Aaron Prinz is the host of the Design:ED Podcast and holds a Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He was born and raised in the rural Northern California town of Red Bluff, just two hours south of the Oregon border. After one year of college, Prinz relocated to San Francisco to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. At age 26, he began studying architecture at Portland State University while interning at Studio Petretti Architecture led by Amanda Petretti.

His professional contributions while at Studio Petretti were focused on a portion of the new Multnomah County Courthouse which is a prominent addition to the Portland skyline. He currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Roxanne where he continues to work as a designer.  

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Lawrence W. Speck is Senior Design Principal for the large (1400 person) architectural firm, Page, with offices in eighteen cities across the U.S.   He is also a well-known design educator having been a faculty member in schools of architecture at M.I.T, University of Western Australia and University of Texas at Austin for many years.  He served as Dean of the School of Architecture at University of Texas at Austin 1992-2001.

Speck has helped lead six major master planning projects for his home city, Austin, including master plans for a seven-mile stretch of the Colorado River as it moves through downtown, for a 40-block area around the Texas State Capital and for the new Dell Medical School campus at UT Austin.  He has also been lead architect for two major park projects in downtown Houston—Discovery Green and Buffalo Bayou Park.  In additional to designing many urban commercial buildings, Speck has been lead designer for Austin Bergstrom International Airport Terminal (3 phases), Austin Convention Center (2 phases) and academic buildings on six university campuses.

His work has been profiled in such popular publications as The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Business Week; in American architectural publications such as Architectural Record, Architecture, Architectural Digest, Architect, interior Design, Contract, and Progressive Architecture; and in international architectural journals such as The Architectural Review (England), OFX (Italy), Design Community (China), Baumeister (Germany), Projeto (Brazil), Tasarim (Turkey), Ottagano (Italy), Nikkei Construction (Japan) and Architectural Design (England).

In the last 25 years, Speck’s design work has won over 120 design awards—30+ from the AIA.  As an educator, he has received over 40 teaching and service awards including the AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion.  He is a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects and served as chair of the jury to select fellows in 2005.  

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Dunwoody College emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, fostering a creative sphere. Trevor Bullen, an architect and Dean of Design, found inspiration from physics, emphasizing the impact of design on people's feelings.

Trevor Bullen, an architect and Dean of Design, was drawn to architecture due to a natural inclination towards tinkering and making things from an early age, inspired by the cause-and-effect relationship found in physics and the impact of design on how people feel.

“Real-world experiences guide students to understand environments, regulations, and client needs for informed design solutions. The conversation highlights the purpose-driven design's elegant performance, using materials like DuPont Corian and Gore-Tex. It delves into discreetly integrated functional elements like bollards in architecture.”

“Design's fusion with storytelling creates impactful spaces, as seen in Steve Jobs' approach. The responsibility of engaging and emotionally connecting users in spaces like a meditation room is stressed. It also explores sound's influence, historic significance, and community emphasis in design.”

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Karmin Kenny's journey was ignited by her fascination with unique finishes of builds and designs leading to the foundation of Mineral Fox, filling a void in Australia's market for high-quality.

Business Evolution & Unique Challenges: Mineral Fox's evolution, a national company in three years, highlighted the dynamic synergy between key individuals. Challenges in achieving ambitious designs, like a Moroccan-style bathroom, are emphasized.

Healthy Living Spaces & Sustainability: Emphasis on using breathable, natural materials like gypsum and lime plaster, managing air quality and humidity for healthier indoor spaces was a must from Mineral Fox.

Crafting Emotional Spaces with Artistry: Delving into the versatility of these materials, their role in creating personalized spaces, and the need for skilled tradespeople to achieve both emotional and aesthetically appealing designs. The broader impact of design choices on health and living experiences was also touched upon, concluding with encouragement for further exploration.

Join Karmin Kenny and Adrian Ramsay’s discussion on the eco-friendliness and biodegradability of materials, contributing to sustainability and the journey of Mineral Fox…

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Duayne Pearce embodies the role of an authoritative voice that fearlessly imparts truths drawn directly from his lived experiences. With a genuine sense of ownership, his insights are free from any hidden agendas – they truly belong to the audience. While Duayne's personal journey holds remarkable value, the key now lies in harnessing its power effectively. He is dedicated to forging a fresh path within the residential building industry.

Duayne's mission is to instill unshakable self-confidence in builders, empowering them to orchestrate prosperous, enduring, and lucrative enterprises that bring exceptional projects to fruition for their clients. His goal is to foster a deeper comprehension among clients about the identity and functions of builders, redefining their perceptions.

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Zia is an award-winning senior executive, excels as a design leader and interior designer with 25+ years of high-end hospitality design experience. She's designed for top hotel brands globally, setting up and leading design teams for illustrious clients. Her work spans luxury, lifestyle, and boutique hotels, including 2000+ room resorts. Zia's career began in Scandinavia, fostering her passion for design excellence. She's known for spotting talent, motivating teams, and creating purpose-driven, innovative designs. Zia has also pioneered hotel brands for Gen Y business travelers. As a globetrotter, she brings destinations to life through blogging and photography. With a profound interest in interior design theory and psychology, she boasts a multi-award-winning reputation as an architect, designer, and professor.

Zia holds a Master of Architecture from the Royal Academy of Architecture in Copenhagen, Denmark, and a Master's degree from SCI-ARC in the US. She's pursued postgraduate studies in Italy and Germany under renowned architects. Formerly a professor at prestigious institutions, Zia has earned numerous design awards. Her personal achievements include climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and leadership roles in Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association. She's been a featured speaker at international conferences like Tomorrows Hotel Conference and Lighting International Expo.

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"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 Horwitz

Most 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...

Enjoy the Episode!

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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. 

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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."

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