Layers of Design Podcast

Hey listeners, in this episode, I have a conversation with Jodi van der Wiel, A member of the AIA College of Fellows and past president of the AIA Cleveland chapter, Jodi is known for her design work and diligent efforts to foster diversity, equity and inclusion for women and minorities. She is a principal and project designer with Moody Nolan, a national practice, known for its design process and diversity of thought. Jodi left me feeling truly inspired by her unwavering passion for architecture and her dedication to introducing young girls to the field. In our conversation, she shared her background in architecture, her early inspirations, and the journey that motivated her to create a course aimed at introducing the next generation of girls to the profession. We sketched a project of hers in Ohio - Process Technology. You can check out her sketch on our LinkedIn profile. I hope you enjoy this episode!

Hey listeners, in this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing a dear friend who I met my first year of college. It'll be safe to say we've grown up together for at least a decade. She's one of the most talented and hardworking designers I know so I'm thrilled to have her on the podcast!  Let me introduce you to Alexis Ortega, a registered Architect with several years of experience in the design industry, focusing on commercial interiors, mainly on workplace and hospitality. She has a passion for creating beautiful, functional environments and loves the challenge of working on projects that require unique functionality, an excellent attention to detail, and aesthetic appeal to the client. While sharing her why behind licensure, we'll talk about how though she's a licensed architect, she's currently practicing as an interior designer and she shares insight into what made her choose this path and how she leverages her architecture experience in her daily practice. Let's get into it!

Hey listeners, this episode marks both our 80th episode and the finale of this series and season. It’s been a true pleasure sharing the stories of licensed architects from diverse backgrounds, and I hope these conversations have given you valuable insights into why some designers choose to pursue licensure. Most importantly, I hope you’ve found inspiration in each episode. To close out the series, I have a conversation with Dyesha Holmes is a licensed architect at Cooper Carry. With an interdisciplinary background, she works in their Atlanta office planning + urban design and mixed-use studios. She graduated from Kennesaw State University’s Bachelor of Architecture program in 2019, where she was the first recipient of the ARCC King Medal award for her architectural thesis research on “Reframing Urban Redevelopment via Women Empowerment: Sustaining Existing Community in the West End Neighborhood.” This has driven her passion for social and environmental justice design and her belief that architectural design should be based on advocacy over agency. She has a defined purpose of helping people see their full potential within themselves, in the places they live, and in the work they do. With this purpose in mind, she actively uses design to tell stories through community-led, people-first approach to design to advocate for people in communities. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering her time in community outreach. She enjoys having opportunities to be involved with different community efforts and professional organizations. In 2021, she acted as community liaison for a mural in the Reynoldstown neighborhood in Atlanta, GA, organized by the Young Architect’s Foundation of Atlanta (YAF of ATL). In 2021, she was the Director of Communications for NOMAtlanta. She had the honor of being a 2022 graduate of the AIA Georgia Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program. She sat on the 2022 board for the Atlanta Art and Entertainment. She was a part of Cooper Carry’s Equity and Diversity Council (EDIC) helping to further the advancement of equity within the workplace and design. Currently, she sits as secretary on the Architecture Foundation of Georgia board and was a recent 2024 Project REAP graduate. While we shared similar feelings towards completing the ARE’s Dyesha shares with us how she merges her love for Urban planning and Architecture in her daily practice.  We sketched the roof top bar at The Betty Hotel. You can check out her sketch on our LinkedIn profile. I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Hey listeners, in this episode, I have a conversation with Chris Gongora, a Miami native with Cuban-American roots, Chris's early experiences cycling through the vibrant neighborhoods of South Florida cultivated his appreciation for natural beauty, cultural diversity and unique architecture. A graduate of Florida International University's Master of Architecture program, Chris's professional journey was inspired by an interest in urban revitalization, particularly in Rust Belt cities. In 2017, he left the plantains and palm trees behind and moved to Detroit, where he has since contributed to the city's renaissance. His work spans a comprehensive range of architectural interventions, including new construction of single-family homes, townhomes, and apartment buildings, as well as significant adaptive reuse and renovation projects. Beyond his profession, Chris leads architectural bike tours, serves on the board of a local preservation advocacy group, and provides architectural advisory services to small-scale minority developers. Currently, he continues to pour his passion for restoration into renovating his 110-year-old home, a project he shares with his boyfriend and their senior feline companion. Beyond reminiscing about college, Chris and I delved into the complex mix of guilt and relief that comes with the licensure process. He used powerful analogies to describe the range of emotions he experienced, and they truly resonated with me. We sketched Paul L. Cejas School of Architecture. You can check out his sketch on our LinkedIn profile. I hope you enjoy this episode!

