Bespoke Careers Podcast

Bespoke Careers
  • 5.0 (2)
  • DESIGN
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Bespoke Careers Podcast brings you the career stories and insights from the people shaping architecture and design today. Tune in every two weeks for fresh conversations with designers, architects, and creatives from around the world, sharing insights, experiences, and the realities behind their professional journeys.

  1. Why We QUIT Architecture - Caswell & Dainow

    3D AGO

    Why We QUIT Architecture - Caswell & Dainow

    Charlie Caswell and Adam Dainow met at architecture school in Sheffield, climbed the ranks at London practices, and then walked away from it all to become property developers. In this episode, they talk about what they had to give up, the five-year grind of building a business from scratch, why they think architecture education is broken, and what architects can learn from the development side of the industry. Charlie and Adam are the co-founders of Cawell&Dainow, a design-led property development company that transforms London's overlooked sites into high-quality homes.

    54 min
  2. Ex-AIA President: "We're 3 Recessions Away from Extinction!" Evelyn Lee

    MAR 23

    Ex-AIA President: "We're 3 Recessions Away from Extinction!" Evelyn Lee

    Evelyn Lee is an architect, entrepreneur, and tech strategist who served as the 2025 President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). She operates at the intersection of design, technology, and business, currently serving as a fractional Chief Operations Officer (COO), startup advisor, and angel investor within the built environment.

    1 hr
  3. AIA President on the future of Architecture in Australia and Beyond - Adam Haddow

    MAR 9

    AIA President on the future of Architecture in Australia and Beyond - Adam Haddow

    Download the 2026 Salary Guide: https://www.bespokecareers.com/salary-guide/ Adam Haddow is an Australian architect, partner at SJB and the current National President of the Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA). In this conversation, Adam makes the case that architects have spent decades drifting toward irrelevance, avoiding the hard conversations about cities and housing while celebrating beautiful houses and hoping politicians notice. He believes that needs to stop. We cover what meaningful influence looks like for the profession, why AI is the biggest democratisation architecture has ever seen, how his own 67sqm terrace house is a direct argument against suburban sprawl, and what the RAIA needs to become to stay worth belonging to. SOCIAL LINKS: https://www.instagram.com/bespokecareers/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/bespoke-career-management/ https://www.tiktok.com/@bespokecareers Hiring or looking for a job? Head here: https://www.bespokecareers.com/ 00:00 Intro 00:53 Growing up in rural Victoria 02:03 Early interest in architecture 03:24 University experience 05:45 The walk-in catchment philosophy 07:12 Joining SJB 10:08 Transitioning practice ownership 13:22 Bringing in multidisciplinary voices 17:13 The tiny terrace house project 20:32 Housing density and apartment standards 26:31 Becoming RAIA National President 27:46 Architects and political relevance 30:28 Rethinking the architecture profession 43:02 How the architect identity has shifted 45:44 Advice for the next generation

    50 min
  4. Why Architects Don't Make Much Money – Phin Harper

    FEB 23

    Why Architects Don't Make Much Money – Phin Harper

    Phineas Harper is a London-based writer, founder and cultural leader. A regular contributor to The Guardian, their career spans criticism, curation, education, youth work, journalism and sculpture. 00:00 Intro 1:00 The personal toll of speaking out 3:22 Discovering architecture 6:47 Working at the Architecture Review 10:51 Do architects see the value in writing and critique? 13:51 Architecture Foundation and New Architecture Writers1 5:37 Open City and Open House Festival 21:20 The big wall between architecture and the public 23:43 Architectural communication 25:58 The protection of function 29:10 Filmmaking and social media 35:59 Going freelance 37:28 Writing for the Guardian 39:02 The future of the profession 41:22 Advice for the aspiring architects 43:10 Architecture school 44:25 Persuading the mainstream media to talk about urban issues 47:24 Do architects care about politics? 52:15 The misguided public perception of architects 53:27 Work and values

    55 min
  5. The Truth About Becoming An Architect - Lucy Carmichael

    FEB 10

    The Truth About Becoming An Architect - Lucy Carmichael

    Lucy Carmichael, former Director of Practice at the RIBA and current Board Member for the University of the Built Environment, explains why the traditional, linear path into the industry is failing most students, and what the alternative looks like. From her upbringing with architect parents, to navigating the "heyday" of design policy at CABE, Lucy has spent her life 'falling in and out of love with architecture.' The thing that keeps her coming back is the huge potential for positive impact on society. We explore the "radical realism" of the London School of Architecture, the looming impact of AI on graduate roles, and why the most impactful architectural careers are often the ones that look the least traditional. 00:00 Intro 00:56 Route into architecture 5:48 The reality check: first jobs in architecture 8:10 Stepping out of practice 9:38 The CABE movement 14:17 Communication and storytelling in architecture 18:41 Director of Practice at the RIBA 27:10 The profession's lack of engagement with the RIBA 33:08 The school that works differently (joining the LSA) 35:25 "Radical Realism" - the LSA ethos 47:04 AI and the future of the education and the profession 55:18 Has her career turned out how she imagined? 57:54 Career advice for the next generation

