I received something in the mail recently that brought a huge smile to my face, and I think it will do the same for you.
You might have surmised that this means another BOOKLOOK and you would be correct. There are very few things that I enjoy more than receiving a surprise package. It’s the simple things in life, am I right?I received a parcel that contained the latest monograph from KAA Architecture, of whom, I am an enormous fan. I love their work, yes but I also consider Grant Kirkpatrick and Duan Tran likeminded, ideological compatriots. Both Grant and Duan have been on the show. I have spent a great deal of time with both and I will share something with you about talent, creativity and the willingness to extend ones comfort zone. KAA Design Group is a firm based on creative adventure. Based on solid fundamental principles of design and a joyful willingness to express new ideas. And you can hear their joy when they speak about what they do.
You now understand why I was giddy with excitement to flip through this weighty tome. Weighty it is and also jammed with both creative expression and fundamental expertise in the field of architectural design.
The book is entitled Residing with Nature. It contains an interview with Grant and Duan that is insightful and telling what is to come in the following pages.
They open with one of my absolute favorite KAA Design projects. TREE HOUSE based in La Jolla, CA.This home is an extraordinary example of masterful site planning. Dimension and topography are exquisite. The vegetation surrounds and infrastructure compliments the entire footprint of the site.The structure itself, concrete, wood and glass with a stunning Oak planted at the rear of the home also welcomes you upon arrival due to the size, scope and scale of the 300 year old specimen. Side note. As a woodworker, I love turning oak. I love working with oak because it’s grain is spectacular, with distinct rings and you can see the uniqueness from the inside, but also from the exterior as each oak tree is distinctly different in the growth pattern, gnarly bark and leaf clusters. This tree obscures some parts of the structure yet opens willingly to others for a high level of interest. this is what exceptional architects see and understand before a single form is built. This residence is exceptional in every way. This book gives the reader a look inside the thought process that led to its creation in image and carefully selected text. I imagine the same care went into every line drawn.
Another exceptional example of the true essence of the work lies in the Tower Grove residence. An exceptional example of site management combined with extreme engineering that makes this an absolute masterpiece in architectural design.
Both examples noted and throughout this entire book, you will find example after example of the symbiotic relationship explored, detailed and executed in the work of KAA Design. The book is available now, published by Rizzoli. Check the show notes for links to KAA, Rizzoli and to buy this book. I think if you are a fan of architecture, extraordinary design vision and sustainable building, you will love this as much as I do. Grant, Duan, well done. Congratulations.
Next up, some house cleaning and scatter shooting. Starting with updates, listen to the podcast for everything you need to know.
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with another installment of the Design Icon Registry. An icon for sure. A 2 time guest on Convo By Design and a very cool individual and an extraordinary decorator. This is Alex Papachristidis.
If you have heard these segments before, you know, I don’t do contests and I most certainly don’t do lists. Lists are gimmicks designed to capture clicks. They are, click bait pure and simple. You cannot tell me that a list of 50, 75 or 100 designers and architects are the absolute best at what they do without providing context. Lists are created in the hopes that those who are being listed will promote the accolades and that attention will be driven back to the author of the list. And contests where creatives have to reach out to their base to get them to vote for them is just wrong in my opinion. Because, if someone is amazing at what they do… Celebrate that, no strings attached. And that is what we are going to do here.
Now, the criteria… Each inductee has been a guest on Convo By Design. They have a body of work that is exceptional in their various disciplines and there is no justification required for their world class status. They give back to the industry, they are innovators, givers and make our industry better than they found it. This project is called the Convo By Design Icon Registry, because that is what this is, tantamount to a hall of fame, but more. What is an ICON? Described as an icon; A person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration. A registry is a well curated list. You can consider this a venerable who’s who in our industry with gifts to offer and a willingness to share. Pablo Picasso is credited with saying, “the meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away”. Now, I am not suggesting that those enshrined in the Icon Registry have all just been giving away their gifts. These are professionals of the highest order and part of being a professional is knowing your worth and understanding your value. Each of these individuals have appeared on Convo By Design, shared what they know for the betterment of others, and I am deeply appreciative for that. This is the most authentic way that I can express my gratitude for that. As deeply appreciative as I am for their sharing, I am equally grateful for your taking the time to share a few moments, an hour out of your busy schedule each week to listen to the show. Again, the most authentic way that I can express that gratitude is to give you an opportunity to hear them again. Every month, the last Thursday of the month, unless it’s a holiday week, in which case I will publish a week sooner, I will share a new inductee with you.
