Podcast
I Would Prefer Not To
Hosted by The Architectural League of New York · EN
Why does an architect turn down a commission? What could change if we knew? An interview podcast series produced by MIT's Critical Broadcasting Lab sheds light on a necessary but understudied part of architectural practice.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
LTL Architects
May 2601:13:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode Paul Lewis, Marc Tsurumaki, and David J. Lewis of LTL Architects speak about the “productive oscillation” between academic research, speculative drawing, and the material realities of building that defines their practice; LTL’s trajectory from the “opportunistic” spatial inventions of early New York interiors to an existential focus on biogenic materialities and the climate crisis; and their publications that reorient both the classroom and the construction site.
Transcribe →
Thom Mayne
Apr 1401:10:22Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the founder of Morphosis recaps a career defined by “troublemaking” and discusses framing architecture as a collaborative, cinematic process, the shift from designing private residences to international competitions and federal work, and the particularities of working in Los Angeles.
Transcribe →
nARCHITECTS
Nov 2001:05:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the co-founders of NYC-based nARCHITECTS discuss their mission-driven practice that engages with the community, resistance to architectural closure, their fascination with “almost buildings,” and the value of leaving room for misusers.
Transcribe →
Leong Leong
Oct 1600:54:22Tap to summarizeIn this episode, the co-founder of NYC-based Leong Leong discusses world building, feedback loops between aesthetics and politics, and professional growth as a reflection of ego death.
Transcribe →
Hashim Sarkis
Sep 1101:06:02Tap to summarizeIn the season five premiere, host Ana Miljački talks with Hashim Sarkis about the latent nature of optimism in practice, the difficulties of running an office across different continents, and how direct action leads to hope.
Transcribe →
MASS Design Group
May 29, 202501:09:34Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Ana Miljački speaks with Christian Benimana, Patricia Gruits, and Alan Ricks, co-executive directors of MASS Design Group, about philanthropy in the design process, the political economy of building, and what is possible across different global contexts. MASS was founded in 2008 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. More than 15 years later, this global, multidisciplinary collective has over 200 members with offices in Boston; in Kigali, Rwanda; Poughkeepsie, New York; and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Transcribe →
Nader Tehrani
Apr 24, 202501:08:22Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Ana Miljački speaks with Nader Tehrani, founding partner of the Boston-based firm NADAAA, about the development of construction details; the political push and pull between architects, clients, and contractors ; and the importance of didacticism in designing architecture schools.
Transcribe →
Aziza Chaouni
Mar 18, 202500:45:36Tap to summarizeIn this episode, architect Aziza Chaouni discusses working with NGOs on heritage projects, balancing small-scale volunteer work, and crowdsourcing materials and resources to build project archives.
Transcribe →
LOT-EK
Feb 27, 202501:02:13Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Ana Miljački speaks with Ada Tolla and Giuseppe Lignano, founders of the New York City-based practice LOT-EK, about ascribing value to waste, the vestiges of global circular economies, and the importance of love.
Transcribe →
Lateral Office
Dec 16, 202401:02:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode, host Ana Miljački speaks with Lola Sheppard and Mason White of Lateral Office to discuss their work in the Canadian Arctic, architecture of expediency in rural areas, and the skill of deep listening.
Transcribe →