Mobility + Place (Part 2): Designing for the Desert with Ben Ayers and Hannah Hackathorn

About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges and strategies of designing for a desert city amidst rapid growth and climate change.

What does it mean to design for place in a desert city shaped by rapid growth, rising heat, and shifting expectations around how people live and move? In Part 2 of I Hear Design’s Mobility + Place mini-series, Robert Nieminen speaks with Hannah Hackathorn and Benjamin Ayers of Mancini’s Phoenix office about the realities of designing in and for the desert. In this conversation, we explore how architects and designers are responding to extreme heat with layered strategies for shade, landscape, airflow, and thermal comfort, while also rethinking water use, sustainability, and the role of regional identity in a fast-evolving metro area. Hackathorn and Ayers discuss why climate-responsive design must begin with fundamentals like building orientation, form, and site planning; how outdoor transitions can become more humane and usable; and why authentic design for place goes beyond desert aesthetics to reflect culture, community, and long-term livability. They also look at the promise of mixed-use development, adaptive reuse, and greater density as Phoenix continues to grow. In this episode, you'll discover: How designing for extreme heat goes beyond HVAC to include shade, building…

People in this episode

Host: Robert Nieminen

Guests: Hannah Hackathorn, Benjamin Ayers

Topics covered

• design
• desert architecture
• climate-responsive design
• urban planning
• sustainability

Keywords

• thermal comfort
• mixed-use development
• adaptive reuse
• regional identity

Mentioned in this episode

Products: low-water fixtures

Books & works: Mobility + Place, I Hear Design’s Mobility + Place

Places: Phoenix

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