This weeks inductee is Alex Papachristidis who is one of the most amazing interior decorators for the wok he does, yes, absolutely. Beyond that though is his base of knowledge. Material and practice. This allows Alex to understand, fuse and commingle new, traditional and other styles to fit his vision and client desires. What is truly special about Alex is his willingness to listen to his clients, hear their wishes and process those wishes into a sophisticated version that they themselves couldn’t even envision. And he’s a dog lover. So, add that to the long list of things I admire about Alex. Which is also why it is my privilege to induct Papachristidis into the Convo By Design Icon Registry. This is Alex Papachristidis.
Thank you Alex for making this world a more beautiful place than you found it. Congratulations on your addition to the Convo By Design Icon Registry. And thank you for listening and subscribing to the show. Thank you to my partner sponsors Design Hardware, ThermaSol, TimberTech and Pacific Sales. these are amazing partners all, they support the trade and I love sharing these amazing resources with you. Thanks again for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. – CXD
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. But you know that because you are kind enough to subscribe, download and listen to the show every week. If this episode was shared with you and you are not currently a subscriber, I would appreciate it if you would consider subscribing so you receive every new episode automatically to your feed.
For those who have been part of our little club since day one, you have heard me say this, and for those new to the podcast, I want you to know that I am incredibly grateful. I started this show over 11 years ago to bring a level of coverage to the design and architecture community that I felt was missing at the time. I am now and always have been a huge fan of the shelter publications in particular and magazines in general. I still have old copies of Dwell from the early to mid 2,000’s, copies of Metropolitan Home that I will still, on occasion just grab a nice beverage and go through the pages, waxing nostalgic for a time when the shelter publications focused on the art form that is architecture and interiors design. Not the celebrity, trend-spotting and ephemeral social media content.
For that reason, one of the things I enjoy most, is getting back to the meaningful events. I love attending and even just talking about some of America’s favorite design festivals, trade shows, happenings, gatherings and events. And since they are so different, there can’t be one favorite event and that is what I think is so special. They are all different. But there really are two heavy hitters, behemoths in the industry… KBIS/ IBS and High Point Market. This is not to take away from any of the other gatherings, and we will be covering most of those as well, but these two are different due to sheer size and scope.
This episode of the podcast is dedicated to specifiers everywhere who are venturing out for the first time to attend KBIS/ IBS. We have a double episode plus. That means you are going to hear from 2 designers and a brand about the KBIS experience in 2024. Their approach to the show and strategies they use for navigation to make the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time and the fewest number of steps. Today you are going to hear from Angeline Guido Hall of Angeline Guido Designs, Kevie Murphy of KA Murphy Designs and John Weinstein, CEO of FV America, the American arm of Franz Viegner.
Amazing right? At the end of the day, there are certainly strategies you can use to maximize time and effort to see and learn about. It’s not just the things we see, new finds, materiality, touch feel, size but the people we meet, reconnect with and with whom we engage. That is where the real value lies.
Speaking of engagement, thank you for yours by listening, subscribing and downloading the show. Thank you for your emails to convobydesign@outlook.com with guest and show suggestions, or just to introduce yourself. Thank you for the follows, likes and commentary on Instagram @ConvoXDesign with a “x”.Thank you to my amazing partner/ sponsors, ThermaSol, Pacific Sales, Monogram, Design Hardware and TimberTech. All of these amazing brands live to serve the design and architecture community. They make a specifier’s life easier, I appreciate that.
Thanks again for listening. Until next week, be well, and take today first. -CXD
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Episode 500. Five Hundred!
