Practice Disrupted by Practice of Architecture

How can architects transition from marginal innovation to true business transformation, and what does it look like to run a diversified, AI-native practice that prioritizes attention over productivity?In this Season 12 Finale of Practice Disrupted, the tables are turned as host Evelyn Lee steps into the hot seat. Instead of interviewing an industry guest, Evelyn is interviewed by Sage, her own AI chief of staff, in a dynamic conversation that pushes past traditional scripts to explore the cutting edge of architectural practice.Evelyn reflects on her post-presidency transition from focusing on "innovation" to pursuing true "transformation," explaining how running a diversified, resilient portfolio model protects her business from market volatility. She pulls back the curtain on her exact four-tier AI agent stack, demonstrating how a sole proprietor can leverage technology to handle workloads that would traditionally require multiple people to run. Rather than chasing sheer productivity, Evelyn reveals why her system is intentionally built to protect human focus and relationship building.The conversation moves deep into business model design, architectural education, and macro industry shifts. Evelyn discusses her course at the University of Michigan, arguing that business model thinking is a critical design craft rather than a betrayal of architecture. She also addresses the accelerating wave of private equity acquisitions in the AEC sector, urging smaller firms to consider proactive consolidation on their own terms. Finally, Evelyn shares personal reflections on leading publicly as an introvert and balancing transformational industry work with raising her family."Business model thinking is a craft and not necessarily a betrayal of design work." - Evelyn LeeThis episode serves as a powerful blueprint for any practitioner looking to treat their firm as a design problem and build a resilient, forward-looking business.Guests:Evelyn Lee is the founder of Practice of Architecture and a past president of the AIA. As a pioneer in architecture firm operations, technology integration, and business strategy, she balances institutional leadership with hands-on advisory work, teaching at the University of Michigan, and building AI-native operating models for the next generation of practitioners.This episode is especially for you if:✅ You want to know the precise architecture of a four-tier AI agent stack used to run a modern, diversified advisory business.✅ You are curious about how to shift from billing hourly to positioning your architecture firm as a high-value strategic partner.✅ You want to understand the accelerating impact of private equity on AEC firms and why succession planning is critical for survival.✅ You believe that introverted leadership has distinct strengths and want practical strategies for managing energy and recovery time.What have you done to take action lately? Share your reflections with us on social and join the conversation.📍 Show Links:Listen to FIFTEEN EpisodeListen to Architects FORA EpisodeListen to WPA Episode📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out our past episodes Be a part of our community — join the conversation

How can architects move beyond the traditional service model and embrace a future where they build products instead of just selling hours?In this episode of Practice Disrupted, Evelyn Lee is joined by Larry Sass, a Professor of Architecture at MIT and lead of the Design Fabrication Group. Larry reflects on a 30-year journey that began with a desire to remain in traditional practice but shifted when he realized the industry’s initial resistance to digital tools. Today, he is a leading voice in digital fabrication and 3D printing, advocating for a radical shift in how architects are trained and how they operate in a world increasingly defined by technology, automation, and the need for new business models.The conversation explores Larry’s conviction that the architecture profession is at a crossroads. He discusses the friction between the slow-moving "service" model of architecture and the fast-paced world of digital innovation. Larry introduces the concept of the "third practice", a path where architects use their design expertise to create software, products, or new fabrication methods rather than simply billing for time. He shares insights from his work at MIT, including the DesignX program, which encourages students to approach architecture with an entrepreneurial mindset to solve industry-wide problems."Try and figure out how to teach people how to start new businesses around the industry of architecture. Reinvent it and rethink it." - Larry SassThis episode is a masterclass in rethinking the value of an architectural education. Larry breaks down why the industry has struggled to fully adopt digital fabrication and what it will take for the next generation to reclaim their role as innovators. From the limitations of current BIM tools to the potential for 3D printing to revolutionize housing, Larry’s perspective challenges the traditional boundaries of the profession and offers a roadmap for those looking to disrupt the status quo from both inside and outside academia.Guest:Larry Sass is a professor of architecture at MIT, where he leads the Design Fabrication Group. With a PhD from MIT and decades of experience in both academia and practice, his research focuses on the intersection of computing and construction. He is dedicated to exploring how 3D printing and digital fabrication can lead to new forms of architectural practice and more efficient housing production.This episode is especially for you if:✅ You are curious about the "Third Practice" and how architects can pivot toward product-based or entrepreneurial business models.✅ You want to understand why digital fabrication has not yet fully disrupted traditional architectural practice as once predicted.✅ You are an educator or student looking for ways to integrate business ideation and entrepreneurship into the architecture curriculum.✅ You are interested in the future of 3D printing and its potential to address global housing needs through "printed" architecture.✅ You want to hear from a veteran of MIT who has spent 30 years bridging the gap between high-tech research and the reality of the profession.What have you done to take action lately? Share your reflections with us on social and join the conversation.📍 Show Links:Learn more about Larry Sass Explore the MIT DesignX ProgramConnect with Larry on LinkedInFollow Larry on Instagram📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out our past episodes Be a part of our community — join the conversation