Hey listeners, in this episode, I have a conversation with Bob Farrow. His professional career has spanned over five decades in the architectural field, with a mission of designing facilities which offer healing and wholeness of life – our healthcare environs. This expertise has taken him across the world, from Alaska to Kuwait to China. Bob is a national thought leader and frequent speaker/lecturer of design/healthcare trends at national conferences and academic venues such as SCAD, Clemson University, Georgia Institute of Technology and Auburn University. He is a former Board Member and past President of the Atlanta Chapter of the AIA, and Emeritus CEO/President of the Health Facility Institute (HFI), which is a national organization dedicated to the education and training of professionals responsible for managing, designing and constructing healthcare faculties across the world.  Bob also holds a Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University and is an ordained Deacon within the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta and is a Chaplain with Piedmont Healthcare. I have gotten to know Bob over this past year as we co-host the design podcast - Voices By Design. He is thoughtful in his approach to design thinking. It’s always a pleasure learning from him and I’m glad I am able to share his story with you all. We sketched Colony House. You can check out his sketch on our LinkedIn profile. I hope you enjoy this episode!

Hey listeners, in this episode, I have a conversation with Darral Tate Jr., an Architect in Atlanta, Ga who is currently working as a Project Architect at Moody Nolan.  Since the start of his professional career, Darral’s primary focus has been to help build a bridge between individuals from underrepresented communities and the Architecture profession. In 2020 he began working with local firms to address systemic issues centered around topics of EDI. His contributions included leading and co-creating several events that focused on professional development, mentorship, and education on important cultural and historic events. Outside of the office, Darral is an active member of several organizations. Since 2020, he has served on the board of SPIKE Studios and was recently elected as the 2024 Vice Chair. He is a member of NOMA and is a mentor to the Kennesaw State University NOMA student chapter. I thoroughly enjoyed conversing with Darral. His honesty about his journey was inspiring to say the least. We get into the emotional aspects of the licensure process and why it's so important to plan your next steps after passing that last exam.  We sketched 999 Peachtree. You can check out his sketch on our LinkedIn profile. I hope you enjoy this episode! 

Hey listeners, in this episode, I have the pleasure of conversing with Garfield Peart, the Director of the Atlanta Studio for Moody Nolan Architects with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He is also the 2023-2025 Georgia State Representative to the American Institute of Architects Strategic Council. Garfield is a Registered Architect in the State of Georgia and the Commonwealth of Virginia. He received his Bach. of Architecture at Howard University and MBA in Sustainability Business with a concentration in Green Development from Marylhurst University in Portland, Oregon. He is a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve with over 27 years of service. Prior to Moody Nolan, Garfield was the President of his own design practice, Syntony Design Collaborative LLC. The firm’s mission was to design healthy and integrated buildings that help empower urban communities to be more sustainable and combat historic equity issues. Garfield is also passionate about increasing access to the profession for underserved communities. Garfield is co-founder and Chairman of the SPIKE Studio, Inc., an Atlanta-based educational non-profit (501.c.3) organization started in 2004 that is dedicated to the exposure of inner-city high school youth to the profession of architecture. Garfield is an active advocate for community engagement, historic preservation, the creative arts, and diversity. His other honors and organizations include the 2021 class of the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program, past Commissioner, Atlanta Urban Design Commission, past National Treasurer and South Region Vice-President for the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), 2019 Dorothy Spence Citizen Architect Award, and 2016 James Gant Fausett, FAIA Service to the Profession Award from AIA Atlanta Chapter and 2012 Ford Freedom Unsung Heroes Award, by the Ford Motor Company and Atlanta Center for Civil and Human Rights. His articles and work on diversity and sustainability have been featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Saporta Report, Curbed Atlanta, VoyageATL, and Design Equilibrium, a publication of AIA Atlanta.

