Practice Forward Podcast

#33 Practice Forward Podcast (Pamela Smith)

V Owen Bush welcomed Pamela Smith, CEO of Twine Architectural Studio, to the Practice Forward podcast to discuss technology, tools, and ideas reshaping architecture, where Pamela Smith shared her background, the evolution of Twine Architectural Studio's specialization in code-driven healthcare architecture, and specific case studies like the Greenwich Village Hospital and a Mother Baby Unit reorganization. The discussion also covered project management pragmatism, the importance of creating serenity in healthcare spaces, and the future role of AI in converting raw data into BIM models and facilitating intelligent, "self-driving" building systems, which V Owen Bush and Pamela Smith explored in the context of hospital campuses. Pamela Smith concluded by stressing the importance of mentorship, the collaborative teamwork required for hospital projects, and Twine Architectural Studio's focus on recruitment strategies for finding staff interested in healthcare. 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 ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ https://www.scan2plan.io/ Pamela Smith, who designs care spaces that work the way people heal—precise, calm, and rooted in place. At Twine Architectural Studio, Pamela leads teams that turn existing facilities into everyday wins: bringing a cardiac cath/EP suite and eight inpatient beds back to Manhattan’s Lower West Side so care lives closer to home; shaping an 18-thousand-square-foot otolaryngology center as an arrival-to-recovery experience; renewing pediatric infusion and bone-marrow transplant spaces for durable joy; and re-diagramming maternity so fewer babies ever travel hallways. Stewardship, through precision—without losing the neighborhood’s voice.” Twine Architectural Studio Website ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ https://www.twinearch.com/

#32 Practice Forward Podcast (Jeannie Bertolaccini)

V Owen Bush welcomed Jeannie Bertolaccini to the practice forward podcast, where she discussed Ordiz‑Melby Architects' focus on high document quality, DSA navigation, and community engagement in the steady Central Valley market, noting their firm's use of ArchiCAD and the challenge of hiring staff familiar with it. Jeannie Bertilanchini detailed internal training through OMA University, quality assurance methods including external QA/QC reviews, and the importance of accurate existing conditions documentation, which she stressed is crucial to avoid cost blowouts and change orders on renovation projects like the Bell Tower Plaza. The discussion also covered the firm's Sustainable Architecture Strategies (SAS) committee, involvement in Women in STEM outreach, and the necessity of integrity, clear communication, and mentorship for professional growth. 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 ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ https://www.scan2plan.io/ Jeannie Bertolaccini is a Principal at Ordiz‑Melby Architects—a Kern County practice whose stated mission is “enriching communities through collaborative design, innovation, and lasting relationships.” Her portfolio spans education, healthcare, and commercial work, and right now she’s helping shape KCSOS’s Bell Tower Plaza renovation—preserving heritage while upgrading systems and AV. Inside the firm, she leads complex studio work and community engagement, from Women in STEM outreach to AIA leadership. Today we dig into the business of practice in a regional market, how to maintain document quality under DSA, and where ground‑truth capture actually changes decisions—not just drawings. Ordiz‑Melby Architects Website ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ https://www.ordizmelby.com/

#31 Practice Forward Podcast (Bo Sundius)

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 ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ 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 ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ https://www.bunchdesign.net/

#30 Practice Forward Podcast (Hormuz Batliboi)

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 ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ 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 ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ https://www.batliboi.studio/

#29 Practice Forward Podcast (Julien Jalbert)

V Owen Bush welcomed Julien Jalbert to Practice Forward, where Julien Jalbert provided an overview of Knickerbocker Group's residential projects in Maine, emphasizing their design-build firm's "one-stop shop" approach for clients. Julien Jalbert discussed their architectural inspirations, the impact of client budgets on design, and the firm's strategic focus on prefab ADUs due to new Maine legislation and their expertise in modular construction, highlighting the energy efficiency and sustainable material choices in units like the Ailing ADU and Lupine. Julien Jalbert also elaborated on the challenges of achieving air-tightness in modular construction, the benefits of biophilic design, and the "plug-and-play" assembly of their prefab units. The Knickerbocker Group is focused on sustainable materials, streamlining processes through Revit plugins, and exploring off-grid, self-sustaining communities. 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 ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ https://www.scan2plan.io/ We’re joined by Julien Jalbert of Knickerbocker Group—an architect leading a prefab program for small, all-electric homes. The team runs a tight ship with car-buying–style personalization, proving it on Aisling and Lupine while feeding lessons back into custom work. Were going to look at how constraints protect craft, where modeling and automation free design time, and what grid-optional, self-reliant housing could mean for Maine. Knickerbocker Group Website ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ https://www.knickerbockergroup.com/