for transparency and accountability in product specification, significance of the end-of-life phase. Highlighting the need for manufacturers, specifiers, and contractors to work together to ensure sustainable practices.

Nile has been in the flooring industry for 10+ years, and works for the flooring manufacturer Marlings Ltd.

(The first 10 minutes of our conversation we spend running through the key terminology for this who want and need it - I know I needed it!)

Hope you enjoy the episode!

Episode Highlights

04:14 The Role of Life Cycle Assessments and EPD’s

06:40 Defining Key Terms: Embodied Carbon, Carbon Neutral, and Carbon Negative

09:29 The Need for Government Intervention in Sustainability Assessments

23:40 Understanding the Three Phases of a Product's Life cycle

31:57 Challenges and Opportunities in Implementing Sustainable Practices

41:11 Making Sustainable Options Accessible at Different Price Points

51:31 Understanding the Life Cycle of Products

54:32 Take-Back Schemes and Recycling

57:16 Prioritising Reuse in the Flooring Industry

Find us online

You can find Nile Pilcher online via ⁠LinkedIn⁠. And you can find him at Marlings Ltd.

You can find me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠. I would love to connect with you.

This episode is kindly sponsored by ⁠Orangebox⁠.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review, and share with a friend to enjoy!

This podcast is lovingly recorded and produced by Becca Mizzi-Harris at Stiwdio Mizzi-Harris Ltd.

Becca is a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales. Helping dozens of busy designers and design teams grow and smash deadlines with her flexible freelance services. You can find out more at ⁠www.mizziharris.com⁠.

In this episode, I'm joined by Kursty Groves. The founder and CEO of Shape Work Life, a consultancy that helps workplace leaders reimagine the future of work and create spaces that nurture connected cultures.

With over 25 years of experience in innovation consulting, design, and capability development, Kursty has collaborated with global brands such as Google, LEGO, IKEA, and McLaren. She is the author of three books, including Workspace Made Easy, and has taught postgraduate courses on workplace strategy at IE University in Madrid since 2014.

In our conversation, we discussed Kursty's approach to workplace strategy, understanding client needs and it's crucial for effective workplace design. We also spoke about engaging clients in the process, the psychology of asking why to get to the true source of design problems to create lasting impactful changes and all things workplace and office design.

Kursty is a joy to chat to - hope you enjoy the listen!

Episode highlights

1:50 Introduction to Kursty's Journey in Workplace Strategy

07:21 The Impact of Technology on Workplace Strategy

11:37 Navigating the Design and Build Industry

20:16 Common Challenges in Client Engagement

28:66 Identifying Client Needs and Problem Solving

32:03 The Importance of Asking 'Why' in Design

38:01 Understanding the Broader Context of Design Challenges

45:10 Navigating Return to Office Mandates

50:30 Future-Proofing Design and Workspaces

Find us online

You can find Kursty online on her ⁠⁠website⁠⁠, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, and you can find her Workplace Strategy Sprints, Office Chronicles Podcast via the links. Her latest book - Workspace Made Easy website or LinkedIn.

If you’d like to connect with me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠. I would love to connect with you.

This episode is kindly sponsored by ⁠⁠Ocee & Four Design. Thank you!

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating/review and share with a friend who might enjoy! And of course, subscribe to keep up with the upcoming episodes.

This podcast is lovingly recorded and produced by Becca Mizzi-Harris at Stiwdio Mizzi-Harris Ltd.

Becca is a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales. Helping dozens of busy designers and design teams grow and smash deadlines. You can find out more at ⁠⁠www.mizziharris.com⁠⁠.

In this conversation, I am joined by Kenton Simons, Bristol based Interior Designer and Architectural Photographer.

Kenton shares his unique journey as both a designer and photographer, and discusses the intersection of architecture and interior design, coming from his career in an architecture practice for many years.

We discuss his transition from corporate architecture to freelancing, the tools and techniques he employs in his design process, the importance of client relationships, and how his background in design shapes his approach to photography.

Kenton has worked in design for over 25 years, in many sectors, and made the leap into self-employment 10 years ago. Since then he has worked with clients from small start-up businesses to blue-chip companies and institutions such as EY, Amtico, UCL and SOAS University of London.

I enjoyed the topics we covered in this one, and I hope you do too!

Episode Highlights

06:14 The Balance of Architecture and Interior Design
11:28 Client Relationships and Managing Expectations
14:11 Sustainability in Design
21:56 Transitioning from Corporate to Freelance
27:36 The Challenges of Going Solo
31:36 Understanding Your Limits
41:04 The Role of Tools and AI in Design
50:56 Favourite thing about the D&B Industry

Find us online

You can find Kenton Simons online via ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠, his Photography Instagram, his photography website, and personal projects Instagram.

You can find me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠. I would love to connect with you.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review, and share with a friend to enjoy!

This podcast is lovingly recorded and produced by Becca Mizzi-Harris at Stiwdio Mizzi-Harris Ltd.

Becca is a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales. Helping dozens of busy designers and design teams grow and smash deadlines with her flexible freelance services. You can find out more at ⁠www.mizziharris.com⁠.

In this conversation, Claire Williams, Group Creative Director at Ocee and Four Design, we discuss the importance of neurodiversity in the workplace. She shares her journey into understanding neurodiversity, the challenges faced by neurodiverse individuals, and the mental health impacts associated with these challenges.

Highlighting the need for inclusive work environments that cater to diverse sensory needs and the role of employers in fostering a supportive culture. She advocates for thoughtful design in workspaces to accommodate various needs and highlights the economic benefits of embracing neurodiversity.

