TheSquare – Details, episodes & analysis

This week on The Square, we’re back with our annual tradition: unpacking two iconic films through a design lens. What do "Die Hard" and "It’s a Wonderful Life" have in common? At first glance, maybe not much—one’s a high-octane action flick, the other a sentimental holiday classic. But dive deeper with us, and you’ll find surprising parallels in their themes, characters, and even architectural settings.

Join Brandon Carmichael and James Adams as they explore how these two films reflect their eras, from the suburban dreams of Bedford Falls to the towering corporate ambitions of Nakatomi Plaza. We’ll discuss how architecture plays a role in storytelling, the emotional impact of design, and the subtle messages about community, sacrifice, and redemption.

Plus, we settle the ultimate debate: Is "Die Hard" really a Christmas movie? (Spoiler: Yippee-ki-yay, yes it is.)

Whether you're here for the design insights, the holiday spirit, or just a little Bruce Willis and Jimmy Stewart love, this episode has it all. 🎄🏢

Happy Holidays from TheSquare!

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Award-winning architect and designer Umesh Kelkar, Project Designer II in the Aviation Studio, spills on his Summer Design Competition-winning project, "Deep Rooted Ellum." Intended to revitalize the district in the Southeast Dalla neighborhood, Unmesh's vision for a vibrant mixed-use development on the Southeast side of Dallas garnered critical acclaim from the Urban Land Institute and AIA Dallas as well as the Texas Society of Architects and won the FW Land Award.   Long known for its deep roots in Dallas and contributing to the urban fabric as the center of art, music, history, and culture, this mixed-use plan draws upon jazz music and blues, creating a vibrant, connected environment focused on vitality, richness, and cultural flourishes. His aviation and public spaces background informs his project, which the City of Dallas embraced.   Influenced by Jane Jacobs, the renowned writer American-Canadian journalist, author, theorist, and activist who influenced urban studies, sociology, and economics. Her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961) argued that "urban renewal" and "slum clearance" did not respect the needs of city dwellers. Profoundly influential in changing the built environment, she coined the terms "mixed primary uses" and "eyes on the street" and remains one of the most influential thinkers and leaders of 21st-century urban architecture. Don't miss this riveting episode of The Square as Unmesh shares his inspiration and design processes. Be sure to include your thumbs up and comments below.  

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In this episode, our favorite film critic and architect, James Adams, Vice President of the Commercial Studio, delves into four iconic movies and deconstructs how AI and architecture relate to some of the greatest sci-fi movies ever. Discover how AI supplants human emotion and connection in the science fiction genre and explore how set design, color, symbolism, and visual effects reflect the relationship between societal values, humanity, and artificial intelligence.   Join us in this fascinating study of films directed by futurists and visionaries Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Spike Jonze, and Ridley Scott as they probe the evolution of the built environment and create dystopian universes that explore what it means to be human.  

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Video Produced by: Corgan

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Finding a parking space in downtown Dallas is often a daunting and frustrating experience. In this episode, we meet Carolyn Glenn, Senior Associate of the Commercial Studio, to discuss the new parking garage at 700 Jackson Street commissioned by Dallas County to offer jurors and city employees convenient access to parking. However, far from a normal garage, this unique design provides retail spaces at street level along with 12 levels of public parking with 1,228 spaces pre-wired for EV charging. 

Designed to be future-proofed, the elegant white structure features pre-stressed foundations and can support a 15-story hotel or office tower built on top. Draped in an attractive white metal panel with barcode-like vertical stripping, the imposing above-ground garage with chamfer edges maximizes every inch of space and stands out in the context of the neighborhood. Activating the downtown environment and adding to the walkability, beauty, and functionality of the neighborhood, the building is a landmark statement and a welcome addition.

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Video Produced by: Corgan

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Email: communications@corgan.com

In this week’s episode of The Square, Corgan’s HR Director Halima McWilliams sits down with Executive Vice President & CEO of the International Interior Design Associate (IIDA), Cheryl Durst. Educator, trailblazer, futurist, and first African American woman to be inducted in the Industry Hall of Fame, Cheryl discusses freedom of the imagination and how the seed of design starts with “thinking.”  

