In this episode, we sit down with architect Michele Grace Hottel, AIA, founder of MGHarchitect, whose work spans California and Arizona—from oceanfront modern redesigns to hillside homes overlooking Camelback Mountain. Michele shares her earliest design inspirations, the evolution of her architectural practice, the challenges and rewards of site-specific projects, and how she tailors each home to the people who live in it.

We also dive into her passion for collaboration, her journey as a female architect, her popular podcast I've Never Met a Woman Architect Before, and her role in the upcoming Arizona Women Architects publication. Whether you're a design lover, architect, builder, or simply curious about how meaningful spaces come to life, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.

⏱️ Chapter Timings (Estimated)

00:00 – Welcome to Modern Mastermind

00:19 – Introducing architect Michele Hottel

01:00 – Michele’s first memories of design & childhood influences

03:00 – Growing up around museums, skylights & historic architecture

04:30 – Early creativity: dollhouses, Legos & building blocks

06:00 – Moving west & discovering Frank Lloyd Wright sites

07:20 – Designing for geography: California vs. Arizona

09:30 – Inward vs. outward-focused architecture

11:00 – Living in Copenhagen & weather-driven design

12:00 – Michele’s favorite project types & moving into design-build

13:20 – Sunset Cliffs House: opening a home to a 180° ocean view

16:00 – Innovating with glass before modern systems existed

17:30 – Modernizing a hillside home and preserving mid-century elements

19:00 – 911 9th Street House: challenging site + art-driven design

22:00 – Designing around large art collections & custom niches

23:30 – Paradise Valley hillside project overview

25:00 – Michele’s client process: from first call to construction

27:00 – Working with builders, budgets & design-build collaboration

28:30 – Michele’s podcast: “I’ve Never Met a Woman Architect Before”

30:00 – Arizona Women Architects publication

31:00 – Rapid-fire: favorite architecture, inspirations & future dreams

32:00 – Closing & where to find Michele online

🔗 Connect with Michele Grace Hottel

🌐 Website: https://mgharchitect.com

📸 Instagram: @mgharchitect

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