Archispeak Podcast #345 - "Cormac's Continued Architectural Summer Adventures"

Hosts: Evan Troxel & Cormac Phalen
Date: August 21, 2024

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Cormac recounts his spontaneous architectural road trip through the American Northeast and Atlantic Canada, with stops at iconic architectural sites, meaningful family heritage spots, and, ultimately, an in-person meeting with one of his architectural heroes, Brian MacKay-Lyons. The episode blends travelogue with reflections on architecture, placemaking, and the intersection of personal and professional journeys—capturing the “real-life” essence that Archispeak is known for.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Travel Logistics, Motivation, and Planning

• Cormac shares his rare use of PTO and the catalyst for his trip—family milestones and a need for adventure.
  • “I took that needed and rarely ever used—do they call it—oh, yeah, PTO.” (03:10 Cormac)
• The trip was partly a surprise for his wife, marking both their 25th anniversary and her 50th birthday.
• Spontaneity: Despite some minimal planning, most of the trip’s moments were unplanned adventures and happy accidents.
  • “We paced ourselves, made it kind of an adventure.” (06:12 Cormac)
• Architectural pilgrimage: Cormac always finds a way to turn a family trip into an exploration of architecture, with his wife being a patient co-pilot.

2. Architectural Stops along the Way

Yale University (New Haven, CT)

• Visited Louis Kahn’s Yale Art Museum and Eero Saarinen’s “Whale” hockey arena (Ingalls Rink)
  • “It’s interesting, beautiful…it’s kind of interesting because I’m curious what everybody thinks of that building.” (09:04 Cormac, on the Kahn museum)
  • “The Whale is actually Eero Saarinen’s hockey arena on Yale’s campus…and amazing. Everything you come to expect and love out of Saarinen’s work.” (09:48 Cormac)
• Emphasizes the importance of seeing iconic buildings in their urban context and how they interact with the life of the campus and surrounding city.

Driving Up the Coast

• Explores coastal Maine’s small towns and notes the vibrancy of “business loops” off the highway:
  • “The business loop is where the life of the town actually is.” (12:25 Cormac)
• Challenges of finding accommodation during peak season and reflecting on the omnipresence of camper vans (“Prepaid hotel. That’s all that is.” – 13:38 Angelo).

Prince Edward Island (PEI)

• The centerpiece of the trip was a visit to Anne of Green Gables Historic Site, fulfilling a lifelong dream for Cormac’s wife.
  • “She’s a huge fan…And so where it was filmed, where it took place, and where the author was born and raised was in Prince Edward Island.” (06:26 Cormac)
  • “My wife cried when she saw it because it’s totally a part of her life.” (19:58 Cormac)
• Observations on the international draw of the site and reflection on place as character.
  • “The environment, shall we say, the architecture affects people.” (20:28 Cormac)
  • “They can actually become a character…think about Kubrick films…” (20:50 Angelo)

Halifax, Nova Scotia

• Cormac’s family roots connect back to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland; he highlights a visit to the Canadian Immigration Museum to trace his ancestry.
  • “You can actually go see the records…which was amazing.” (28:24 Angelo and Cormac)
  • “There’s a lot of Scandinavian, Irish, and Scottish in Newfoundland, Labrador and Nova Scotia.” (29:09 Cormac)

