Good, Thoughtful Hosts, A Design Podcast: Recent Episodes
Cushing Terrell
On Good, Thoughtful Hosts, Sarah Steimer explores the built environment on the notion that a designer’s role is to anticipate the needs of their guests. Join us to dig into the ways in which the built world can influence people’s feelings and experiences — and how. Beyond the traditional requisites of form and function, hear firsthand from architects, engineers, planners, and more on how they imbue designs with health, well-being, user experience, and other modern priorities. Interviews and discussions will include project case studies, profiles of designers, trend reports, and much, much more.
We’re chatting with Interior Design Director Sandi Rudy, who recently became a Certified Design Futurist. She'll describe how to identify signals that might inform design and create tangible, data-driven concepts. Sandi also discusses how she’s used this framework to help tackle challenging questions, such as the future of offices.
Our conversation with Associate Principal Sheri Blattel focuses on how technological advances — in particular, AI — affect physical retail spaces. We'll also explore how young shoppers’ shifting habits, like returning to the mall and requiring an omnichannel experience, are changing the retail landscape.
Architects Laura Dougherty and Randy Rhoads explain how they design affordable housing in a way that encourages buy-in at every level. That includes creating desirable homes that residents want to live in, engaging with the community for feedback, and encouraging local governments to view this housing as essential infrastructure.
In the first of our two-part series on affordable housing, architects Laura Dougherty and Randy Rhoads help us wrap our heads around the current crisis. We discuss who affordable housing is for (the average American), what it is (not always the highest density), and why it's important (healthy communities and beyond).
Today we’re exploring energy districts, a low-carbon option for communities, campuses, or even just a couple of buildings. Cushing Terrell Director of Energy Services Alex Russell and Director of Sustainability Tim Johnson discuss what an energy district is and some of the latest developments. We’ll also explore how Montana State University has created district energy on its own campus and set itself up to connect more buildings in the future.
A Montana health care system saw an opportunity to meet the needs of aging Americans in a proactive manner — and a big part of that was designing a facility that encouraged preventive services, collaboration, and community. In this episode, Cushing Terrell architect Karl DeCock and Benefis Health System Senior Vice President Kaci Husted discuss creating an environment that doesn’t just feel like a place where patients have to come, but a place where they want to come.
We're talking civil engineering on the podcast, using the profession as an example of how to approach the world with ethics and fundamentals. In our conversation with Michael White, we’ll learn how civil engineers keep the principles of their professions in mind when they’re confronted with new and ever-changing challenges, as these folks are often at the forefront of civilian safety.
PVC is made with vinyl chloride, a Group 1 carcinogen linked to multiple types of cancers. Yet because of its durability and low price point, it's still a widely manufactured and used building material. The biggest sea change in phasing out its use will likely come from designers and others in the industry. In this episode, we'll talk with Cushing Terrell designer Jill Lee and Carnegie Fabrics CEO Gordon Boggis about efforts to educate others and discontinue use of PVC.
There's an emerging trend in placemaking: equitable infrastructure. When large investments are made in streets, transportation systems, bridges, and tunnels, it can uplift, reinforce, and build community and culture. There can also be investments in a community's social infrastructure — which is reflected in the design for a new YMCA in downtown Boise, Idaho. In today's episode, we talk with Cushing Terrell's Amy Lindgren and Jason Butler, as well as Treasure Valley Family YMCA's Kathryn Hunter, about how this new investment acts as a main street and multi-need social center for the community.
We're back with a new season of Good, Thoughtful Hosts! Expect a great new round of interviews that explore the forefront of design.
We're back (briefly!) to review Season 3 of Good, Thoughtful Hosts and reflect on what we've learned about inspiration. We also put together a special sequence in which this season's guests told us their favorite childhood creative activities.
We're looking back on our third season with Cushing Terrell Design Director David Koel — who also helped kick off our first episode on the topic of inspiration. It's a conversation about the many ways people can find inspiration, but also the differences in how we define the concept in the first place.
We often use inspiration as a way to problem-solve, especially when it comes to work-related projects. But what about when there's nothing at stake or nothing to prove? In this episode, we speak with the recently retired Joel Anderson (while on a hike!) about how he seeks inspiration... just because.
Senior Interior Designer Jill Lee is all about ongoing education, whether formal or informal. Lee chats with us about learning new skills, being constantly curious, and her latest knowledge quest.
Cushing Terrell Architect and Sustainability Specialist Kaitlin McCoy explains how she problem-solves by stepping back and considering the full system, rather than hyper focusing on an issue. She'll also discuss the systems found in nature that inspire her to look at the big picture.
Project manager and mechanical designer Darren Johnson discusses how he opens himself up to find beauty to inspire him, and how he uses that inspiration as fuel.
People usually talk about the ways that leaders can inspire the team — but the inspiration can go the other direction as well. In this episode, Design Director Charlie Deese discusses how helping to nurture others' ideas help to keep his own creative juices flowing.