How can better business systems protect your firm's profitability, and your sanity?In this episode of Practice Disrupted, Evelyn Lee is joined by Darguin Fortuna, founding principal of Flow Design Architects and chair of the AIA Small Firm Exchange. Darguin shares his incredible journey from moving to the United States from the Dominican Republic in 2010, learning English while working night shifts at Wendy's, to passing all six ARE exams in just over a year and earning his license the same day his daughter was born.Darguin's frustration with traditional architecture practice didn't stem solely from long hours; it also stemmed from the lack of transparency around business operations, the constant scope creep, and the inability to establish a healthy work-life balance. Determined to build something different, he and his partner, Marcos Severino, founded Flow with rigorous systems designed to protect profitability and empower their staff. They share how they categorize their services into three distinct levels, Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian, charge for initial consultations, and use a fictional office manager to handle difficult financial conversations."Every line is a source of good, and it's worth money. If I draw a map to a treasure that has billions of dollars of gold, how much is that map worth? You can't get the gold without the map." - Darguin FortunaThis episode is a masterclass in treating an architecture firm as a business first. Darguin explains his obsessive focus on process, from recording client meetings and creating standard email templates to building a vast library of internal training videos that enable the firm to run autonomously. Whether you are a firm owner struggling with profitability or a young architect looking to carve your own path, Darguin's story is a powerful reminder that you have the agency to design a career and a life on your own terms.Guest:Darguin Fortuna is the founding principal of Flow Design Architects in Salem, Massachusetts, and the first Dominican-born recipient of the AIA Young Architect Award. After immigrating to the U.S. and completing his architecture degree at the Boston Architectural College, Darguin became licensed and quickly recognized the flaws in traditional practice models. At Flow, he has pioneered highly systematic, business-first approaches to architecture, focusing on profitability, clear client communication, and robust internal training. He is also an entrepreneur with ventures in short-term rentals and childcare.This episode is especially for you if:✅ You are tired of scope creep and want to learn how to ensure you are paid for every service you provide. ✅ You want to understand how to implement tiered service offerings (like Flow's Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian models) to manage client expectations. ✅ You struggle with setting boundaries with clients and want strategies for maintaining work-life balance. ✅ You are interested in how to build internal training systems (SOPs) so your firm can operate without your constant oversight. ✅ You want to hear an inspiring story of resilience, entrepreneurship, and carving out a unique path in the architecture profession.What have you done to take action lately? Share your reflections with us on social and join the conversation.📍 Show Links:Learn more about Flow Design ArchitectsConnect with Flow Design Architects on LinkedInConnect with Darguin on LinkedIn📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out our past episodes Be a part of our community — join the conversation

Can a 60-Second video change who enters the architecture profession?In this episode of Practice Disrupted, Evelyn Lee sits down with Gabriella Bermea, a Senior Associate at Perkins Eastman and the voice behind the growing social media platform "Architect Big Sis." Together, they explore the power of storytelling outside traditional portfolios, discussing how short-form video and personal narrative can demystify the profession for the next generation.Gabriella shares her journey as a "border kid" from Eagle Pass, Texas, where careers were often inherited rather than discovered. She opens up about the resilience required to navigate architecture school and licensure, revealing she took 16 ARE exams (failing 10) before becoming the first in her class to get licensed. Now, she uses those experiences to create content that answers the questions she had as a student, offering a transparent look at salaries, career progression, and the reality of studio culture."If your best people are afraid to speak, you're not protecting that professionalism, you're just protecting your control over them." - Gabriella BermeaThe conversation also addresses the business side of content creation. Gabriella explains why metrics like "saves" and "shares" are more valuable than views, and why firms should view employee advocacy as an asset rather than a liability. Whether you are a student looking for guidance or a firm leader navigating the creator economy, this episode challenges the industry to stop hiding behind polished images and start sharing the unfiltered truth.Guest:Gabriella Bermea is a Senior Associate at Perkins Eastman and a 2024 AIA Young Architects Award recipient. Growing up on the Texas-Mexico border, she didn't know what an architect was until high school. Today, she is a recognized "trend disruptor" and advocate for equity in the profession, using her social media presence to mentor students and emerging professionals globally.This episode is especially for you if:✅ You are an emerging professional or student looking for honest advice on exams, salaries, and career growth.✅ You are interested in starting a social media channel but struggle with perfectionism or fear of criticism. ✅ You are a firm leader trying to understand how to support employees who want to build personal brands. ✅ You want to learn how to use digital storytelling to reach a broader, more diverse audience. ✅ You are curious about the metrics that actually matter when building a community online.What have you done to take action lately? Share your reflections with us on social and join the conversation.📍 Show Links:Connect with Gabriella on LinkedInFollow Gabriella on InstagramLearn more about Perkins Eastman📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out our past episodes Be a part of our community — join the conversation

