The Building Culture Podcast Austin Tunnell

In this episode I get to chat with Matt Dean of Dean &
Co, an award-winning agency that we at Building Culture hired to collaborate on our Townsend project, an urban infill, mixed-use neighborhood breaking ground later this year (2024).  While out of LA, he made a trip to Oklahoma City in the middle of our collaboration, and it was awesome to get to meet and chat in person!

After trying several routes, we simply weren’t on the same
page with the other marketing companies we tried (we tried several!).  Not their fault, it just wasn’t a good fit.  Then we met Matt and his team, and wow, they understood what we were trying to do.  They
shared our values, and just happened to be in marketing rather than building.  It was such a fun collaboration.

In this conversation we discuss the importance of building
authentic brands, connecting with customers and target audiences, finding your tribe and building long term relationships based on shared values and goals.

And of course, we conclude with a discussion on AI and the future of marketing and social media. Matt is amazing, as well as his whole team, and if you are in the business, I highly recommend you reach out on your next project.  Check out his website here:
https://www.deancostudio.com/



TAKEAWAYS


Building authentic brands involves understanding
the target audience and delivering on brand promises over time.


Long-term relationships and collaborations based
on shared values and goals are key to success.


Aspiration plays a significant role in people's
lives, and brands can help enhance their experiences and fulfill their
aspirations.


Delivering on brand promises and maintaining
authenticity are crucial for building lasting connections with customers.
Aspiration is not limited to achieving great success, but can also be about
living a happy life doing what you love.


Everyday experiences, simple relationships, and
human connection are important aspects of aspiration and the built environment.


Authenticity is crucial in branding and
commercial real estate, as people are seeking genuine connections and
experiences.


AI and social media have their place, but human
connection and emotion cannot be replaced.


The future of the built environment is moving
towards caring about people, human well-being, and creating spaces that enhance
lives.



CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Format

08:09 Working with Good People and Building Authentic
Collaborations

15:32 Creating Authentic Brands and Delivering on Promises

32:22 Understanding the Target Audience and Their
Aspirations

38:59 The Beauty of Everyday Life and Human Connection

47:30 The Role of AI and the Future of Human Connection



CONNECT WITH MATT

Website: https://www.deancostudio.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funkle_/

Agency IG: https://www.instagram.com/deancostudio/

Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-dean-deanco/

Agency LI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dean-co/

 

CONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE

https://www.buildingculture.com/

https://www.instagram.com/buildingculture/

https://twitter.com/build_culture

https://www.facebook.com/BuildCulture/


 CONNECT WITH AUSTIN TUNNELL

https://www.instagram.com/austintunnell/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/

https://twitter.com/AustinTunnell

https://playbook.buildingculture.com/

Devon Zuegel is planning a bold, people-centered town from scratch. She has a background in software engineering and has worked at some of the big firms in Silicon Valley. She discovered a passion for urbanism and
housing while living in San Francisco when she started looking into why there wasn’t more housing, and she draws a lot of inspiration from her childhood experiences at Chautauqua, a small town in Western New York.

We discuss the need for more beautiful and community-oriented neighborhoods and the challenges of current housing policies and regulations. Devon also explains her vision for Esmeralda, a town that combines the principles of traditional neighborhood development (TND)
and the community-oriented programming of Chautauqua.

We explore the concept of experimentation and flexibility in urban planning and development, and brainstorm the importance of allowing for iteration and adaptation in building communities, the limitations of traditional planning processes and the need for more creative and
responsive approaches.

We talk about how the tech MVP model (Minimum Viable Product) can be applied to neighborhoods (Minimum Viable Place) through temporary structures, such as food trucks and airstreams, in testing ideas and activating spaces.

While we discuss problems, it’s a fundamentally optimistic conversation! We discuss the need for individuals to take more agency and responsibility in shaping their built environment.

Devon was an amazing guest, lot’s of energy, nuanced thinking and positive vibes–can’t wait for y'all to hear!

