Layers of Design Podcast Host: Ebehi Diaz-Ijewere

Hey! This episode wraps us the Global Architects theme and this years episode releases. We’re closing the podcast early this year to wrap up projects behind the scenes. I’d like to say a big thank you to our listeners, supporters and sponsors for tuning in throughout the year and I hope you enjoyed our conversations! I’m looking forward to exciting plans for next year but in the meantime, don’t hesitate to catch up on any episodes you may have missed.



Our guest today is Trevor is the Dean of the School of Design at Dunwoody College of Technology. He is an award-winning architect with over 25 years of professional experience. He has significant international experience; working on a wide range of architecture, landscape architecture and planning projects in Europe, the Caribbean, and the United States. In addition to his role as Dean, Trevor has taught architectural design at the Boston Architectural College, the City College of New York as well as the University of Minnesota and is a frequent guest critic at schools of architecture nationwide.

Prior to joining Dunwoody, he was a Senior Associate and Director of Operations at Snow Kreilich Architects, the recipient of the 2018 AIA Architecture Firm Award. From 2000 to 2016, he co-founded and led an architecture and planning studio on the island of Grenada, completing more than 30 built projects. The work of his firm has been published extensively in journals and books as well as being exhibited at the 2021 Architecture Biennale in Venice.

This episode was refreshing! I appreciate Trevors honesty in navigating the worlds of architecture practice and academia as a Global Architect. He gave us insight on practicing in different countries, why he had to break out of the crowd and differences between practice and academia.

Nmadili Okwumabua is a cultural designer, urbanist and educator in African architecture and community planning. Her passion for design is rooted in a vision where communities in Africa and the Diaspora are developed with new architectural languages that preserve heritage, and are culturally and environmentally sustainable. In 2005, she founded Southern Sahara USA, an international consultancy specializing in the research and development of this new architecture. 

Nmadili Okwumabua attended the University of Tennessee and Georgia State University, where she pursued undergraduate studies in architecture and urban studies. She holds a masters degree in African and African American studies from Clark Atlanta University, where her research centered on the evolution of modern vernacular architecture in Nigeria. In 2013, the fruits of these efforts gave birth to the Community Planning & Design Initiative, Africa, (CPDI Africa), a research-based, culture-inspired initiative created to develop new African architectural languages through design competition. Believing that the redevelopment of Africa's built environment should be as it has always been, built as a collaborative effort between the community members and designated master builders, Ms. Okwumabua engages participation from the design community throughout the African Diaspora, for the accomplishment of the CPDI Africa vision.

In this episode we dive deep into Nmadili's journey in the world of architecture and design, some challenges she took on while exploring what architecture meant for her and why she founded CPDI Africa as well as what the future looks like for her organization.

Link to CPDI Africa: https://cpdiafrica.blogspot.com/

Tune into the first Architecture & The Culinary Space episode!


Architecture & The Culinary Space hosted by The Layers of Design Podcast as part of the Design X Community, is a unique dining and design event aimed at bridging the gap between architects and the public. The event consisted of an intimate dinner with 20 guests, a conversation with the architect, Clayton Daspit and interior designer, Callie Harris of the By George Restaurant at The Candler Hotel, a tour of the hotel, and a delicious dinner. This series offers a unique opportunity to experience dining from an architect's perspective, while connecting with like-minded individuals.


Thank you to the entire By George Restaurant & Bar and The Candler Hotel staff for their hospitality!



Event Recap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg3ib21FMI0

Shruti Shankar, AICP brings over a decade of design, planning and sustainability experience to Studio One Eleven in her role as Urban Design Director. Her work focuses on creating sustainable and equitable urbanism, and vibrant urban places by combining data-driven insights, design thinking, community engagement and collaborative city-building practices. Shruti holds a Bachelors’ degree in Architecture and a Masters in Urban Design, as well as a global certification in sustainability.



In this episode, she shares the different countries she had the opportunity of studying architecture in and how it helped shape her perspective in her work today. Shruti is a very thoughtful designer and she shares great insight on what it means to be a "Global Architect"



Full Bio

Shruti Shankar, AICP brings over a decade of design, planning and sustainability experience to Studio One Eleven in her role as Urban Design Director. Her work focuses on creating sustainable and equitable urbanism, and vibrant urban places by combining data-driven insights, design thinking, community engagement and collaborative city-building practices. She is experienced in a variety of project types, including visioning, master planning, public space design, and tactical urbanism

for placemaking and testing improvements. Shruti is currently leading efforts on a design manual for outdoor dining for the City of West Hollywood and a study to assess the potential for redevelopment of commercial sites to housing in the South Bay, including site utilization and density studies. She also led the Downtown Huntington Beach and Main Street Urban Design Study to assess the potential for placemaking improvements, and was involved in crafting the vision for the Glendale Arts and Entertainment District. Shruti holds a Bachelors’ degree in Architecture and a Masters in Urban Design, as well as a global certification in sustainability.



Link to Studio One Eleven: https://studio-111.com/

Tune into this conversation with Michael Tchouaffé, a Principal Architect at Tchouaffé Architects. He will be sharing shares his experience in the architecture and design field, his culture, and how various educational backgrounds helped shape his design thinking. 

Michael Tchouaffé is an inspiration and we hope you learn a few things about the experiences Global Architects have going through their educational and professional careers. Enjoy!

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Instrumental by mjrtist

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This is the last episode in the Architecture and the community theme. The last few episodes have been all about architects, designers and why we think we should be seen in communities. I decided to give us a bit of a break in the lineup of design professionals and bring in someone in the creative space but not necessarily in the design profession to hear their thoughts. So, in this episode, I have a conversation with Kenzie Rowland.



Kenzie Rowland is a comedic actress, writer, TEDx Speaker, mental health advocate and host of her podcast Therapy Would Be Cheaper. Kenzie’s dedication to mental illness advocacy has run parallel with every creative endeavor she’s taken on. Open with her own diagnosis of OCD, Kenzie seeks to uplift others with mental illness through her own vulnerability, sense of self and always, her sense of humor.



So in this episode, we talk about design, architecture and comedy but we also really lean into dealing with mental health as creatives. Since the month of May is wrapping up, I’m inclined to focus on the importance of mental health in a profession that challenges us daily. I met Kenzie about a year ago at our neighborhood Barre studio where she’s an instructor. She is both thoughtful and intentional! Her journey through dealing with mental health as a creative is inspiring. Between Kenzie's podcast about mental health and her experience with mental health just like most of us, she left us with some very insightful tips.

Link to Therapy Would Be Cheaper: https://www.therapywouldbecheaper.net/

Link To Kenzie's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uux6N06JMEw