The Building Culture Podcast

#39 Alli Thurmond Quinlan - The Field-Tested Guide to Terraforming Your City

Apr 17, 2025

01:41:22

You’re not supposed to be good at everything. But somehow, Alli is.

Architect, landscape architect, developer, GC, policy reformer, zoning translator, builder of teams, builder of trust, builder of actual buildings-it’s no wonder we spent the first five minutes of this episode just trying to list all the roles she plays.

In this conversation, Alli joins me to talk about what it means to be a true generalist in an era obsessed with specialization. We cover her journey from flipping houses as a teenager to running a growing team at Flintlock Lab, directing the Incremental Development Alliance, and quietly (or not so quietly) reshaping how development works across the country-starting in her hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

We dig into building science, incremental housing, the limits of Revit, and why being a builder makes you a better architect (and vice versa). But we also get into the harder stuff-like learning to lead, facing city bureaucracy, and what to do when the guy reviewing your permit might genuinely want to run you over with his truck.

This one’s as practical as it is philosophical, and it left me feeling more hopeful-and a little more fired up-about what’s still possible if we’re willing to roll up our sleeves and terraform our own backyards.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Community Engagement and Local Impact

02:51 The Multifaceted Career of Ali

05:51 Navigating Development and Housing Challenges

09:09 The Unique Economy of Fayetteville

11:56 Balancing Growth and Community Needs

14:57 Career Trajectory and Intentionality

18:06 Building Science and Sustainable Practices

20:49 Design-Build Workflow and Efficiency

24:07 Entrepreneurial Spirit in Development

31:57 The Design-Build Approach: Learning Through Doing

34:51 Scaling Up: The Challenges of Growth