Talk Design

Greg Esparza and Frank Farkash, architects with Moontower and the creators of Cross Cabin (featured within the AIA tour).Join us as we dive into Cross Cabin… discussing how it embodies sustainability through plant-based materials, sourced responsibly from farms and forests. It promotes well-being with biophilic design, reducing stress and enhancing cognitive responses. This scalable project showcases eco-friendly options for urban spaces, optimizing sustainability. Natural materials like cork and timber engage the senses, creating a tactile, sensory-rich experience.And make sure to tune in to meet Casey Woods, the amazing photographer who encompasses every detail when capturing shots, on the AIA Austin Homes Tour 2023…

"I love building emotionally charged landscapes that shape and inflect one’s mood or imagination. Sculpting poetic space can happen anywhere…in the entry vestibule to your home, in an oversized restaurant booth, at the cash register…and we think it should, or why bother? We’ll do almost anything." - Dulcie HorwitzMost of Dulcie's experience on large upscale projects came from Ms. Horwitz’s employment in one of the premiere architectural firms in San Francisco, Holt Hinshaw Architects, where she quickly worked her way up to the head of the residential division within 2 years. She created Horwitz A+D in 2001 and has been designing for exclusive clients in Southern California since 2003. 60–70% of the work they do is residential and the rest is commercial, namely retail or restaurant endeavors—as these are the types of projects where our expertise comes in most handy. We are known for the emotional and aesthetic impact of our built environments—which we consider vital to the success of any project.Throughout the episode the importance of understanding and telling the client's story in architecture and design, considering their emotions and preferences, the creative process in architecture, including the evolution of ideas, the role of constraints, and the importance of imagining the client's experience in a space. Creating spaces that evoke warm stability, grounding, and intimacy for family and community are all talked about...So enjoy the Episode!

Parker is an Industrial Designer and founder of Clever Little Machine Inc. and Moonshot Camper Vans. He is the former co-founder of Zsas Ice Cream and has over 15 years of experience in design and business with an emphasis on creative contact points for customer interaction. Parker also is a long-distance hiker (10,000+ miles), camper van dweller, builder, entrepreneur, and mentor."We started Moonshot Camper Vans because we wanted to build something that connected people to nature and each other. We also wanted to create something with the quality of art set in the natural world. We want you to get out there. It's a big amazing world, go and see it! Feel that moment when your head and your heart un-clutch, breathe fresh air, hear the quiet places, feel the grass under your feet."Throughout the episode, Moonshot Camper Vans is explored in detail;They provide easily transportable and adaptable modules, making camping and van life more accessible and flexible.The modular camp van modules are designed for comfort and aesthetics, featuring smooth, rounded surfaces that create an inviting and comforting atmosphere.Customization options include the ability to wrap the modules in different colors or designs, allowing users to personalize their camp van to suit their preferences and emotions.Plus there is potential for carbon-sequestering, eco-friendly modules as a future endeavor

Mark Savant is the founder of podcast production agency Mark Savant Media. The company has produced tens of thousands of pieces of content and uses podcasts as the engine to power your website, emails, social media, and long form content. He hosts the globally ranked top 1% podcast After Hours Entrepreneur and leads dozens of entrepreneurs in the After Hours Entrepreneur Mastermind community.As a kid, Mark Savant’s childhood was adventurous and fun-loving as he always tried new things. Despite his childhood disposition, the speaker doesn't consider himself an extrovert and often prefers to observe in social situations.Throughout college, Mark found joy in public speaking but later moved into the insurance industry, which he found unfulfilling and frustrating. Feeling concerned about the rise of online insurance policies and the potential for automation in his field, the speaker decided to explore podcasting as a new career path. The transition to running a podcast agency, helping thought leaders launch and automate their podcasts, is discussed as a fulfilling and successful venture."My mission is to help people create visibility and impact through podcasting. The rise of automation and AI is the most significant occurrence in our lifetime. Every level of every industry will be impacted. There are millions of businesses that are already falling behind. During the coming months and years, customers are going to crave authenticity from brands. This is where podcasting is going to play a major part in your business strategy.I’ve been in the podcast production industry for nearly 5 years. My team is using the newest tech at every step in the production process. We’re testing and communicating with dozens of developers to create and use the best tools."

From an early age, Brad envisioned himself as an Architect. Part of that vision included exposure to other cultures and fields of study. To that end, he has studied in New Orleans, Seattle, Paris and Sydney, covering an undergraduate degree in painting and a Masters in Architecture.Brad enjoys a collaborative approach, working closely with other trades and his clients to achieve inspired and unique solutions to every project. In his 30+ years of architectural design, Brad has worked on projects from San Francisco Victorians to contemporary, modern homes and is drawn to projects that demand creative and practical responses that respond to each, particular site while meeting the clients’ needs and style.Brad and his wife and designer, Suzanne Daily, incorporated Hubbell Daily Architecture + Design in 2003. HDA has a growing, varied body of projects throughout the Bay Area. When he’s not busy with architecture, Brad and his family are entertained by outdoor activities, travels and classic cars.