Hey! This episode wraps us the Global Architects theme and this years episode releases. We’re closing the podcast early this year to wrap up projects behind the scenes. I’d like to say a big thank you to our listeners, supporters and sponsors for tuning in throughout the year and I hope you enjoyed our conversations! I’m looking forward to exciting plans for next year but in the meantime, don’t hesitate to catch up on any episodes you may have missed. Our guest today is Trevor is the Dean of the School of Design at Dunwoody College of Technology. He is an award-winning architect with over 25 years of professional experience. He has significant international experience; working on a wide range of architecture, landscape architecture and planning projects in Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States. In addition to his role as Dean, Trevor has taught architectural design at the Boston Architectural College, the City College of New York as well as the University of Minnesota and is a frequent guest critic at schools of architecture nationwide. Prior to joining Dunwoody, he was a Senior Associate and Director of Operations at Snow Kreilich Architects, the recipient of the 2018 AIA Architecture Firm Award. From 2000 to 2016, he co-founded and led an architecture and planning studio on the island of Grenada, completing more than 30 built projects. The work of his firm has been published extensively in journals and books as well as being exhibited at the 2021 Architecture Biennale in Venice. This episode was refreshing! I appreciate Trevors honesty in navigating the worlds of architecture practice and academia as a Global Architect. He gave us insight on practicing in different countries, why he had to break out of the crowd and differences between practice and academia.

Nmadili Okwumabua is a cultural designer, urbanist and educator in African architecture and community planning. Her passion for design is rooted in a vision where communities in Africa and the Diaspora are developed with new architectural languages that preserve heritage, and are culturally and environmentally sustainable. In 2005, she founded Southern Sahara USA, an international consultancy specializing in the research and development of this new architecture.  Nmadili Okwumabua attended the University of Tennessee and Georgia State University, where she pursued undergraduate studies in architecture and urban studies. She holds a masters degree in African and African American studies from Clark Atlanta University, where her research centered on the evolution of modern vernacular architecture in Nigeria. In 2013, the fruits of these efforts gave birth to the Community Planning & Design Initiative, Africa, (CPDI Africa), a research-based, culture-inspired initiative created to develop new African architectural languages through design competition. Believing that the redevelopment of Africa's built environment should be as it has always been, built as a collaborative effort between the community members and designated master builders, Ms. Okwumabua engages participation from the design community throughout the African Diaspora, for the accomplishment of the CPDI Africa vision. In this episode we dive deep into Nmadili's journey in the world of architecture and design, some challenges she took on while exploring what architecture meant for her and why she founded CPDI Africa as well as what the future looks like for her organization. Link to CPDI Africa: https://cpdiafrica.blogspot.com/

Tune into the first Architecture & The Culinary Space episode! Architecture & The Culinary Space hosted by The Layers of Design Podcast as part of the Design X Community, is a unique dining and design event aimed at bridging the gap between architects and the public. The event consisted of an intimate dinner with 20 guests, a conversation with the architect, Clayton Daspit and interior designer, Callie Harris of the By George Restaurant at The Candler Hotel, a tour of the hotel, and a delicious dinner. This series offers a unique opportunity to experience dining from an architect's perspective, while connecting with like-minded individuals. Thank you to the entire By George Restaurant & Bar and The Candler Hotel staff for their hospitality! Event Recap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg3ib21FMI0

