The Second Studio Design and Architecture Show #464 - Scott Specht, Founding Partner of Specht Novak
Sep 2, 2025
Scott Specht, founding partner of Specht Novak Architects, shares his unique journey from filmmaking to architecture. The conversation explores the evolution of technology in the field, emphasizing how it reshapes creativity and client relationships. Scott delves into the balance of firm size, arguing that fewer team members often lead to higher quality work. Highlights include innovative projects like the Stealth House and a discussion on the challenges of modern architecture, such as the shift from hand-drawn designs to advanced BIM methods.
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Early Modelmaking And Film Roots
- Scott grew up in Florida in a contractor family and built models and films as a kid.
- Those childhood hobbies led him toward architecture and model-making as a career path.
Super 8 Special Effects Garage
- Scott ran a Super 8 special-effects studio in his garage through high school and college.
- He filmed mini sci-fi productions, edited soundtrack ADR, and built physical effects for years as a hobby.
Drawing Shapes Thinking
- Scott misses hand drawing because drawing itself shaped design thinking and was meditative.
- He still starts projects with sketch-on-trace to regain that cognitive design process.