Nancy S. Weinman is the owner and principal architect at Weinman Architectural Services, a boutique architectural and design firm with offices in New York City and Sedona Arizona. She is accredited by the National Council of Architects Board with a career that has spanned over 30 years. Nancy is also a certified construction manager and served as an adjunct professor at New York University for over 7 years, where she taught several courses in construction management. During her career, Nancy has been the recipient of AIA awards, as well as an international lighting design award, and has been published by Rizzoli, Interior Design and Luxe magazines.

Mark Eric Benner - Architects, Ltd. create uniquely personal living and working spaces. Based in Northbrook, Illinois his passion is for solving the challenges that his clients face while honoring the integrity of the home's style.Mark’s client's homes are crafted to fit their specific needs. Flexibility in the layout enables efficient use of spaces. Materials, colours, and textures draw visitors purposely throughout the home.More than thirty years in the custom home design and construction industry. As a Virtual Reality Architect, Mark's focus is on strong visual communication to speak a language that everyone understands.

Ken Rusk started his first job as a ditch digger at 15 and turned that into a successful company. Today, blue-collar trades are just as much a path to success as they were then, but fewer people pursue them. Blue Collar Cash, a Wall Street Journal Bestseller, explores what makes now a perfect time to become blue-collar. Ken spent his younger years digging ditches and working in construction. He never went to college. Instead, he made goals, planned, and worked hard for thirty years. Now, Ken is a very successful entrepreneur with multiple businesses and revenue streams.Ken specializes in mentoring and has coached hundreds of young people in areas such as short-, mid-, and long-term goal setting, life visualization, career paths, and sound financial planning. He is passionate about helping people achieve their dreams regardless of their educational background or past. You could say, he is a proud advocate of creating a strong vision for your life, and the pursuit of Comfort, Peace & Freedom.

Healthy Homes and Building Biology is all about empowering health and environmentally-conscious homeowners, designers, and builders, to create home environments that will enable each household member to thrive, without contributing to the destruction of our environment.Daniel is a German master carpenter working as the technical and training expert for Pro Clima Australia. He is working on a national scale to upskill the Australian construction industry to use modern methods of construction in the move to net zero energy buildings.He has decades of experience in timber construction and energy efficiency retrofitting of timber constructions to the highest EU standards. His expertise extends to a deep understanding of building physics and how to optimise insulation and building membrane installation for energy efficiency and moisture control. Involved heavily in R&D, he is tailoring his EU experience for customised solutions unique to commercial steel frame buildings in Australia.Through her own experiences with environmental illness and extensive research, Zara D’Cotta, Building Biology New Build Consultant, and founder of The Healthy Home, realised that unhealthy homes are making us sick. She has been on a mission to help families create healthier homes ever since.Specialising in healthy home design and building materials, Zara empowers homeowners and building industry professionals to make informed choices, to ensure the homes they create are not only better for the planet, but their own well-being too. Zara is a graduate of the Building Biology Institute in the USA, the only institution globally to offer a certification pathway for Building Biology students wanting to specialise in new builds.After initially studying healthy home design and building materials in Australia in 2020, she decided to pursue further studies in this specialist field, under the guidance of mentors in the fields of Building Biology, Building Science, Natural Building & Architecture, who have been pioneering the Building Biology (new build) space for 30 years.Luke Davies, founder of Davies Construction creates designs and builds with purpose. "At Davies, we know that when we design your space, we’re designing for your unique lifestyle and wellness. We know your investment is an investment in your family and personal potential, with a mindful environment that keeps you grounded and creative."He began his company as a regular builder with entrepreneurial dreams. But 90% of building companies fail in the first 5 years because there’s just no clear path for builders. When he started winning awards in 2012, it was great from the outside but really, the company was nearly underwater.That’s when he decided that’s it. There must be a better way to live life and run a business than following the norms and struggling. So, he hired a coach and explored his personal ambitions and eventually where he wanted to steer the business in the future. He soon discovered that our living spaces contribute to at least a third of our well-being and that I could make a real difference. I learned how to lead people and I learned how to create a seamless fulfillment experience with fixed budgets and timelines.Stewart Scholten from the Scholten Group are committed to building you the highest quality home with the smallest environmental impact achievable.As certified Passive House Builders, and as a family-run business with over 35 years of experience, the Scholten Group is committed to building you the highest quality home with the smallest environmental impact achievable we are boutique builders, offering a personal touch throughout the entire building process, working as a team through the entire design and construction process.