How can technology, innovation, and sustainable practices transform the architecture, engineering, and construction industry?On this episode of Practice Disrupted, I chat with Dave Lemont, the past CEO of Revit and the Executive Chairman of Acelab with over 30 years of experience in high-tech startup companies. In our conversation, Dave shares his invaluable insights on scaling software companies, revolutionizing the architecture industry, and the massive potential in the future of digital tools.First, Dave discusses how his passion for photography and architecture influenced his career path. He also highlights how his entrepreneurial mindset and desire to innovate the industry immensely helped him grow and lead his companies. Dave's expertise lies in identifying product-market fit and creating solutions that address broader market needs rather than niche segments.As the executive chairman of Acelab, Dave is dedicated to revolutionizing material management in the AEC space, allowing architects to access sustainable building materials efficiently. He touches on the potential of these digital tools in architecture and explains why architects need to be engaged in the evolution of AI.Architecture is an opportunity to do something for people in the world. Not all the software that I've managed or sold in my life had that potential impact. How this room feels affects me all day. Where you go to school, the efficiency of that building, and how our museums look or how we feel when we walk in – all of those things affect our lives. It's a privilege to be involved in technology that can make that more efficient. - Dave LemontTo wrap up the episode, Dave shares his recommendations on building your pipeline and adjusting workflow to keep your business afloat amidst the ever-changing and often confusing landscape architects operate within. Dave also shares his perspective on bridging the gap between traditional architectural practices and digital innovation while advising young architects to use a grassroots approach to incorporate new technology into their companies.Tune in next week for an episode about using people analytics to improve employee engagement.Guest:David LemontDavid Lemont is an accomplished business leader, go-to-market strategist, and advisor with over 30 years of experience in high-tech startup companies. David has extensive experience in SaaS business applications with keen expertise in construction tech. Helped five companies to successful exits to high-tech leaders such as Autodesk, Trimble, HP, Oracle, etc.He is best known for his role as CEO of Revit; the predominant way buildings are designed in 3D today. Dave is currently the Executive Chairman of Acelab.📍 Show Links: Connect with Dave on LinkedInExplore Acelab’s free specification workflow tools📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Pinterest | TwitterCheck out our past episodes Be a part of our community — join the conversation

Episode 078: Leading on Climate Action for a Positive FutureHow can architects address the challenge of global warming?Planetary warming is one of the biggest disruptions of our time. In this special crossover episode focused on climate action, our friends from Design the Future podcast will join us to discuss the evolution of the sustainable design movement and where it is heading. What can architects do to be part of the solution?The Design the Future podcast is hosted by Lindsay Baker and Kira Gould, two women working at the intersection of the built environment and climate change. Kira and Lindsay will share how they've seen architects leading on climate action, and where the opportunities exist for new leaders to join this work.Guests:Kira Gould is a writer, consultant, and convenor, working from multiple perspectives. As a writer and member of the design media, on staff at and as a consultant to firms, and as a volunteer leader at AIA, she has led the redefinition of design excellence as inclusive of climate action, health, and equity, and emphasized that human and leadership diversity is crucial to advancing all those goals. She is a member of the AIA Committee on the Environment's national Leadership Group. She is a Senior Fellow with Architecture 2030, and was named an Honorary Member of the AIA in 2022. She co-authored Women in Green: Voices of Sustainable Design with Lance Hosey (Ecotone, 2007).As CEO of the International Living Future Institute, Lindsay Baker is the organization’s chief strategist, charged with delivering on its mission to lead the transformation toward a civilization that is socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. Lindsay is a climate entrepreneur, experienced in launching and growing innovative businesses. Her introduction to the green building movement began at the Southface Institute in Atlanta, where she interned before entering Oberlin College to earn a BA in Environmental Studies. She was one of the first 40 staff members at the U.S. Green Building Council, working to develop consensus about what the LEED rating system would become. She then earned an MS from the University of California at Berkeley in Architecture, with a focus on Building Science, and spent five years as a building science researcher at the UC Berkeley Center for the Built Environment. Lindsay applied her experience around the study of heat, light, and human interactions in buildings to a role with Google’s Green Team, and later co-founded a smart buildings start-up called Comfy, which grew over five years to 75 employees and a global portfolio of clients. She was the first Global Head of Sustainability and Impact at WeWork, where she built the corporate sustainability team and programs from scratch. Lindsay is a Senior Fellow at the Rocky Mountain Institute, and a lecturer at UC Berkeley. She serves on several non-profit boards, and is an advisor and board member for numerous climate tech startups.📍 Show Links:Kira Gould ConnectInternational Living Future InstituteListen to Design the Future Podcast📚 Continue Learning:Architecture 2030AIA SustainabilityThe 2030 CommitmentMaterials PledgeAIA Resilience and Adaptation Certification SeriesFramework for Design ExcellenceU.S. Green Building CouncilRocky Mountain Institute📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Twitter