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and Background
07:12 The Need for Building Better Places
11:52 Chautauqua: A Model for Community and Learning
15:10 The Challenges of Building Beautiful and Functional Places
24:35 Creating a New Town: The Vision for Esmeralda
31:16 Building for the Long Term: Evolving and Adapting
32:13 Challenges of Planning and Permission
37:53 The Cost of Locking In Decisions
42:48 The Negative Impact of Excessive Process
47:10 The Importance of Truth and Being Wrong
51:17 Hyper-Specialization and Loss of Agency
01:01:09 Capital and the Vision for the New Town
01:04:54 The Appeal of Esmeralda
01:05:49 Back-Weighted Returns
01:06:27 Investor Preferences
01:07:41 The Long-Term Value of TNDs
01:08:38 The Importance of Aligned Capital
01:09:30 Appreciating Wealth and Capital
01:09:59 The Impact of Wealthy Individuals
01:11:42 The Zero-Sum Mindset
01:13:16 The Infinite Potential of Wealth
01:14:13 Creating Value and Making the Pie Bigger
01:15:10 The Role of Wealth in Society
01:17:19 Building Relationships and Community
01:19:56 Funding through Pre-Sales
01:22:03 The Inspiration behind Esmeralda's Name
01:23:23 The Concept of Edge Esmeralda
01:32:05 Podcast - Outro w Music.mp4

CONNECT WITH DEVON & RESOURCES
Blog: https://devonzuegel.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/devonzuegel
Summer Event: https://www.edgeesmeralda.com/

Book: Invisible Cities

Chautauqua: https://www.chq.org/

CONNECT WITH AUSTIN TUNNELL
Newsletter: https://playbook.buildingculture.com/
https://www.instagram.com/austintunnell/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/
https://twitter.com/AustinTunnell

CONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE
https://www.buildingculture.com/
https://www.instagram.com/buildingculture/
https://twitter.com/build_culture
https://www.facebook.com/BuildCulture/

I met Philippe Block while studying historic masonry structures in Spain last summer. He presented his work and I was blown away. He is a pioneering structural engineer who, as part of his research group Block
Research Group, is inventing the future of sustainable construction by blending old knowledge and precedent with new technology, materials and innovation. He's BUILDING off of thousands of years of architectural
innovation and deepening our knowledge of how structures really work, with stunning results.

And what makes it so impressive is he isn't just doing this in a research lab somewhere--though that is where the ideas are refined--he's implementing them in the real world. Not only is that very difficult to do, overcoming all the obstacles, it also takes a tremendous amount
of courage.

When I say "the building industry is broken," as I often do, what Phillipe is doing is part of the solution--he's part of pioneering and inventing the future that doesn't exist yet. Enjoy!


Sign up for my bimonthly newsletter ⁠here⁠ to learn more!

PHILLIPE'S BIO

Philippe Block is a full professor of Architecture and Structures and head of the Institute of Technology in Architecture (ITA) at ETH Zurich, where he co-leads the Block Research Group (BRG) with Dr. Tom Van Mele.


He studied architecture and structural engineering at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, where he earned his PhD in 2009.

The BRG develops sustainable and circular construction solutions through the advancement of computational structural design and innovation in digital fabrication and construction. Specific expertise includes computational form finding, discrete masonry, graphic statics, architectural and structural geometry, digital fabrication and construction, and open-source computation.