Administrative Assistant Kendra SantaCruz talks about how her brother — the writer Michaelbrent Collings — inspires her, and how looking to those close to you can be a great way to motivate yourself.Listen to the full TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/michaelbrent_collings_confessions_of_a_super_villain_the_psychosis_of_lies
In this week's episode, Cushing Terrell Project Strategist Jimmy Talarico explains how he shares David Lynch's philosophy about creativity: Sometimes you just have to stay open and know how to catch the fish.
In this episode, we chat with designer Isaura Perez about how her mission-driven work inspires her. We'll dive into how knowing the impact of your work can spur creativity.For more information on the organization Isaura discusses, Sound Foundations NW: https://www.soundfoundationsnw.org/
In this episode we'll chat with architect David Serna about how he plays music — or opts for silence — when he's looking to groove deeper into his work and set just the right tone.
On this special episode of Good, Thoughtful Hosts, we're celebrating International Women's Day. We're joined by architect Tracy Baker, interior designer Angelica Henderson, marketer Kate Gray, and urban planner Nora Bland to discuss how — when we lift one another up and set a positive example — it can help to encourage other women to thrive personally and professionally.
We're chatting with Visualization Design Manager (and yogi and rock climber...) Ross Hamand about how he uses movement to spark inspiration. Turns out a little physical exertion has been proven to get our creative juices flowing.
In this first episode of Season 3, we're diving into our theme of inspiration, be it a person, place, activity, organization or something else entirely. We'll talk with Cushing Terrell Design Director David Koel, who helps us set the tone for the rest of the season.
We're back with a new season of Good, Thoughtful Hosts. This time around we're discussing what inspires our creativity, whether a person, place, activity, organization, or otherwise. Stay tuned for talks about music, movement, and more!
Last up in our special series is a look at the future of design (and Cushing Terrell) through a chat with Ashleigh Powell and James Foster. The two will guide us through some trends that are taking off — but also describe the attitudes and skills that are crucial for setting yourself up for future success.
In this second episode of our special series, we're looking at the present of Cushing Terrell. We're chatting with President and CEO Greg Matthews about how the organization has positioned itself as a leader in the industry — largely by staying true to its values over the years, while modernizing its approach.
In this special series, we're looking at the past, present, and future of Cushing Terrell. For this episode, we explore how Cushing Terrell built its foundation of success. We chat with architect and structural engineer Gene Kolstad about the stories and practices that define the 85-year-old firm.
WAIT! As we did at the end of Season 1, we'd like to share a postscript episode where moderator Sarah Steimer once again becomes a guest on her own show. Producer Travis Estvold spins the mic around and asks Sarah about her takeaways from season two — and we unveil a bonus question that was asked of each guest this season.
Urban + Farm is a so-called agrihood under development in Bozeman, Montana. It's an area with a long, rich history of farming, but this new complex is taking a modern approach to a food-centric way of life. We chat with Cushing Terrell Project Designer Jimmy Talarico about the inspiration, plans, and lessons learned from the project so far.
More resources: https://cushingterrell.com/portfolio/on-the-boards-urban-farm-bozeman/ https://www.urbanfarmbozeman.com/ https://www.explorebigsky.com/new-bozeman-development-project-honors-agriculture-sustainability/44627
Rebecca Muchow, senior architect and regional manager of Cushing Terrell's Minneapolis office, joins us for this episode to tell us more about the Root District. This neighborhood, home to a 100-plus-year-old farmers market, is looking to build a green, equitable community around food. But it wants to go beyond restaurants and stores and include business incubators, homes, culture, and more. Muchow will explain how the folks involved are using a central story to build awareness and momentum behind their ideas.Learn more about the Root District: https://urbanland.uli.org/economy-markets-trends/what-cities-can-learn-from-minneapolis-commitment-to-community/
Another episode featuring have podcast favorite Randy Rhoads, architect and executive director of affordable housing for Cushing Terrell. We discuss universal design: what it is, how it helps everyone, and the seven guiding principles. We'll also talk about an apartment project in St. Louis that changed one family's life just by making mindful adjustments.More resources:7 Principles of Universal Design:https://www.udinstitute.org/_files/ugd/634d48_3139cce3918548a58619252b8a6401d9.pdfRL Mace Universal Design Institute at North Carolina State University:https://www.udinstitute.org/New York Times article:https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/realestate/07nati.html
In this episode, we're talking with urban planner Nora bland about involving the community in a city's design process. The practice improves the outcome by involving those who understand the region and its history best, but it also helps make local changes more digestible for the residents because they've been able to offer their input.
In our Earth Day episode, we talk with engineer Tim Johnson about why we should care about decarbonization, and how it's done. We focus on three solutions in particular: efficiency, electrification, and clean energy. Johnson gives us a few simple recommendations, including investing in clean energy and spreading the word on alternatives.
One of our great shared experiences in life is hitting the grocery store — so we likely don't think much of it. But designers employ both hard and soft data to shape our experience in the stores. Today we talk with Kara Eberle-Lott about how a well-designed store can serve as an important touchpoint that's responsive to its neighbors' needs.
