MINDED podcast

How AI Is Rewriting Architecture - Antoine Picon Explains the Future of Cities

Antoine Picon is Professor of the History of Architecture and Technology at Harvard Graduate School of Design and one of the field's most rigorous thinkers on the relationship between technology, urbanism, and human experience. In this conversation, he reframes the questions everyone asks about AI and architecture. Rather than debating whether machines will replace designers, Picon asks what AI reveals about what it means to be human. What separates embodied intelligence from computational thinking? Is creativity actually the defining human quality, or is it something else entirely? He discusses architectural intention, the difference between buildings and buildings marked by human purpose, and why the real challenge of smart cities isn't technical capability but clarity about what we actually want. This conversation examines whether machines can understand what makes a place livable, and why answering that question requires understanding ourselves first. Top Insights * AI will shift architecture from creating forms to curating options. * Smart cities introduce both efficiency and new urban fragilities. * Digital perception reshapes how we experience materiality and scale. * Ornament remains essential: it connects sensory experience with meaning. * The biggest challenge ahead is reconciling digital innovation with planetary limits. * Education is entering a 'cyborg phase' where human-machine authorship merges. * Cities must redefine their relationship between the artificial and the natural.

Jamie Bush: Proportion as Fingerprint & Designing for Stewardship

In this conversation, Los Angeles–based designer Jamie Bush goes deep on the fingerprints of his work: calibrated proportion, playful scale shifts, and layered vignettes that bring warmth without relying on trends. He shares how a studio can stay curious across typologies and geographies—from historic restorations to a New Orleans hotel with deco and jazz-age notes—while keeping budgets honest and craft purposeful.Founder of Jamie Bush + Co., Jamie has led projects across the U.S. and abroad, from LA to London and Finland, as well as rural retreats in Canada and Santa Fe. Trained in architecture, he frames interiors as cultural legacy: spaces that should feel right today and still feel right decades from now. Rather than chasing novelty, he prioritizes proportion, material integrity, and the long view of stewardship.TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction01:20 Current State of Los Angeles Design Community07:30 Working Across Geographies: London, Finland, Canada, Santa Fe10:21 Proportion as Fingerprint: Bush's Design Philosophy13:30 Working Across Diverse Styles and Typologies18:43 Creative Inheritance from East Coast Family20:45 Discovering Architecture at Tulane University23:13 Projects Now Take 5-7 Years (vs Historical 2-2.5 Years)26:30 Designing for Stewardship: The Silver Top Lesson28:48 Investment Value vs Artistic Vision31:04 Budget Honesty: $800 vs $2,400 Per Square Foot34:42 Team Exposure to Clients and Long-Term Relationships35:26 Control vs Growth: The Delegation Challenge37:50 Why Staying in One Aesthetic Lane Feels Pathological39:36 Bread-and-Butter Projects Fund Passion Experiments40:40 Creative Courage Increases With Age44:58 Father Ronald Bush and Family Pride48:20 The Best Compliment: Clients Copying Published Work50:16 Recommendation: Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino51:35 Recommendation: The Diplomat52:07 Future Guest Recommendation: Max Lamb KEY TOPICS DISCUSSED- Proportion, composition, and scale as design fingerprints- Designing for longevity and future stewards- Budget honesty: where craft matters and where it doesn't- Studio growth enabling creative risk through financial stability- Working across geographies and historical precedents- Why "playing safe rarely makes something enduring"- The financial structure of passion projects vs profitable work- Historic restoration: John Lautner's Silver Top house- New Orleans hotel with 1930s deco and jazz-age influences- How creative courage increases with age and experience💬 STANDOUT QUOTES"Proportion is the fingerprint.""To stay in one lane is sort of pathological to me. I'll wither up and die to do the same thing over and over.""Playing safe rarely makes something enduring.""The best homes are multi-generational homes that are passed down or stand the test of time.""Something that might cost $800 a square foot might cost $2,400 a square foot to do it extraordinarily well.""I feel very comfortable going out on the limb and challenging a client in a playful way. I don't care. I'm not fazed by those things."ABOUT JAMIE BUSHJamie Bush is an interior designer with 30 years of practice in Los Angeles. Trained in architecture at Tulane University, he founded Jamie Bush + Co., working across typologies from historic restorations to hospitality to residential retreats. His philosophy prioritizes proportion over style, stewardship over trends, and long-horizon thinking over short-term aesthetics. Bush's work has been featured in Architectural Digest's AD 100.Website: jamiebush.comGUEST RECOMMENDATIONSBook: Invisible Cities by Italo CalvinoTV Show: The Diplomat (starring Keri Russell)Future Guest: Max Lamb - London-based designerSubscribe for weekly conversations with leading creative figures in art, design, and architecture.

Will Meyer & Gray Davis on Sense of Place, Timeless Design & Luxury Hospitality | MINDED Podcast

Will Meyer and Gray Davis, co-founders of Meyer Davis, share their design philosophy centered on "sense of place" and reveal how they create timeless luxury hospitality spaces for Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, and Del Vue Hotels.In this inspiring conversation, Will and Gray discuss their research-driven approach to balancing brand DNA with local culture, working with artisans and craftsmen worldwide, and why they choose timeless design over trends. From their recent projects in Dubrovnik, Sardinia, Mexico, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, discover how they became "humble interpreters" of place.🎯 KEY TOPICS:- Sense of place in hospitality design- Research-driven design methodology - Balancing luxury brands with local authenticity- Working with local artisans and craftsmen- Timeless design vs. trendy design- Four Seasons & Mandarin Oriental projects- Design partnership and collaboration- Materials that age beautifully- Trust-based client relationships- The creative process in design

George Yabu & Glenn Pushelberg on 45 Years of Design, Curiosity, and Creating Soulful Spaces

Design legends George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg get candid about creativity, market speed, mentorship, and why soulful imperfection - and empathy - matter more than trends.

Juliana Lima Vasconcelos on Multisensory Design, Sustainability, & the Soul of Brazilian Creativity

Juliana Vasconcelos: "I Spent 3 Days in Paris Just Thinking to Design Milan's Most Immersive Installation"Brazilian architect Juliana Lima Vasconcelos reveals how 3 days of silent led to creating one of Milan Design Week 2024's most immersive installations the Lavazza coffee experience.In this episode, Juliana discusses:- The 3-part experiential journey using pregnancy sounds and coffee textures- Why she uses meditation as a design strategy- How Brazilian materials transformed her career- Winning the CDA Award for Best Commercial Interior- Her approach to sustainable materials and AI in design- Growing up with a pianist grandmother and studying classical music- Strategic project selection and brand collaborationsJuliana Lima Vasconcelos is a Brazilian architect and interior designer based between Belo Horizonte, Paris, and London. She's been recognized by Architectural Digest Italy as bringing "Made in Brazil to the world."🎧 LISTEN ON:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/minded-podcast/id1431518294Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5JxKVhZ46mHTZ7eZ0STgHWWebsite: https://www.mindedpodcast.com/⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction02:15 The Lavazza Installation: Concept & Process08:30 What is Experiential Design?12:45 Working with Maria Cristina Didero & Timeline18:20 Career Turning Point: Architecture to Installations24:10 Winning the CDA Award28:35 Sustainable Materials & Future of Design35:50 AI in the Design Studio40:15 Growing Up in Brazil & Musical Influence46:20 Recommendations: Books, Films, Future Guests#JulianaVasconcelos #MilanDesignWeek #ExperientialDesign #Architecture #InteriorDesign #BrazilianDesign #Lavazza #DesignPodcast #MINDEDPodcast #SustainableDesign #CDAawards