Shruti Shankar, AICP brings over a decade of design, planning and sustainability experience to Studio One Eleven in her role as Urban Design Director. Her work focuses on creating sustainable and equitable urbanism, and vibrant urban places by combining data-driven insights, design thinking, community engagement and collaborative city-building practices. Shruti holds a Bachelors’ degree in Architecture and a Masters in Urban Design, as well as a global certification in sustainability. In this episode, she shares the different countries she had the opportunity of studying architecture in and how it helped shape her perspective in her work today. Shruti is a very thoughtful designer and she shares great insight on what it means to be a "Global Architect" Full Bio Shruti Shankar, AICP brings over a decade of design, planning and sustainability experience to Studio One Eleven in her role as Urban Design Director. Her work focuses on creating sustainable and equitable urbanism, and vibrant urban places by combining data-driven insights, design thinking, community engagement and collaborative city-building practices. She is experienced in a variety of project types, including visioning, master planning, public space design, and tactical urbanism for placemaking and testing improvements. Shruti is currently leading efforts on a design manual for outdoor dining for the City of West Hollywood and a study to assess the potential for redevelopment of commercial sites to housing in the South Bay, including site utilization and density studies. She also led the Downtown Huntington Beach and Main Street Urban Design Study to assess the potential for placemaking improvements, and was involved in crafting the vision for the Glendale Arts and Entertainment District. Shruti holds a Bachelors’ degree in Architecture and a Masters in Urban Design, as well as a global certification in sustainability. Link to Studio One Eleven: https://studio-111.com/

Tune into this conversation with Michael Tchouaffé, a Principal Architect at Tchouaffé Architects. He will be sharing shares his experience in the architecture and design field, his culture, and how various educational backgrounds helped shape his design thinking.  Michael Tchouaffé is an inspiration and we hope you learn a few things about the experiences Global Architects have going through their educational and professional careers. Enjoy! Like, share and subscribe for more videos! Instrumental by mjrtist Website: https://www.layersofdesign.online/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/layersofdesign_ Space Sponsored by Vari Atlanta Stream all our podcast episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Deezer and layersofdesign.online

This is the last episode in the Architecture and the community theme. The last few episodes have been all about architects, designers and why we think we should be seen in communities. I decided to give us a bit of a break in the lineup of design professionals and bring in someone in the creative space but not necessarily in the design profession to hear their thoughts. So, in this episode, I have a conversation with Kenzie Rowland. Kenzie Rowland is a comedic actress, writer, TEDx Speaker, mental health advocate and host of her podcast Therapy Would Be Cheaper. Kenzie’s dedication to mental illness advocacy has run parallel with every creative endeavor she’s taken on. Open with her own diagnosis of OCD, Kenzie seeks to uplift others with mental illness through her own vulnerability, sense of self and always, her sense of humor. So in this episode, we talk about design, architecture and comedy but we also really lean into dealing with mental health as creatives. Since the month of May is wrapping up, I’m inclined to focus on the importance of mental health in a profession that challenges us daily. I met Kenzie about a year ago at our neighborhood Barre studio where she’s an instructor. She is both thoughtful and intentional! Her journey through dealing with mental health as a creative is inspiring. Between Kenzie's podcast about mental health and her experience with mental health just like most of us, she left us with some very insightful tips. Link to Therapy Would Be Cheaper: https://www.therapywouldbecheaper.net/ Link To Kenzie's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uux6N06JMEw

Welcome to this weeks episode! As vice president of research and insights at OFS, Doug brings more than 15 years of experience collaborating with product and interior designers from around the globe. A well-respected and expressive thought leader in the design industry, Doug is also the host of the highly-rated Imagine a Place podcast that inspires connection and collaboration, while exploring the role place plays in people’s lives. He has hosted guests from Fortune 500 companies and aspiring entrepreneurs alike, facilitating authentic conversations about everything from the latest workplace trends to neuroscience and architecture. In addition to these accomplishments, Doug is a passionate storyteller and published children’s book author. He loves talking about his career and his four keys to personal growth (Humility, Creativity, Optimism, “Go Giver” Mentality), which he often shares with the younger professionals he mentors. In this episode, Doug gives us a peek into his story as he shares what draws him to design, some lessons he’s learned as a podcast host, the value of design and he got me rethinking the idea of human centric design - to name a few. Doug's approach to his work and interactions are thoughtful. Our conversation reminded me why I enjoy meeting so many design professionals and sharing their unique stories! This episode is brought to you by American Metalcraft, Inc: https://americanmetalcraft.com/ Link to OFS:https://ofs.com/ Link to Imagine a Place Podcast: https://ofs.com/imagine-a-place/podcast Link to Design Your World book: https://a.co/d/d6lpqb3

