{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/5f2764dbceb51c4093f12f03/6a9630d096c4559c1f2415fe?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"CAMPING ON SITE Unlocked the Design—Jonathan Smith & John Holley","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/5f2764dbceb51c4093f12f03/1788227832756-d7a6e525-7608-4d61-a71b-b9d581992667.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>What happens when an oncology specialist quits medicine at thirty to design homes, and an architect camps on a rugged hillside for two days before drawing a single line?</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of TALKdesign, I sit down with Jon and John from Auckland’s award-winning practice, Matter Architects. Introduced to me by acclaimed architectural photographer Simon Devitt, Jon and John share their fascinating, unconventional paths into architecture and explain why designing a great home requires far more than just a floorplan—it requires deep listening, emotional intuition, and a willingness to understand how people truly live.</p><p><br></p><p>We dive into John’s career shift from a decade in oncology radiation therapy to architecture school, exploring how understanding the human condition under stress transforms client relationships. Jon reflects on his grandfather’s World War II stories that sparked a lifelong creative dream at just eight years old.</p><p><br></p><p>Together, we unpack what happens when you listen to the land before designing—from spending two days camping on-site with a four-year-old child to discover natural rhythms, to navigating heritage overlays while breathing new life into a 1906 Auckland villa using timber battens and cranked brickwork.</p><p><br></p><p>If you love exploring the space between architecture, human emotion, and site-responsive design, this conversation is for you.</p><p><br></p><p>⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS</p><p>03:33 - WWII Stories &amp; A Creative Calling at Age 8</p><p>05:14 - From Oncology Radiation Therapist to Architecture School at 30</p><p>10:14 - Navigating Human Emotion &amp; Client Stress in Custom Builds</p><p>18:09 - The Coastal Bach Brief: Translating Poems into Architecture</p><p>21:56 - Camping On-Site: Discovering the Land Before Drawing a Wall</p><p>25:16 - Land Whispering: Light, Energy, and Circadian Rhythms</p><p>37:33 - COVID-19, Community, and How Spaces Connect Us</p><p>45:44 - The Tree Villa: Unlocking a 1906 Heritage House</p><p>53:29 - Bridging Old and New with Timber Battens &amp; Cranked Brickwork</p><p>01:02:04 - Threshold Spaces: The Joy of Garden Rooms, Walkways, and Porches</p><p>01:10:15 - A Surprise Question for Photographer Simon Devitt</p><p>01:14:00 - Outro &amp; How to Connect</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>🏡 CONNECT WITH ADRIAN RAMSAY &amp; ARDH</p><p>Subscribe to the TALKdesign YouTube channel for weekly conversations with international design thinkers, architects, and creators.</p><p><br></p><p>🌐 Website: https://adrianramsay.com</p><p>🎙️ TALKdesign Podcast: https://talkdesign.show</p><p>📩 Design Inquiries: studio@ARdesignhouse.com</p><p><br></p><p>Connect. Innovate. Create.</p><p><br></p><p>#TALKdesign #AdrianRamsay #MatterArchitects #ArchitecturePodcast #LandWhispering #HomeDesign #NewZealandArchitecture #DesignMagic</p>","author_name":"Adrian Ramsay"}