In years past, I have stopped down to celebrate mile stones in a few different ways. Last year, we held a party at the Soho House studio in West Hollywood to celebrate 10 years of the show. Every hundredth episode, I would feature past guests. For this milestone, I wanted to do something a little bit different. Instead of talking about the past, I wanted to focus on the future, share a few past moments to galvanize the point and move on. With gratitude and love in my heart. I love this industry because of all the amazing people I have had the good fortune of meeting and hearing their stories. I am so fortunate to have been to some of the most amazing places and seen some incredible things that designers, architects, artists and makers can create. But the past 11 years have not been easy. It hasn’t been all fun and games. Our industry is one of the most diverse and rapidly changing from a business and operations standpoint. And I have some bad news for those hoping the changes will slow or stop. It’s not going to happen. But I don’t see that as bad news. I’m excited for the future. Before you can properly prepare for changes, you must be aware of what’s coming. Mark Twain is credited with the quote, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”
To me, that means and for our conversation here, it means that if you look at how our industry is evolving, you will see marks and identifiers from the past reemerging in new and unique ways. Products being used differently, ideas being reimagined, and previously unthinkable technological advancements solving for past and new challenges. At the same time, there will be past issues that continue to rear their ugly heads. Things like:
Tariffs and supply chain issues wreaking havoc with the financial structure of the business which affects us all directly. of course it also depends on which public officials are in office at any given time.
The issue of editorial credit, attribution, idea and IP theft and knock-offs – Why does that matter so much?
Tearing down landmarks and historical buildings – Who cares? This is a portion of my conversation form the1001 N Roxbury episode. If not familiar and you care about architectural preservation, you should be.
DEI – Policy and Practice –In 2019 at the WestEdge Design Fair, I produced a panel about diversity in design featuring four creatives of color. It was not the first time I had conversations with creatives of color, different backgrounds, ideas or even who had differences in thought. I cast that program in June or July of 2019, it was held in October of 2019 and published in June of 2020. Shortly after the murder of George Floyd which ignited a powder keg in this country. It started a conversation about race, about equity and about fairness. Change is not a bad thing, without change, one becomes stagnant, societies cease to innovate and develop. It’s uncomfortable. I got a huge response to that episode. I have had many such conversations.
But, something I have not shared with you was the DEI policy I have and have had in place since 2019. I believe in providing a space for new voices as well as the established. To be completely frank with you, that has, at times been a real challenge.
Inviting someone to come on the show now is pretty simple because if invited guests are not already familiar with the show, a simple search provides everything they would need to understand what I do. It was not the case back in the early years of the podcast. Most people to whom I reach out know the show and I cannot think of anyone I have invite that has declined. But there is a certain level of suspicion with some creatives of color who have been invited on the show. It took me a while to understand it. I think it is worth sharing. Ron Woodson, who was on that original panel in 2019 later said to me that after that episode was published, he began receiving numerous media requests to talk about that subject of race and inclusion in design. And, while he was a willing participant in the the conversation, he didn’t want that to be all people asked him about. I think it is fair to say there was, and still is the concern of tokenism and a patronizing approach to inclusion in the design industry. But I also think that having these conversations is important and I do long for the day when people don’t say things like here are the best Black designers or best asian designers or best female architects you need to know. There are just great designers and amazing architects you need to know. My reason for pointing this out is simple. I think that when you separate creatives by gender or race or sexual orientation, you minimize their contributions. I would like to see the conversation continue to evolve.
This is a portion of my conversation in 2019 with Bridgid Coulter, Breegan Jane, Ron Woodson and Brian Pinkett
Showroom & Vendor Partnerships – The podcast was started with partnerships in mind. I wanted to be proud of the partners that I work with and share those partners with you. I stand by the partnerships on this show and when you hear me talking about them, you should know that I am working with them because I have done my due diligence and I know them, I trust them and I believe you can too.
Design Hardware and Flooring in Los Angeles has been around since 1985. I have been working with Michele Solomons, Avi Balsam and the entire team for about 4 years and I have seen what they do for their customers. ThermaSol has been the title sponsor of Convo By Design for over 3 years. I have been to the factory, spoken with Mitch Altman, 3rd generation president, spoken with Murray Altman, 2nd generation president. I have seen their factory, watched them inspect every steam generator before it leaves the factory. They make the best steam generators in the wold. I believe that. Pacific Sales I have been to a number of their showrooms, I have personally seen their product selection and service to client in the design community. I have spoken with so many of their team members, most of those I spoke with have been there for over a decade! They know their product line, they know what designers do for a living and how to make sure their clients are happy. They serve up products like those from Monogram. If you are a design specifier, you know what Monogram has been doing and how remarkable their product line is. Same for TimberTech, theiy make an absolutely incredible outdoor decking product that is sustainable in nature, beautiful, easy to work with and long lasting. I mention this because we are living and working in a time when not all showroom partners have the same dedication to the design community. They shut their doors and leave designers and their clients in stressful and financially devastating situations. This business is a challenge and not all suppliers, vendors, manufacturers or even designers make it. Businesses close, that is part of life, but good parters and great partnerships are rare and that is why I am so thankful for these partnerships and why I am proud to share them with you. If you are not familiar with any of these, please check the show notes to links where you can learn more.
