Innovation by Design

Corey Squire and Amy Donohue join Evan Troxel and Candace Kitchen to talk about how Bora Architecture & Interiors turned sustainability from a rotating champion's cause into a named, firm-wide default: climate, health, and equity. They dig into the "Bora Perfect Project," why window wall ratio and orientation matter more than any energy model, why mass timber is the firm's starting assumption rather than an exception, and the moment a young intern spoke up in a leadership meeting to stop a project from drifting off its own goals.This episode is especially relevant for architects and firm leaders who keep hearing "we don't have the budget for sustainability" and want a sharper answer than a pitch deck. Corey and Amy make the case that sustainability is a communication challenge, not a technical or computational one, and walk through exactly how naming your values changes hiring, client conversations, and what actually survives value engineering.Key topicsGetting sustainability ideas into actual projects: the Bora Perfect Project (climate, health, equity)Window wall ratio and orientation as the real levers, not energy optimizationNaming values to change hiring, recruiting, and client conversationsThe AIA Framework for Design Excellence, confirmed on-air as the correct framework name (not "Framework for 2030")Knowledge capture and transfer inside a firm; the intern who spoke upConnect with the GuestsCorey Squire, AIALinkedInBora Architecture & InteriorsPeople, Planet, Design: A Practical Guide to Realizing Architecture's PotentialAmy DonohueLinkedInBora bio pageBora Architecture & InteriorsFirms and PracticesBora Architecture & Interiors — bora.coRichard Meier & Partners Architects — https://meierarchitects.us/. Amy's early-career firm in New York, cited as a counterexample.Frameworks and StandardsAIA Framework for Design Excellence — aia.org/design-excellence/aia-framework-design-excellence. Corey co-created this, replacing sustainability-as-side-conversation with a definition of good design itself.AIA COTE Top Ten Award — https://www.aia.org/design-excellence/awards/cote-top-ten-award. The 25-year-old awards criteria that became the technical backbone of the Framework for Design Excellence.The Harvey Mudd College ProjectR. Michael Shanahan Center for Teaching & Learning — bora.co/project/shanahan-center-for-teaching-learning/. Evan's personal reference point for Bora's work; Amy's project.BubbleDeck voided-slab technology — ArchDaily coverage. The structural system discussed at length; removes ~30% of slab concrete to cut embodied carbon and cost.

In this episode of Innovation By Design, Evan Troxel and Candace Kitchen talk with Chris Heine, an architect and strategist at SmithGroup, about how sustainability has shifted from an optional add-on to a core design requirement.Chris explains how early, passive design decisions (orientation, envelope performance, solar control) reduce the need for oversized active systems later, and why building performance depends on more than modeling, including commissioning, operations training, and ongoing monitoring.The conversation also dives into product transparency (EPDs and HPDs), how teams evaluate tradeoffs with clients, and why firms need robust internal knowledge systems and feedback loops (sensors, surveys, post-occupancy evaluation) to continuously improve future projects.About the GuestChris Heine is an architect and strategist at SmithGroup in Detroit, focused on sustainable, healthy design and building performance. Chris works across scales — from building to campus — helping teams and clients integrate resilience, decarbonization, and data-informed decision-making into project delivery.LinksChris on LinkedInSmithGroup

DescriptionIn this episode of Innovation By Design, Evan Troxel and Candace Kitchen talk with architect and educator Ming Tang, director of the XR Lab at the University of Cincinnati, about extended reality and the rapidly changing tools that make immersive experiences more accessible than ever.Ming breaks down the differences between VR, AR, and mixed reality, shares the origin story of their own journey from early CAD and 3D rendering to immersive media, and explains why embodied, interactive experiences can communicate spatial intent in ways 2D drawings and screens cannot.The conversation also introduces the D‑I‑C‑E framework (Dangerous, Impossible, Counterproductive, Expensive) for deciding when digital simulation is the right tool. Ming shares examples ranging from VR egress training and safety scenarios to historical reconstruction and storytelling in immersive environments, plus practical guidance around motion sickness, session length, and using physical locomotion to improve comfort.Key TopicsDefining XR: VR vs AR vs mixed reality, and why the boundaries often blur in practiceWhy immersion changes how people understand space (and why 2D is often not enough)D‑I‑C‑E (Dangerous, Impossible, Counterproductive, Expensive): when simulation creates real valueVR for egress, fire/smoke, and safety training (and how behavior can differ from the real world)Motion sickness and comfort: session length, latency, sensory mismatch, and physical locomotionCreation workflows: 3D modeling → Unity/Unreal → deploy to headsetsAR/MR on site: overlays for construction, manufacturing, and medical contextsStorytelling, memory, and historic reconstruction in immersive media (including generative AI support)About the guestMing Tang is an architect, educator, and director of the XR (Extended Reality) Lab at the University of Cincinnati. His work explores the intersection of architecture, digital media, game design, and immersive technologies, including VR/AR/MR applications for design communication, simulation, training, and storytelling.LinksMing’s website: Ming3dUniversity of Cincinnati (DAAP): https://daap.uc.edu/