The IIDA community is made up of the best and brightest interior designers and creatives in the industry and the non-profit provides student scholarships, international programming, and networking and mentoring opportunities along with competitions and events to elevate the design profession. Tune in and learn more about how the IIDA supports the designers who are defining our industry.

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Video Produced by: Corgan

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Superheroes, crumbling buildings, mega monsters, and sci-fi movies; visual effects make everything you can imagine real. In this episode, Colin Campbell, visual effects expert for more than 50 feature films and Chair of the Visual Effects Society, elaborates on the history and evolution of VFX and what we can expect from this technology in the future. Virtual reality and special effects can create an immersive experience in architecture and design, bringing the not-yet-built environment to life. Join us in this Curious Conversation and learn the transformational power of special effects to make the designer’s vision a reality.

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Video Produced by: Corgan

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In this week’s episode of TheSquare, architect Gabriel Oros introduces his new series, “What’s the Hold-Up?” where he discusses how designers can embrace new trends and advances in architecture design. In this inaugural interview, he invites Mahdi Alkhami, Design Researcher IV of Hugo and expert in high-performing sustainable design, to explain the advantages of green roofs and their positive impact on the environment.   Join us and learn how biophilic design can improve air quality, increase insulation, lead to energy savings, reduce the “urban heat island” effect, and more, and how designers can harness the power of nature to improve the built environment. Tune in to this and future episodes in this series to hear from Corgan’s top thought leaders and stay on the leading edge of the architecture and design industry. 

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Video Produced by: Corgan

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What are Technical Design Services? The nuts and bolts behind design architecture. Corgan’s in-house specialty Technical Design team troubleshoots problems and brings practicality, wisdom, and processes to fulfill the architect’s vision. In this episode, Chris Johnson, Principal and Director of Technical Design Services, discusses the how and why behind checking spec drawings to maintain consistency, creating contractor specifications to execute construction, and standardizing organized systems for technical documentation. The Technical Services team are the problem solvers our architects turn to for advice on how to foresee errors and problems. 

Join us and learn why Corgan is one of the few firms to bring this dedicated technical specialty in-house, and how the firm relies on them for our strength and agility in delivering a superior quality product.

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#technicaldesign #architecturedesign #architecturespecialist #specifier

When Wells Fargo moved its offices to Las Colinas, it had a specific goal in mind—for its building to achieve LEED Platinum and be net zero. In this episode, Nate DeVore, Vice President of Corgan’s Commercial Studio, gives us an inside look at how Wells Fargo teamed up with Corgan to plan and design the first net-positive corporate campus ever built in the U.S. 

Comprised of two office towers totaling 800,000+ square feet along with a 4,000-square foot parking garage, Corgan collected empirical research, ran energy models, and analyzed data to calculate how the building could reach 5% above net zero by reducing energy usage intensity (EUI) per year—designing a building that produced more energy on-site than it consumes. Discover how Corgan incorporated innovative energy initiatives, including solar panels, electricity, efficient equipment, sustainable building materials, natural sunlight, and self-tinting windows to reduce carbon emissions and reach a net positive. Join us to learn about sustainable design and how corporations are finding new ways to protect our environment.  

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Video Produced by: Corgan

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Email: communications@corgan.com

When it comes to architectural storytelling, MediaLab’s videos and renderings are only limited by the imagination. In this episode of The Square, Brandon Carmichael sits down with Corgan’s Vice President and VFX Creative Director Ludo Michaud as they pull back the curtain to reveal the tools and techniques behind video creation and filmmaking. 

Working on the visual effects for such blockbuster movies as Spy Kids, Wolverine: Origins, Night in the Museum, and Despicable Me, Ludo funnels his knowledge and skills for using VFX, motion graphics, and life-action photography to bring ideas to life. If you love movies and special effects, tune in and learn about the technology professional filmmakers use to enhance video production, and how MediaLab creates moving images to illustrate architecture and design. 

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Video Produced by: Corgan

Have Questions? We’d love to hear from you. 

Email: communications@corgan.com