    1h 1m
  6. How an 'Un-Hireable' Architecture Grad Built a World Famous Practice - Kathryn Gustafson

    JAN 27

    How an 'Un-Hireable' Architecture Grad Built a World Famous Practice - Kathryn Gustafson

    Founder of Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Kathryn Gustafson reflects starting a studio in a second language, and learning the business side of practice through trial, mentors, and persistence. 00:00 Intro 0:59 Growing up in the desert 2:35 Discovering design 6:33 Journey from fashion to landscape architecture 12:04 Business vs Art 16:31 Founding her businesses and 'the invisible years.' 25:47 How to be a good leader 28:39 Building a workplace culture 29:21 Key projects and dealing with criticism 35:52 Navigating cultural contexts as a designer 38:59 Key skills designers need 41:05 Working with other designers: "Architects think they can do everything" 43:31 The changing nature of landscapes 47:58 Legacy 49:36 The next generation of designers

    55 min
  7. "Architecture School Doesn't Prepare You For This!" How We Scaled BIG Globally - Kai-Uwe Bergmann

    JAN 12

    "Architecture School Doesn't Prepare You For This!" How We Scaled BIG Globally - Kai-Uwe Bergmann

    Kai-Uwe Bergmann is a Partner at Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), where he leads global business development and oversees urban design and landscape projects. Known for his strategic approach to "the political scale," Bergmann has been instrumental in scaling BIG from a Copenhagen-founded practice into a global force operating in over 40 countries. He is a primary contributor to Manhattan’s "Big U," a 10-mile coastal resiliency project designed to protect the city from future climate events. BIG, often described as "pragmatic utopian," focuses on transforming complex societal challenges (from energy and food distribution to affordable housing) into opportunities for design innovation. Bergmann’s personal journey, spanning from a German upbringing to an apprenticeship in glassmaking and stone masonry, informs his belief that architecture is a "limitless" field that requires the investigative skills of a detective and the foresight of a strategist. 0:00 Intro 1:09 Why architecture? 7:57 Glass-blowing, apprenticeships, and the value of experiences 13:21 Meeting Bjarke: A 20-year collaboration 17:43 Designing beyond election cycles 20:51 BIG's stratospheric rise 32:51 What architecture school doesn't teach you 36:52 What should architects be doing more of? 42:28 Scaling BIG and navigating the global scale 47:48 Balancing work-life and family life 49:48 The importance of architecture and the role of the architect 51:24 Architecture as a hopeful act

    57 min
  8. Why Architects Are Losing Their Influence (And How to Regain It) – Chris Williamson

    JAN 2

    Why Architects Are Losing Their Influence (And How to Regain It) – Chris Williamson

    On 1 January 2026, Chris Williamson took a deliberate and provocative step. He allowed his registration with the Architects Registration Board to lapse, describing the framework as 'absurd'. In practical terms, the sitting President of the RIBA, a practitioner with more than forty years’ experience and the founder of one of the UK’s most successful practices, can no longer legally call himself an architect. "Since I was 18 it's all I've ever wanted to do. But to be asked to pay an annual fee (which is increasing each year) to the ARB for the title - when the function isn't regulated seems madness." This conversation was filmed in the weeks leading up to that announcement. It captures Chris at a moment of conviction, before he went public with a decision that challenges how the UK regulates the built environment. As a working class kid, Chris was told architecture wasn’t for "the likes of him." Decades later, as RIBA President and co-founder of Weston Williamson + Partners, he's reshaped global cities through transport and infrastructure. If you are interested in how architecture survives the collision of technological shift, class barriers, commercial pressure, and declining influence - this is for you. 0:00 Intro 1:28 Chris' route into architecture 4:55 Class and the barrier to professional entry 6:37 Founding ⁨@wwparchitects⁩ 12:27 Why architects are losing influence 14:31 Specialisim vs generalism 19:14 In defence of competitions 22:38 Partnerships, pressure and asking for help 27:08 AI: can anyone be an architect now? 30:19 Handing over WW+P to the next generation 32:58 What do you want you legacy to be? 36:56 How to fix architecture's influence problem 41:10 What Chris is doing as RIBA President 45:08 Why young architects aren't joining the RIBA 49:17 Protection of function vs title 52:21 What success as RIBA President looks like

    54 min
See All (26)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Bespoke Careers Podcast brings you the career stories and insights from the people shaping architecture and design today. Tune in every two weeks for fresh conversations with designers, architects, and creatives from around the world, sharing insights, experiences, and the realities behind their professional journeys.

Information

  • Creator
    Bespoke Careers
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Bespoke Careers
  • Show Website
    Bespoke Careers Podcast

You Might Also Like