3. Meeting Brian MacKay-Lyons & Architectural Regionalism (Lunenburg, Nova Scotia)

• Story of meeting architect Brian MacKay-Lyons, a personal hero, in Lunenburg after connecting at the AIA Conference in DC.
  • “Here you are. It’s just like, oh, you don’t want to meet your heroes kind of thing. And, you know, again, I appreciate the work that he does. I appreciate the regionalism.” (33:42 Cormac)
  • “Here’s somebody who’s in tune with the place and is developing a language of architecture that is drawing inspiration from the place.” (36:10 Cormac)
• Discussions in the Lunenburg office: MacKay-Lyons shares local insights, recommends regional sites, and offers Cormac a window into his creative geography.
  • “He pulled out his iPad and we zoomed around the islands, and he was showing me all of these favorite places…” (41:25 Cormac)
  • Cormac reflects on the importance of developing architecture rooted in “place,” referencing both personal and professional influences.
• Touring the MacKay-Lyons “farm” property:
  • Visits iconic projects like the Slide House and observes the evolution of MacKay-Lyons’s work—how materiality, weathering, and landscape shape the architecture.
  • “You see this evolution of his work. You see the Slide House…” (45:03 Cormac)
  • “All of these are so beautifully blended in that they look like they belong there.” (48:36 Cormac)

4. Experiencing Other Cities: Quebec City & Reflections on Urbanism

• Quebec City: Cormac is captivated by its European qualities, urban vibrancy, and architectural preservation.
  • “Quebec City. Wow. Like old Quebec City, man—urban planning. It is the closest thing to France outside of France.” (56:06 Cormac)
  • On street life and public space: “The street activity is so very European…they use every space.” (59:44 Cormac)
• Discussion on the differences between American and European (Canadian/Quebecois) approaches to placemaking and main street vibrancy.
  • “There’s just something very, very American about our main streets versus their very European versions...” (58:56 Cormac)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Architectural Spouses:
  “Let me preface this by saying that I do have a wife that appreciates architecture and does actually enjoy some of these side trips.” (07:22 Cormac)

• On Place and Story:
  “One of the two main characters of the stories is Anne Shirley and the Green Gables House. And so the people came from all over the world.” (20:49 Cormac)

• On Spontaneity:
  “I guess I’m just holding strong to that—just making it up as you go along—kind of like travel philosophy.” (18:32 Cormac)

• On Meeting MacKay-Lyons:
  “I walk up and like, Brian. And he like turns around and it’s like, hey, I remember you. I’m like, good—because if not, this will be creepy.” (39:03 Cormac)

• On Regionalism:
  “Here’s somebody who’s in tune with the place and is developing a language of architecture that is drawing inspiration from the place.” (36:10 Cormac)

• On Seeing the Evolution of an Architect’s Work:
  “It’s just so cool. You can see almost like you’re looking at an anthology book…and you can see it in the landscape.” (49:57 Cormac)

• On American vs. Canadian/European Urbanism:
  “There’s just something very, very American about our main streets versus their very European versions…” (58:56 Cormac)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 02:54 – 08:39 | Cormac’s trip planning and the surprise for his wife (Anne of Green Gables pilgrimage)
• 09:04 – 11:46 | Yale architecture tour (Kahn’s and Saarinen’s work)
• 11:47 – 13:38 | Observations of coastal Maine towns and the “business loop”
• 15:06 – 22:43 | Arrival at PEI, Anne of Green Gables, and place as narrative character
• 26:14 – 32:32 | Halifax, Nova Scotia – immigration roots and museum visit
• 33:32 – 36:06 | Meeting Brian MacKay-Lyons, architectural regionalism
• 41:25 – 49:57 | MacKay-Lyons’s property: Slide House, “of the landscape,” and architectural evolution
• 56:03 – 59:51 | Quebec City and reflections on urban vibrancy, French Canadian culture

Episode Tone & Style

The tone is conversational, witty, and occasionally self-deprecating—with a healthy dose of architectural geekery. There’s a genuine sense of wonder, gratitude, and reflection as Cormac connects personal narrative, family, and professional curiosity into one sprawling adventure. Evan’s (Angelo's) frequent jabs and running commentary keep the episode light and entertaining.

Concluding Thoughts

Cormac’s “accidental architectural sabbatical” brings together big ideas: the way place shapes story, the ongoing relevance of regionalism in architecture, and the vital importance of journeying through spaces, both familiar and new. The episode is as much about how architects experience the world as it is about the buildings themselves.

For more details, images, and links to discussed projects, check the Archispeak show notes.