Claire is responsible for marketing and creative content at Ocee & Four Design, working with a talented team across the UK and Denmark. Working mainly in the UK, but regularly at their Danish Head Office in Odense and showrooms in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Dusseldorf and of course their showroom in Clerkenwell.

As part of her role as Group Creative Director, she visits architects, furniture specifiers, HR and facilities teams and business owners talking about everything from design, the benefits of a hygge approach to life and most importantly neurodiversity and inclusion.

Having personal experience with Neurodiversity Claire is a firm advocate for awareness and understanding of Neurodiversity not only to ensure barriers to inclusion are not because of the built environment but also the benefits of a workforce that embraces and supports everyone.

I loved this chat with Claire, and I hope you do too! Episode Highlights

03:59 Understanding Neurodiversity: Definitions and Conditions

06:29 Challenges Faced by Neurodivergent Individuals in the Workplace

08:12 The Impact of Mental Health on Work and Society

11:54 Creating Inclusive Work Environments: Strategies for Employers

14:28 Designing Physical Spaces for Neurodiversity

17:17 The Importance of Sensory Considerations in Design

19:01 The Role of Communication and Culture in the Workplace

22:34 The Power of Storytelling in Understanding Neurodiversity

24:47 Embracing Diversity for Better Outcomes

27:19 The Future of Work: Balancing Remote and In-Office Dynamics

30:16 Celebrating Differences in the Workplace

Find us online

You can find Claire Williams online via ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠. And you can find her at ⁠Ocee and Four Design.

You can find me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠. I would love to connect with you.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review, and share with a friend to enjoy!

This podcast is lovingly recorded and produced by Becca Mizzi-Harris at Stiwdio Mizzi-Harris Ltd.

Becca is a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales. Helping dozens of busy designers and design teams grow and smash deadlines with her flexible freelance services. You can find out more at ⁠www.mizziharris.com⁠.

In this episode, I’m joined by Liesl Wherry, Creative Lead at Interaction UK. Coming in with a big topic! The value of design.

Liesl is an impressive South African born interior architect with 12 years of experience in design. She spent the first 6 years of her career working in the interior department of one of the biggest architecture firms in Africa. Before moving to Bath in the UK in 2018 to work at Interaction.

The value of design is a subjective topic, and in our experience, undervalued when it comes to the build process. Together we explored the many elements that we think define value, emphasising the importance of client relationships, understanding project requirements and brief, and the evolving needs of people.

We discuss the intricacies and challenges of communicating design value, the subjective nature of design appreciation, and the impact of sustainability and user-centric design in the process.This was a thought provoking episode, and really enjoyed the elements we got stuck into to finish off Season 1 of Design and Build podcast.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

Episode Highlights

13:19 The Value of Design

25:09 Challenges in Design and Build

26:04 The Journey of Design Implementation

31:11 Convincing Clients of Design Value

40:06 The Evolving Value of Design

43:16 Misconceptions About Design Value

49:13 The Satisfaction of Design and Build

Find us online

You can find Liesl Wherry online through ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

You can find me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. I would love to connect with you.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review, and share with a friend to enjoy!

This episode is kindly sponsored by⁠⁠⁠⁠Unilin Flooring⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you! Find their brands on LinkedIn⁠⁠IVC Commercial⁠⁠ and⁠⁠Moduleo⁠⁠, or⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

This podcast is lovingly recorded and produced by Becca Mizzi-Harris at Stiwdio Mizzi-Harris Ltd.

Becca is a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales. Helping dozens of busy designers and design teams grow and smash deadlines with her flexible freelance services. You can find out more at⁠⁠⁠www.mizziharris.com⁠.

In this episode, I’m joined by Phil Hallett, Design Manager & Product Designer at Orangebox. Throughout the episode, Phil delves into the challenges of material choices, the evolution of workplace furniture to the delicate balance between trends and timelessness, and how ideas evolve from sketches to prototypes and eventually into fully realised products.

Sustainability takes centre stage here too, as Phil discusses how it influences material choices, supply chain, product life cycles, and the certification process, and with that, the critical role designers play in building trust with clients to ensure we’re all doing the right thing.

Packed with thought-provoking takeaways and practical advice, this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about sustainability, workplace innovation, and the art of design. Plenty of inspiration and practical takeaways for designers, builders, and enthusiasts alike.

I hope you enjoy the episode!

Episode Highlights

06:30 The Design Process: From Ideas to Prototypes

09:09 Collaboration in Design: Finding the Best Ideas

11:51 Tools and Technology in Modern Design

14:24 Sustainability in Design: A Core Consideration

19:19 The Evolution of Workplace Furniture

22:06 Navigating Sustainability Certifications

22:51 The Future of Workplace Design

28:09 Gathering Client Feedback for Product Development

31:26 Balancing Trends and 'Timeless' products

35:29 Customisation: Finding the Right Balance

37:02 Sustainability and Material Choices in Design

40:38 The Designer's Role in Creating Functional Spaces

46:31 Evolving Design Philosophy Over Time

Find us online

You can find Phil Hallett online via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Orangebox ⁠⁠website⁠⁠.

You can find me, your host Becca Mizzi-Harris, on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. I would love to connect with you. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5* rating and review, and share with a friend to enjoy!

This episode is kindly sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠Unilin Flooring⁠⁠⁠. Thank you! Find their brands on LinkedIn ⁠IVC Commercial⁠ and ⁠Moduleo⁠, or ⁠Instagram⁠.

This podcast is lovingly recorded and produced by Becca Mizzi-Harris at Stiwdio Mizzi-Harris Ltd.

Becca is a commercial freelance interior designer, based in South Wales. Helping dozens of busy designers and design teams grow and smash deadlines with her flexible freelance services. You can find out more at ⁠⁠www.mizziharris.com⁠