Lastly, there has been a major issue in media regarding attribution, credit and IP theft of all kinds. It is not unique to our industry, nor is it going to stop anytime soon. Most recently, there was a major kerfuffle surrounding a story in AD featuring Sofia Vergara’s home. The credit for design went to O’Hara Davies Gaetano, who was the last designer on the project, but not the first. That was Timothy Corrigan. There have also been others who it have reportedly worked on other portions of the project who too, went uncredited for their work. AD and all the industry media need to far better. Many years ago, 2017 actually, at the WestEdge Design Fair, I produced and moderated a panel featuring art rep Wendy Posner, designer and showroom owner Gary Gibson and IP attorney Emile Nicolaou with whom I worked at Playboy Radio. We talked about many of these very issues. This is what that sounded like….
So, there you go, Episode 500. Just a sample of the conversations we have had over the past 11 years. Real conversations, real issues and hopefully, real solutions to these complex topics in addition to sharing stories behind some of the greatest creatives working today. No celebrity fluff, no trendy fast-fashion dialogue, no frivolity. Real issues, real stories, real talent working on amazing projects and I could not be doing this without you. Thank you for listening to the show. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors; ThermaSol, Design Hardware, Pacific Sales, Monogram and TimberTech for your continued support of both Convo By Design and the design community.
Let’s keep the conversations going, you can email me with guest and show ideas, which I absolutely love. convobydesign@outlook.com and follow us on Instagram @ConvoXDeisgn with an “x”. Until next week, Be well and take today first. -CXD
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Today, we are heading to San Francisco. We’re talking with Katie McCaffrey with the McCaffrey Design Group about functional beauty, designing in a rapidly changing city like San Francisco and so much more.
It is really astounding when you stop and think about it. A city like San Francisco that is under constant change. Social change, climate change, political change, safety concerns, property management and development issues. How can the design community stay on track for their clients and manage all of the changes simultaneously? Can’t be easy. But Katie seems to take it all with a certain grace and poise. Incredibly so. And, you are going to hear all about it, right after this.
Thank you Katie, loved our chat. I really do love these conversations. I love sharing these stories with you. Please continue to email me with your guest and show suggestions. Convobydesign@outlook.com and reach out via Instagram, @ConvoXDesign with an “X”.
Thank you to Convo By Design partner sponsors, ThermaSol, TimberTech, Pacific Sales and Design Hardware. For more information about and links to these incredible companies and to learn more about their products, please check the show notes.
For more stories like these from the design community, please make sure you are subscribing to the podcast, so you receive new episodes automatically when they are published. That way, you never miss an episode. Convo By Design is available everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. – Convo By Design
I’m Josh Cooperman, this is Convo By Design and today you are going to be hearing from Amanda Cimaglia, VP of Corporate Communications and ESG for TimberTech and interior designer, Olga Naiman. TimberTech is a new partner sponsor of the show this year. I wanted to share the TimberTech story with you.
More than that, really. I wanted to share the story and feature a designer who uses the product to share the experience of both the why and how this product is revolutionizing the decking industry. By now, you have probably heard me telling you some of the coolest things about TimberTech. This is an in depth look and both the why and the how. Enjoy.
Thank you Amanda and Olga for coming on the podcast. I love these conversations. I love sharing these stories with you. Please continue to email me with your guest and show suggestions. Convo by design@outlook.com and reach out via Instagram, @ConvoXDesign with an “X”.
Thank you to Convo By Design partner sponsors, ThermaSol, TimberTech, Pacific Sales and Design Hardware. For more information about and links to these incredible companies and to learn more about their products, please check the show notes.
For more stories like these from the design community, please make sure you are subscribing to the podcast, so you receive new episodes automatically when they are published. That way, you never miss an episode. Convo By Design is available everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. – Convo By Design
