Archello Podcast

In this episode, Archello connects with Seattle-based architect Alan Maskin. Maskin is a principal and owner at Olson Kundig [https://archello.com/brand/olson-kundig], a design powerhouse known for pushing the boundaries between architecture and art. With projects that span the globe like the iconic renovation of Seattle’s Space Needle and the Bill & Melinda Gates Discovery Center, Maskin’s work brings a fresh perspective to how we interact with space.  Olson Kundig is renowned for its commitment to materiality, sustainability, and storytelling in design, making Maskin a fascinating guest to explore these ideas with. Listen as Maskin reflects on his unconventional path to architecture, his passion for drawing and hands-on design, and his transformative projects.

In this episode, Archello is in Paris with Canada-based architect Omar Gandhi of Omar Gandhi Architects [https://archello.com/brand/omar-gandhi-architects]. Gandhi was born in Toronto and studied architecture in Nova Scotia. He started his own design studio in 2010, which is today based in Toronto and Halifax. In addition to his practice, he often teaches and lectures and has held appointments such as the Louis Kahn Visiting Assistant Professor at the Yale School of Architecture. Gandhi and his studio have garnered significant recognition for his projects both in Canada and abroad. The studio earned among other honors, the Governor General's Medal in Architecture, one of Canada's most important achievements for built projects.  Listen as Gandhi speaks about background, and a number of his projects which are known for being site specific and for their clever use of natural materials.

In this episode, Archello is in Paris with Odile Decq of Studio Odile Decq [https://archello.com/brand/studio-odile-decq], who established her own office shortly after graduating from architecture school in Brittany in the 1980s. Decq is a prominent French architect renowned for her bold, avant-garde designs. Her notable projects include the extension of the Macro Museum in Rome and the Phantom Opera Garnier restaurant in Paris. In addition to her architectural practice, she founded the Confluence Institute for Innovation and Creative Strategies in Architecture, which emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches in architectural education. Listen as Decq speaks about her background, her integration of striking forms with practical design, and her motivation for introducing a new model of architectural education in France.

In this episode, Archello is in Paris with Dominique Perrault, who founded Dominique Perrault Architecture (DPA) [https://archello.com/brand/dominique-perrault-architecture] in 1981 after graduating from the École des Beaux-Arts.  Over forty years, Perrault has become a key representative of contemporary French architecture, both in France and internationally. He first gained widespread recognition for designing the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris in 1989. Other notable projects include the Velodrome and Olympic Swimming Pool in Berlin, the EWHA Women's University in Seoul, and the DC Tower in Vienna. Perrault received the Praemium Imperiale award in 2015, among other recognitions. Listen as Perrault speaks about his experience with design competitions, his explorations with natural topography, his new book, and his work for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

In this episode, Archello visits the newly-launched London office of Sordo Madaleno [https://archello.com/brand/sordo-madaleno], a leading Mexican architecture firm based in Mexico City, and one of Mexico's largest practices with over 200 architects.   The interview is with Fernando Sordo Madaleno de Haro and Rosalba Rojas, two leaders in the office of Sordo Madaleno, which was founded by Fernando’s grandfather in 1937. Fernando, who is a partner in the firm, moved to London last year to set up a new international office for the practice. Rojas is an architect based in the Mexico office, where she directs the Sordo Madaleno Foundation and leads its archival work. Listen as Sordo Madaleno and Rojas discuss Sordo Madaleno’s history, its projects in Mexico and Europe, the experience of opening a UK office, and the foundation it established after discovering a lost treasure trove archives containing both built and unbuilt projects.