Philippe and Tom translate their research into practice, with the consultancy Foreign Engineering and the ETH spin-off VAULTED. Most significant is the development of the Rippmann Floor System (RFS), a low-carbon-footprint, fully circular prefabricated concrete floor solution

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Problem Statement
03:10 Three Tenets: Strength through Geometry, Material Effectiveness, and Circular Construction
09:02 Comparison of Concrete and Steel Floor Systems
17:36 The Rippman Floor System
27:29 Combining Architecture and Engineering
32:19 Thinness and Prefabrication of the Rippman Floor System
38:59 Rediscovering Structural Form and Graphic Statics
50:24 Opportunities to Learn Graphic Statics
51:28 Integration of Graphic Statics in Projects
52:21 Opportunities for Self-Education
52:48 New Master of Advanced Studies in Structural Computation
53:17 Focus on Outreach and Education
54:34 The Importance of Open Source and Collaboration
56:29 Graphic Statics as a Tool for Engineering
59:19 The Maturity of Tools for Arch Structures
01:01:16 Challenges in Accepting New Approaches
01:04:07 The Urgency of Innovation in Construction
01:06:35 The Excitement of Discovering and Learning
01:07:47 Following Philippe Block's Work

RESOURCESBlock Research GroupVaulted Unreinforced Concrete Floor SystemBRG Githup Compass ResourcesBook on Graphic Statics: Form and Forces: Designing Efficient, Expressive Structures.

Book on Guastavino Vaulting by John Ochsendorf

MIT's Morningside Academy For Design w/ John Ochsendorf:

Phillipe Block Lecture - ETH Zurich, Block Research Group

Phillipe Block Lecture - Stone Skins: New Masonry Shells
Armadillo Vault

Phillipe Block on Linked InCONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE
https://www.buildingculture.com/
https://www.instagram.com/buildingculture/
https://twitter.com/build_culture
https://www.facebook.com/BuildCulture/

CONNECT WITH AUSTIN TUNNELL
https://www.instagram.com/austintunnell/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/
https://twitter.com/AustinTunnell

Today I interview Ruben Hassan, a Dutch podcaster and founder of the Aesthetic City podcast. Ruben shares his journey from being an engineer to becoming a full-time podcaster and filmmaker. We discuss the state of construction and development in the Netherlands and the importance of creating beautiful and sustainable built environments. We also explore the day-to-day life in the Netherlands, including transportation, education, and the value of beauty in society.

The conversation covers various themes related to the built environment, society, and culture. Some of the key takeaways include the importance of prioritizing people and their well-being in urban planning and design, the need to address environmental and health issues alongside climate change, the tension between tradition and modernity, the role of institutions in shaping the world, and the emergence of countercultures as a response to societal challenges. We also touch on the Dutch farming protests and the value of different perspectives in shaping the built environment.

TAKEAWAYS
- Ruben Hassan transitioned from being an engineer to a full-time podcaster and filmmaker, focusing on improving the built environment.
- The Aesthetic City podcast aims to foster the creation of beauty and true sustainability in architecture and urbanism.
- Dutch cities prioritize local, timeless, traditional, and
human-centered design principles and traditions.
- The Netherlands has a more gentle density approach to urban planning, with cities consisting of mostly five-story buildings.
- The Dutch value the ordinary and find beauty in the simple, everyday things.
- Day-to-day life in the Netherlands includes a strong emphasis on cycling, integrated neighborhoods, and a sense of community.
- Beauty is not just a nice-to-have, but an essential aspect of creating livable and sustainable cities.
- The Dutch approach to architecture and urbanism is influenced by their history of religious tolerance, distributed wealth, and residential neighborhoods. Prioritize people and their well-being in urban planning
and design.
- Address environmental and health issues alongside climate change.
- Recognize the tension between tradition and modernity.
- Consider the role of institutions in shaping the world.
- Acknowledge the emergence of countercultures as a response to societal challenges.