This weeks episode is with an "experienced Owner with a demonstrated history of working in the architecture & planning industry. Skilled in AutoCAD, Revit, Interior Build outs, Adaptive Reuse, Strong business development professional with a Bachelor of Science (BS) focused on Architecture from Tuskegee University, I have a conversation with, Monica Fenderson, owner of MOSA Architects.  Georgia Department of Transportation DBE and NY/NJ Port Authority MBE, North Carolina Historical Underutilized Business, City of Atlanta SBE, AABE, FBE" This was a fun, inspiring and educational episode! Monica was so open in sharing her knowledge and experience with us. We covered so much from why she chose Tuskegee University, to her love for fashion, motherhood in the industry and why she decided to write a book on her journey. I walked away from our conversation feeling like I could take over the world and it was a beautiful reminder that all our paths are different and we need to recognize and embrace them. Let’s get into it! Link to MOSA Designs: https://www.mosaarchitects.com/ Link to purchase her book: https://a.co/d/8ThmOYo

This week's guest is Emmanuel Garcia, a project architect at Wheeler Kearns Architects in Chicago and the president of Arquitectos, The Society of Hispanic Professional Architects in Chicago, IL. At WKA, Manny has led institutional, commercial, and educational projects including the Purple Llama Coffee & Record Shop in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, schematic design for Ednovate’s USC Hybrid High in Los Angeles, and the Chapel of St Joseph at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Des Plaines, IL – which has received several awards including an Interfaith Design Award from Faith & Form and an Interior Architecture Award from AIA Chicago. In 2021, Manny helped transform a former bank building into a welcoming new headquarters for the North Lawndale Employment Network, a nonprofit on the West Side of Chicago whose clients include citizens returning from incarceration and others who face the day-to-day financial hardships of poverty. Apart from his experience, Manny gives us so much insight into creating community spaces, building relationships and working with members of the community to create thoughtful projects. This episode is very informative and I particularly appreciate the tips Emmanuel give to young designers pursuing community oriented design.   Link to Emmanuel's full bio: https://wkarch.com/person/emmanuel-garcia/ Learn more about Arquitectos: https://arquitectosinc.org/ This episode is brought to you by American Metalcraft, Inc: https://americanmetalcraft.com/

This week, I have the privilege of conversing with Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE, the Chief Executive Officer of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) which is a dynamic network of more than 96,000 architects and design professionals throughout 200 chapters committed to enhancing the built environment. Woods previously served as President & CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) where she led efforts to expand the organization’s programs and markets while growing and strengthening its membership base. Prior to joining NIBS, she was the Sr. VP & Chief Marketing Officer at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), where her team was responsible for all marketing and revenue-generating programs – including marketing the International Builders Show, sponsorship sales and partnerships with major national companies. Woods is the author of the book "Never Get Their Coffee: Empowering Fearless Leadership" and currently serves as Chair of the Board for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She also currently serves on the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland School of Architecture, previously served as Vice Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council Board of Directors and is a global speaker. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland in College Park and lives with her husband and daughter in Howard County, Maryland. Lakisha's involvement and dedication to serving and advocating for the built environment and its professionals is admirable. Stop by the show notes to read her full bio including various organizations she has held or holds leadership roles in.  Being on the board of AIA Atlanta, I’ve had the chance to learn and experience the impact this organization has on members and the profession as a whole. So, having a conversation with Lakisha Woods about some of the work AIA is doing to enhance the value of our profession was inspiring! As always, I hope you enjoy Link to AIA National Website: https://www.aia.org/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=aiamem-search&gclid=CjwKCAjwiOCgBhAgEiwAjv5whLIZmWcPOfrdpkEb8441iheHyf-4ky6EdbYMNqKkStlWY-fOnqVLrBoCJ7oQAvD_BwE Link to America By Design: https://www.bydesign.global/americabydesign/architecture/architecture-episodes This episode is brought to you by American Metalcraft, Inc: https://americanmetalcraft.com/