Episode 068: 2022 AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Honor Award Winners: RIDING THE VORTEXWhat lessons on architecture, practice, and change can we learn from AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Honor Award Recipients Kathryn Prigmore, Kathy Dixon, Katherine Williams, and Melissa Daniel?Named for civil rights leader Whitney M. Young Jr., the AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. Honor Award distinguishes an architect or architectural organization that embodies social responsibility and actively addresses a relevant issue, such as affordable housing, inclusiveness, or universal access. Architects and design leaders Kathryn Tyler Prigmore, FAIA; Kathy Denise Dixon, FAIA; Katherine Williams, AIA; and Melissa R. Daniel, Assoc. AIA are the winners of this year’s award for their leadership in advancing educational programming to support and increase the number of people of color licensed to practice architecture in the U.S.According to the American Institute of Architects, “The number of practicing African-American architects had been a stagnant 2% in recent decades. In the early 1990s, there were just 1,800 licensed African-American architects in the country, and only 30 of them were women. As of the summer of 2021, those numbers have grown to 2,435 and 533, respectively, and VORTEX has been a major catalyst in the 254% growth in African-American women architects.”This episode includes the stories of the VORTEX collaborators, as well as a candid discussion about their careers, what inspires them, and their work to build this program.Guests:Kathryn Prigmore, FAIA, NOMAC, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, CDT is an architect, educator, and design practice leader with an inimitable understanding of the dynamics that impact the management of firms from the perspective of an architect, academic, and regulator. She has over 40 years of design and management experience for award-winning architectural projects of a wide range of sizes, types and delivery methods executed for private and public clients within diverse practice environments. Her academic leadership includes teaching experience in sustainable design. As an award-winning strategic thinker and planner, she is also a leader in regulatory issues and professional ethics. Kathryn is skilled at growing staff into leaders.Kathy Denise Dixon was born in Baltimore and grew up in Harford County, Maryland. She is a graduate of Howard University School of Architecture and attended UCLA matriculating with a Master's degree in Urban Planning in 1993. Kathy has been a licensed architect since 1998 and started the firm K Dixon Architecture, PLLC in 2003. She acquired legacy firm Walton Madden Cooper Robinson Poness in 2016. Kathy is a past president of the National Organization of Minority Architects and was elevated to Fellow in the American Institute of Architects in 2017. She is also the co-author of the book titled “The Business of Architecture: Your Guide to a Financially Successful Firm” published in December 2017.Katherine Williams, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP is a licensed architect in Northern Virginia and currently a Senior Project Manager at a DC university. Her career path includes work in traditional architecture firms, community development, and managing commercial construction for a general contractor. Katherine has written extensively about the architecture profession, diversity in the industry, and community development. She has served as editor for multiple publications and was the NOMA magazine editor from 2009-2014. She writes at katherinerw.com and is publisher/editor for archstories.com.Melissa R. Daniel is an architectural designer in Maryland, and the creator and host of the Architecture is Political, a podcast where Black and Brown folks have a conversation about architecture. She served as executive co-chair of the 2017 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit, and was a recipient of a 2018 AIA Associates Award.📍 Show Links:RIDING THE VORTEX - AIABlack Women in Architecture Network (Show your support through a financial contribution that will help support their initiatives!)Kathryn PrigmoreK Dixon ArchitectureKatherine WilliamsMelissa R DanielFollow Melissa on Twitter📚 Continue Learning:‘I Was the 14th African-American Woman Architect in the U.S.’ — by George (georgetowndcblog.com)'Accelerating Success: Kathryn Tyler Prigmore on Mentoring and Volunteering for Impact' — Madame ArchitectArch Stories, A collection of stories from architects.The Desiree V. Cooper (DVC) Memorial ScholarshipArchitecture is PoliticalThe National Organization of Minority Architects📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Pinterest | Twitter