CHAPTERS
00:00 - Introduction
03:02 - Transitioning to a New Chapter in Life
05:21 - The Issues with Construction and Development
08:24 - Dutch Cities and the Built Environment
09:47 - Urban Planning in the Netherlands vs. the United States
14:28 - The Importance of Building Places People Want to Go
16:08 - Day-to-Day Life in the Netherlands
21:36 - The Height and Density of Dutch Cities
24:09 - The Cultural Heritage of Dutch Cities
30:40 - The Value and Importance of Beauty
38:36 - Perspectives of Older and Younger Generations
44:48 - The Dutch Farmers' Protests
47:27 - The Nitrogen Issue and Farming Practices
48:31 - Government Actions and Public Opinion
50:16 - Tyranny and Populism
51:45 - Disconnect Between Elites and Regular People
53:32 - The Dark Side of Modernity
55:10 - Tradition and Innovation
55:49 - Hope for Change and Paradigm Shift
59:45 - Upcoming Plans and Trip to the US
01:03:31 - Recommended Cities in the Netherlands
01:07:03 - Dutch Perception of Americans

RESOURCES
1. Recommended Book: North Atlantic Cities by Charles Duff
2. Recommend Video: Why Beauty Matters by Roger Scruton
3. Painting: The Little Streets by Vermeer
4. Examples of some wonderful NEW humanist cities: Cayala, Guatemala and
Le Plessis-Robinson outside of Paris.
5. Recommended Dutch Cities: Utrecht, Leiden, Amersfoort, Harlem

CONNECT WITH RUBEN
- Website
- Cayala Video
- Le Plessis Video
- Summer School

CONNECT WITH AUSTIN
https://linktr.ee/austintunnell
https://twitter.com/AustinTunnell
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/
https://www.instagram.com/buildingculture/

Today, I have friend and colleague Thomas Dougherty on the podcast. Last year Tom joined the Building Culture team as our lead Urban Designer. He studied architecture and urban design at Notre Dame and focused on inner block development and has become known as the "alley-guy" for his expertise in creating spaces in these areas.

It's a great conversation focused on the centralization of capital in real estate and how that affects decision making, how we prioritize profits over people and most importantly what we can do differently to try and solve these issues. We chat about smaller scale development and the creation of smaller grained places that are essential for vibrant communities, as well as how our current infrastructure is unsustainable financially and how we will see the effects in the next few decades. We discuss infill development, local investment and rethinking the way we raise capital, and finally we dive into the potential for infill development like creating streets as spaces that can really create beautiful, wonderful places. People really can be enriching forces on our built environment and are capable of immense good and immense beauty- hope you enjoy the conversation!

TAKEAWAYS
- The centralization of capital in real estate development leads to
decisions that prioritize maximum returns over human flourishing.
- Smaller-scale development and the creation of smaller grained places are essential for building vibrant communities.
- Current infrastructure is unsustainable and requires financial
innovation to address its high costs.
- Financing new urbanist projects is challenging due to the changing
landscape of real estate finance.
- Infill development offers opportunities for incremental growth and the revitalization of existing communities.
- Local investment empowers individuals and strengthens communities.
- Capital plays a significant role in shaping development and should be aligned with the values of creating human-scaled places.
- Recognizing the potential of infill development and building streets
as public spaces can create inviting and reflective environments.

REFERENCES
https://ioncommunity.com/

CONNECT WITH THOMAS DOUGHERTY
https://www.innerblock.org/about

CONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE
https://www.buildingculture.com/
https://www.instagram.com/buildingculture/
https://twitter.com/build_culture
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/
https://www.facebook.com/BuildCulture/
https://www.tiktok.com/@buildingculture


CONNECT WITH AUSTIN TUNNELL
https://www.instagram.com/austintunnell/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/
https://twitter.com/AustinTunnell
https://linktr.ee/austintunnell
https://playbook.buildingculture.com/p/ready-fire-aim

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:04 Becoming Known as the Alley Guy
05:01 The Concept of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
07:08 The Potential of Alleys for ADUs
09:05 The American Alley Hidden Resource
12:26 The Impact of Experiencing Human Scale
19:34 Reimagining Suburbs as Villages and Market Towns
30:04 The Limitations of Subdivisions
33:37 The Importance of Language and Advocacy
38:32 Empowering Individuals in Shaping the Built Environment
39:31 The Centralization of Capital
41:25 The Importance of Small-Scale Development
43:20 The Unsustainability of Current Infrastructure
45:52 The Need for Financial Innovation
47:23 The Difficulty of Financing New Urbanist Projects
50:15 The Potential of Infill Development
52:20 The Power of Local Investment
55:51 The Role of Capital in Development
57:19 Recognizing the Opportunities in Infill Development
59:52 Building Streets as Public Spaces