In our second conversation with Sheri Blattel, we take an even deeper look at retail research and the role of the metaverse in the way we interact with brands. We discuss the ways in which companies use technology to individualize the customer experience and use data for a more seamless experience between the physical and virtual worlds.
We may be an extremely online culture, but physical retail spaces still influence the way we shop (no matter where the final purchase occurs). On this episode, we chat with Sheri Blattel about the impact of two retail trends in particular: conscious consumption and last-mile delivery.
We’re talking with electrical engineer Alex Russell about the process of electrification. We’ll discuss how moving to electric systems can mean making shifts throughout the building or community — not a one-for-one switch. Plus, Russell walks us through some of the work that Cushing Terrell did with Romney Hall at Montana State University.
Get ready for a new season of Good, Thoughtful Hosts! Our first episode debuts February 22.
We may have wrapped up season one, but we wanted to do one final check-in with host Sarah Steimer to discuss our favorite episodes and what to expect from next season.
In our chat with engineers Alan and Nathan Bronec, we’re focusing on the U.S. energy infrastructure. We'll discuss the upgrades needed to bring energy grids into the future as systems age and needs grow. Plus, they'll describe the types of modern power solutions available, along with a few examples.
We chat with Cushing Terrell interior designers Jessica Earp and Elna Albano about how the materials used in buildings could be harmful to either the environment or the end user. We discuss the materials library red list, how to be a leader in healthy materials, and more.
Interested in learning more? International Living Future Institute’s Red List: living-future.org/lbc/red-list Design For Freedom: designforfreedom.org Mindful Materials: mindfulmaterials.com Material Bank: materialbank.com
In the second of our two-part series on affordable housing with Randy Rhoads, an architect and the executive director of affordable housing for Cushing Terrell, we'll discuss the wide-ranging effects of having an affordable place to live. This creates a strong foundation on which to build — in both an individual and a community sense.
How is psychology used in design? We're talking with Design Director and Architect Joel Anderson about how to incorporate four elements in particular: coherence, complexity, legibility and mystery. We'll also discuss how to use environmental cues to move people through a space, while also responding to a user’s environmental preferences.
Raelynn Meissner, a mechanical engineer with Cushing Terrell, walks us through the benefits of post-occupancy evaluations. Using quantitative (hard data) and qualitative (survey) information, these evaluations allow for a continual state of learning for both the design team and the client. They can help us determine how the space is actually being used, what improvements can be made in future iterations of a design, and how to use these lessons to further knowledge sharing.
In the third and final installment of our three-part series on land use and urban sprawl, Keith Walzak, Director of Planning and Landscape Architecture, discusses the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, the benefits of mixed-use development, and how a 15-minute walkable city can benefit ourselves and our environment.
In the second of our three-part series on land use with Keith Walzak, Director of Planning and Landscape Architecture at Cushing Terrell, we get into the financial incentives (or disincentives) to urban sprawl. We discuss how local policies, lending practices, and financial risks all shape whether developers choose to build outward or explore greener options.
In the first of a three-part series on urban sprawl, we talk with Keith Walzak, Director of Planning and Landscape Architecture, about how public perceptions play a role in how we develop outward. As Walzak explains, it’s easier to imagine how a factory or other large business may be affecting climate change, but a lot harder for Americans to understand how a new subdivision can also do harm to the environment.
Randy Rhoads, an architect and the executive director of affordable housing for Cushing Terrell, says the affordable housing of yesteryear cut residents off from their communities, often making the most important resources inaccessible. As the field has worked to correct course, the resulting homes have made major strides in a number of areas — including the health of residents. Now, these affordable housing developments consider what it means to design for inclusivity, for personal wellbeing, and for the entire community’s physical and mental health.
Vibe mapping sounds like a new age practice, but it’s actually a tool that designers are using to determine where the action happens in a space — and how to better facilitate the tasks at hand. Cushing Terrell Senior Interior Designer Sandi Rudy and Associate Interior Designer Jennifer Moore describe how this human-centered design approach can create office spaces that transition in a way that’s most beneficial to its workers.
The office environment can be a cold, unfeeling place. But as Dayton Rush, a landscape architect at Cushing Terrell, explains, using the concept of ecological design thinking allows us to see the connection between our natural and built environments. You offer workers access to good sunlight, a view of nature, and other elements that tie the outside in, which in turn inspires them and improves their ability to create and collaborate.
What exactly is a refrigerant? How can be harmful to the environment if it escapes into the atmosphere? And what some other eco-friendly options? On this episode, we look at the importance of refrigeration management with Nick Doherty, director of Refrigeration Engineering and associate principal at Cushing Terrell.
In our debut episode, we discuss the concept of reimagining existing and sometimes historic structures, a practice known as adaptive reuse. Ava Alltmont, an architect and project manager who leads Cushing Terrell's historic preservation team in New Orleans, helps us better understand what adaptive reuse means, who benefits, and how it all works.
Beginning June 1, 2022, new episodes of Good, Thoughtful Hosts will be published every other Wednesday. You can find Good, Thoughtful Hosts on SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. Or listen to and read transcripts from past episodes on our podcast webpage: cushingterrell.com/thoughtfulhosts