This week's guest is Kaley Fought. As Principal and founding member of Framework Studio Architecture, based in Oregon, Kaley is a lead architect and an NCIDQ certified interior designer. Embracing a multi-disciplinary and progressive studio, she and her partner Chris started Framework with a vision to focus on human-centric, community-enhancing work; creating places that inspire joy and foster meaningful experiences.  Kaley’s collaborative approach and pursuit of human-centered design leads her to be a project and client advocate throughout the design process and construction. She is an active member in the community, currently serving as the President of AIA Oregon, and sits on the City of Salem Planning Commission. Kaley believes in the power and impact of architecture, and that architects have a responsibility to improve the world around us through sustainable, equitable, and thoughtful design. At Framework, this is utilized as the platform to inform every project, leading clients through a process to design environmental experiences that encourage dynamic inclusive design at all scales. As an avid equestrian, when not in the studio Kaley can always be found at the barn with her two horses - 4 year old Leo and 30 year old Harley. I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Kaley at the AIA Leadership Summit in DC last month and her passion for community centered design caught my attention immediately that I knew she had to come on the show! I hope you enjoy this episode. Link to Framework Studio Architecture: https://www.fwsarch.com/

Continuing on the theme of Architecture and the community, I interviewed Olamide Udoma-Ejorh who is the Director at the Lagos Urban Development Initiative, an urban activist, researcher, filmmaker, and writer. She is currently involved in governance and social issues within the urban environment of Lagos and is an advocate for sustainable transportation and social engagement within urban spaces with a particular focus on gender. She focuses on transport management, slum upgrading, and housing rights in urbanizing African cities. She consulted with UN-Habitat on the Nigerian projects for the Global Future Cities Program. In the last 10 years she has managed and coordinated projects in the UK, South Africa, and Nigeria, working with a variety of clients to ensure that urban planning is participatory from inception to maintenance. Her strengths lie in Urban Infrastructure Management, Project Management, and Communications. In this conversation, we dive into her experience with designing for the community, the different players that work together to make a project successful and she tells us her take on the future of urban development in Lagos, Nigeria. Lets get into it! Link to LUDI website: https://ludi.org.ng/

This weeks episode kicks off the "Architecture and The Community" theme. The whole idea of this theme is to really explore how architecture and the community are so intertwined and how architects can be more present in communities. So my guest today is Tulia Scott, a Trinidadian born architect who studied and worked in both the US and the Caribbean is an Associate, Project Manager with Moody Nolan. She is a FAMU alumni who graduated with an M.Arch. and has 20 years combined experience in Architecture and Interior Design with a broad range of experience in Award winning Libraries, Mixed Use Development, Religious, and Academic Buildings as well as in Feasibility Studies and Concept Design Projects. After more than a decade in the field she became an Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow, working with a non-profit housing developer and operator of senior housing, Presbyterian Senior Living (PSL) in the North Eastern market. Tulia worked helping build their in-house design capacity and her own knowledge of housing using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) process and Continuing Care Retirement Communities. Tulia is a pragmatic thinker and a problem solver and focuses on equitable community development encompassing the design of both civic and educational buildings, housing and other support buildings which provide the vessels for our human experience. Her main goal is to help bring the benefits of architecture and design to the people and communities who need it most and help foster strategic partnerships with other entities and providers of services, which help sustain and enhance community life. Tulia is also active with community and professional groups like NOMA Atlanta currently serving as the Vice President of NOMA Atlanta. She is a graduate of the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program, Leadership Greenville Class 42 and 2017 Greenville Dreams Grassroots Development Program with training in community leadership and leveraging community assets. In her spare time, she enjoys participating in community events, photography, hiking and travelling. Of course Tulia makes the perfect guest to kick off such an important theme, I feel, which is architect and the community. As you go along and we uncover bits and pieces of Tulia's experience, you'll all come to find out that Tulia truly is a community oriented designer. I really admire her work and the way she carries herself in her leadership role at NOMA Atlanta. Without further ado, keep listening and get to know Tulia! Enjoy!!  Community Project and Architect mentioned: Brian Lara Promenade, Trinidad and Tobago by Architect, Colin Laird