I'm thrilled to have Coby Lefkowitz on the show today. Coby is an urbanist, real estate developer, writer, and consultant based in New York, and I would add, all around optimist. I've been following him on X for several years, and while it was our first conversation it felt like we had known each other much longer. We are saving the technical conversation on building and development for a time down the road, and today we really focused on the culture around building well and the obstacles that come with it. We both share this idea, in a lot of ways, that the best is just ahead if we can align our beliefs as a culture.

TAKEAWAYS:
- Urbanism and planning play a crucial role in creating beautiful and
sustainable cities.
- It is important to dream and not settle for utilitarian outcomes in
city building.
- A cultural shift towards more thoughtful and human-centered city
building is needed.
- Dopamine plays a significant role in motivation and addiction, and
understanding its effects can help us make better choices.
- Finding beauty in the ordinary and embracing everyday simplicity can
enhance our appreciation of our surroundings.
- Background buildings, when designed with quality and simplicity, can
provide a strong foundation for vibrant communities.
- Tradition and innovation are not mutually exclusive; tradition
represents proven innovation that has stood the test of time.
- Architecture has the power to shape our experiences and create
intrigue and stimulation in our surroundings.
- Small actions, such as adding potted plants or personal touches, can
transform and benefit streets and communities.
- Overcoming fatalism and embracing choice can empower individuals to
shape their communities and create meaningful change.
- Despite the challenges we face, history shows that humanity has the ability to rise to the occasion and find solutions.
- Optimism and a proactive mindset are essential for creating a better
future.

CONNECT WITH COBY:
Twitter

https://cobylefkowitz.com

COBY'S FAVORITES:
* Habits: Daily gym & reading
* Top Podcasts:
- Basketball theme - Nick's NBA podcast
* Books:
- Welcome to Your World: Sarah Williams Goldhagen - The School of Llife: An Emotional Education

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Background
04:30 The Importance of Urbanism and Planning
08:08 The Need to Dream and Overcoming Barriers
17:33 The Cost of Development and the Value of Design
25:00 The Culture of Consumption and the Importance of Good
29:35 The Challenges of Financing and the Need for Coherent Vision
35:24 The Importance of Conversations and Understanding Perspectives
41:11 The Cultural Shift Needed for Sustainable Development
42:04 The Dopamine Effect and Addiction
43:26 The Value of Everyday Beauty
47:12 The Role of Background Buildings
50:12 The Balance Between Tradition and Innovation
53:07 The Impact of Architecture on Experience
56:20 The Importance of Restraint and Punctuation in Design
57:49 The Power of Small Actions in Shaping Communities
01:03:06 Overcoming Fatalism and Embracing Choice
01:05:32 The Value of Tradition and the Potential for Change
01:10:01 The Impact of Individual Actions on Shaping Places
01:14:01 The Journey of Making a Difference
01:18:36 The Progress and Hope in Urban Planning
01:22:19 Introduction and Background
01:23:04 Interest in Architecture and Urban Planning
01:24:27 Books That Have Changed the Way Coby Thinks
01:25:36 Inspiring Trips and Observations on the Built Environment
01:31:25 Philadelphia as an Example of Urban Planning
01:33:40 Optimism for the Future
01:36:25 Closing Remarks

CONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE
https://www.buildingculture.com/https://www.instagram.com/buildingculture/
https://twitter.com/build_culture
https://www.facebook.com/BuildCulture/
https://www.tiktok.com/@buildingculture


CONNECT WITH AUSTIN TUNNELL
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter

Building Culture Playbook

Building Culture Instagram