DescriptionIn this episode, hosts Evan Troxel and Candace Kitchen sit down with Jerry Attia and Pierre Roberson of Framework-E to unpack what it looks like to intentionally design a practice, not just projects.Jerry and Pierre walk through Framework-E’s origin story, including the relationships and early projects that helped them launch quickly, and how their “Design Framework Report” mindset shaped the firm’s name and mission.They dig into what “equity” means in their work, including stakeholder engagement as a practical strategy that can make buildings better, more beautiful, and more profitable. The conversation also explores expanding beyond traditional architectural scope into development, program management, and construction management, and how that shift changes risk, value, and long-term sustainability.You’ll also hear how their approach shows up in real projects, like defining scope for a client who cannot yet articulate it, and using evidence-based planning to reduce staff steps and friction in healthcare environments.About the guestsJerry Attia is a Detroit-based architect, entrepreneur, and community builder. Jerry is co-founder of Framework E, a minority-owned architecture and engineering firm focused on sports and civic projects. Before launching Framework E, Jerry held senior leadership roles at major firms and delivered work for high-profile sports and entertainment venues.Pierre Roberson is a licensed architect and co-founder of Framework E. Before launching Framework E in 2023, Pierre spent nearly six years at AECOM, rising to Associate Vice President and Design Principal, and previously worked at Rossetti. Pierre’s work has earned national recognition, and Pierre brings expertise spanning computational design, BIM, and parametric modeling, with a focus on equitable, community-centered design.LinksFramework-E website: https://www.framework-e.com/Jerry Attia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/g-jerry-attia-noma-aia-pmp-48a97b5/Pierre Roberson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-roberson-aia-noma-ncarb-123b22b/

Specifications are where design intent becomes buildable reality. In this episode, Evan Troxel and Candace Kitchen talk with Sherry Harbaugh, FCSI, CCS, RA, SCIP, about the overlooked craft of architectural specifications and why it is central to quality control, risk management, and successful project delivery.Sherry recounts how early career experiences and a strong community through CSI helped them find a path in specifications, and why mentorship is essential for emerging professionals who are trying to understand the many roles available in the construction industry. The conversation also explores common spec pitfalls, how manufacturer representatives can support better outcomes, and where technology helps, and where it still falls short.Key TopicsWhat specifications do that drawings cannot, and why they matter for bids, substitutions, and construction qualityWhy boilerplate specs create risk, confusion, and coordination issues between Parts 1, 2, and 3Mentorship, networking, and CSI as a career accelerator for architects and construction professionalsPractical ways to improve spec workflows for small firms, including office masters and guide specsHow product representatives can help teams make more defensible basis-of-design decisionsWhat BIM and AI change in documentation, and why a human “specifier’s judgment” is still criticalAbout the guestSherry Harbaugh is an architect and specification consultant with more than 35 years of experience. Sherry founded Technical Resources Consultants (TRC Consultants) to help teams improve quality control through clearer, more reliable technical documentation, and is known for teaching and mentoring through CSI and other industry programs.LinksTechnical Resources Consultants (TRC): https://trc-consultants.comSherry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherry-harbaugh-fcsi-ccs-ra-scip-aa0b458CSI member profile: https://www.csiresources.org/network/members/profile?UserKey=42141b75-38c2-4b6c-874b-15cbbc611172EntreArchitect article: https://entrearchitect.com/2025/03/25/why-specifications-matter/EntreArchitect podcast: https://entrearchitect.com/podcast/entrearch/a-master-guide-spec-for-small-firm-architects/YouTube: Understanding Building Specifications (with Sherry Harbaugh): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DfjOLog2A4