Scratching the Surface cover image

Scratching the Surface

Latest episodes

undefined
Dec 20, 2024 • 60min

262. Jack Murphy

Jack Murphy is the executive editor of The Architect’s Newspaper. He studied architecture at MIT and Rice University and previously edited PLAT Journal and Cite, the publication of the Rice Design Alliance. In this episode, Jarrett and Jack talk about the history of The Architect’s Newspaper, the value of printed publications, and the relationship between design practice and design publishing. Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/262-jack-murphy. 
— 
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Substack! surfacepodcast.substack.com
undefined
Dec 6, 2024 • 52min

261. Gregory Wessner

Gregory Wessner is the Executive Director of the National Academy of Design, the New York-based non-profit founded in 1825 that promotes art and architecture in America through exhibition, education, and research. Before joining the National Academy, Gregory served as executive director of Open House New York, and in a variety of roles at the Architectural League of New York. In this episode, Jarrett and Gregory talk about the structure of the National Academy and how it serves artists and architects as it approaches its 200th anniversary, the changing definitions of design, and the value of non-profits in architecture and design media. Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/261-gregory-wessner. 
— For the month of December, we're offering a year of our paid newsletter for 20% off. Sign up at surfacepodcast.substack.com to get bonus content each month and help support the show!
undefined
Nov 23, 2024 • 1h 4min

260. Noemi Biasetton

Noemi Biasetton is a design researcher, writer, and editor whose work focuses on design cultures and visual representation within the social and political dimension. She is the author of Superstorm: Design and Politics in the Age of Information, which was published earlier this year. In this episode, Jarrett and Noemi reflect on the design and media of the 2024 election, the changing roles of design in political discourse, and the increasingly complicated overlap of politics, media, and communication design. Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/260-noemi-biasetton. —
 If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Substack and get bonus content, transcripts, and our monthly newsletter! surfacepodcast.substack.com
undefined
Nov 11, 2024 • 1h 2min

259. Federica Sofia Zambeletti

Federica Sofia Zambeletti is an architect, researcher, and storyteller. She’s the founder and managing director of KoozArch, a digital platform and research studio that explores architecture beyond the limits of the build form, which she founded in 2014 while she was a student at the Architectural Association. In this conversation, Jarrett and Federica talk about the origins and evolution of KoozArch, the state of architecture media, and the role of conversation in design discourse. Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/259-federica-sofia-zambeletti. 
— 
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Substack to get bonus content each month! surfacepodcast.substack.com
undefined
Nov 6, 2024 • 1h

258. Petra Blaisse

Petra Blaisse is the founder of Inside Outside, an Amsterdam-based design studio that focuses on textiles, interior design, gardens, and landscapes. Known for her long-running collaborations with OMA, Petra began her career in 1978 at the Stedelijk Museum in the department of Applied Arts. A new book on the studio’s work, Art Applied, was released earlier this year. In this conversation, Jarrett and Petra talk about the differences between design and applied arts, the role of collaboration in her practice, and what she learned about herself in helping to put this new book together. Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/258-petra-blaise. 
— 
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Substack and get bonus content, transcripts, and our monthly newsletter! www.patreon.com/surfacepodcast
undefined
Oct 23, 2024 • 1h

257. Lesley-Ann Noel

Lesley-Ann Noel is a designer, researcher, and educator. She’s the author of Design Social Change and a co-editor of The Black Experience in Design. Earlier this year, Lesley-Ann was appointed the dean of design at OCAD University and she previously taught at North Carolina State University, Tulane University, Stanford University, and the University of the West Indies. In this conversation, Jarrett and Lesley-Ann talk about the role of design in social change, the value of utopian and abolitionist thinking, and the relationship between designed objects and cultural transformation. Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/257-lesley-ann-noel. 
— Sign up for our monthly newsletter for design news, updates from past guests, and book roundups. Paid subscribers get bonus interviews each month: surfacepodcast.substack.com
undefined
Oct 9, 2024 • 58min

256. Taylor Levy & Che-Wei Wang

Taylor Levy and Che-Wei Wang are the founders of the art and design studio CW&T. Founded in 2009, CW&T has produced human-scaled objects like pens, clocks, and tape dispensers engineered to last multiple generations as well interactive software, art installations, and more. In 2022, they were the recipients of the 2022 National Design Award for product design from Cooper Hewitt. In this conversation, Jarrett talks with Taylor and Che-Wei about the role of experimentation in their design process, the overlap of physical and digital design, and the challenges with staying independent. Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/256-taylor-levy-che-wei-wang. 
— 
If you enjoy the show, please consider joining our Substack for bonus content and a free monthly newsletter: surfacepodcast.substack.com
undefined
Sep 25, 2024 • 52min

255. John Ochsendorf

John Ochsendorf is an engineer, educator, and designer. He’s the founding director of the MIT Morningside Academy for Design and has faculty appointments in the departments of architecture and civil engineering at MIT. From 2017-2020, he served as the director of the American Academy in Rome. In this conversation, Jarrett and John talk about Morningside’s goals and how they are spreading design across MIT’s campus, the relationship between design and engineering, and why it’s a good thing that it is so hard to define design.Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/255-john-ochsendorf.
 — Sign up for our monthly newsletter at surfacepodcast.substack.com — 
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/surfacepodcast
undefined
Sep 11, 2024 • 60min

254. Christoph Lindner

Christoph Lindner is the President and Vice-Chancellor of the Royal College of Art. An interdisciplinary scholar of cities and visual culture, he’s authored or edited over fifteen books across art, architecture, media, cultural studies, and urban geography. Prior to this role at the RCA, he served as Dean of the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment at University College London and Dean of the College of Design at University of Oregon. In this conversation, Jarrett and Christoph talk about the changing nature of art and design education, the role of higher education in this current moment, and why the RCA blends artistic practice with scholarly research. Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/254-christoph-lindner.
 — Sign up for our monthly newsletter at surfacepodcast.substack.com — 
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/surfacepodcast
undefined
Aug 28, 2024 • 57min

212. Robert A.M. Stern (Originally aired 4/13/22)

We're taking the summer off and will be republishing some of our favorite episodes from the archives through August. This episode originally aired April 13, 2022. — Robert A.M. Stern is an architect, teacher, and writer. He is the founder of Robert A.M. Stern Architects, served as dean of the Yale School of Architecture from 1998 to 2016, hosted the PBS series Pride of Place in 1986, and served on the board of directors for the Walt Disney Corporation from 1992 to 2003. He’s the author, most recently, of Between Memory and Invention: My Life in Architecture. In this conversation, Mr. Stern talks about his early interest in architecture history and the possibilities of an alternate career as a historian or curator, how leading Yale changed how he thought about architecture, and why the architecture discourse isn’t as interesting to him anymore. (Oh, and we also talk about martinis!) — Links from this episode can be found at scratchingthesurface.fm/212-robert-a-m-stern. 
— 
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us on Patreon and get bonus content, transcripts, and our monthly newsletter! www.patreon.com/surfacepodcast

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode