Advertise on podcast: Spaces Podcast

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius sits down with Greg Bleier, founding principal and project director of Studio UNLTD, to explore what it takes to design restaurants that are not only memorable, but operationally successful. Greg shares his path from studying studio art and interior design to founding Studio UNLTD and developing a specialty in hospitality design. He discusses how early relationships, time spent on construction sites, and a willingness to learn the business of restaurants helped shape the firm’s approach. The conversation explores Studio UNLTD’s design process and the importance of understanding the vision behind a restaurant before developing its aesthetic. Greg describes designers as interpreters—using their expertise to translate the goals, personality, food, and culture of a client into a physical experience. Greg also makes the case that restaurant design cannot be viewed only from the guest’s perspective. Kitchens, service paths, bar operations, durability, maintenance, staffing, and economics all have to work together. A beautiful space that creates operational problems, he argues, is ultimately unsuccessful. Dimitrius and Greg then take a closer look at Bavel in Los Angeles, including the inspiration behind its bright, plant-filled environment, the integration of its open kitchen and outdoor spaces, and the technical challenges required to turn ambitious design ideas into something that can actually be built and maintained. Topics include: Breaking into restaurant and hospitality designDesigning around the client’s visionStorytelling and concept developmentBalancing aesthetics with restaurant operationsDesigning for chefs, servers, bartenders, and guestsThe design and evolution of BavelMaintenance, durability, and client educationMockups and testing ambitious design ideasRestaurant economics and changing service modelsAI, analog experiences, and the future of hospitality As Discussed: Studio UNLTD | Instagram | LinkedIn LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius breaks down some of the most common mistakes building owners make, including skipping permits, hiring the wrong team, starting construction too early, underestimating total project costs, making changes without understanding their impact, and prioritizing speed over clarity. For a deeper look at these issues, Chapter 5 of Before You Build covers common project mistakes and strategies for reducing risk before construction starts. As discussed: Before You Build is Dimitrius’ strategic pre-design framework for homeowners and business owners planning kitchens, ADUs, additions, renovations, and small commercial tenant improvements. It helps you define scope, understand costs, think through soft costs and contingency, assemble the right team, understand timelines, and avoid common mistakes before spending money in the wrong direction. Before You Build Guidebook Download LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius sits down with Garland Harris Jr., President of Middle Housing Design Co., to discuss how small-scale housing can help address affordability, infill development, and the changing needs of American cities. Garland shares how his experience in residential design, production homebuilding, and development led him to build a business around duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, and other forms of middle housing. He explains how repeatable plans, construction efficiency, and firsthand development experience allow his team to move projects faster while controlling costs. The conversation also explores how Garland evaluates land, identifies neighborhoods with long-term growth potential, approaches development financing, and navigates regulations often written for projects much larger than the small infill developments he is trying to build. Dimitrius and Garland also look toward the future, discussing how smaller homes, changing transportation habits, delivery services, autonomous vehicles, and reduced dependence on cars could reshape housing, parking, density, and neighborhood design. Topics include: The business model behind Middle Housing Design Co.Duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and missing-middle housingDesigning repeatable, cost-efficient housingSmall-scale infill developmentLand acquisition and neighborhood growth indicatorsFinancing development projectsPermitting and regulations that make small projects harderHousing affordability and the need to build smallerThe relationship between transportation, parking, and housingHow changing mobility could reshape future communities As Discussed: Middle Housing Design Co. Enjoyed this episode? You might want to also listen to the limited series Going Green & Built to Divide LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved

This episode of SPACES explores the vital role of interior design in construction projects, emphasizing how early involvement can save time, reduce costs, and enhance the final space. Dimitrius highlights how interior designers add value beyond aesthetics, especially in kitchens, bathrooms, and commercial spaces. As discussed: Before You Build is Dimitrius’ strategic pre-design framework for homeowners and business owners planning kitchens, ADUs, additions, renovations, and small commercial tenant improvements. It helps you define scope, understand costs, think through soft costs and contingency, assemble the right team, understand timelines, and avoid common mistakes before spending money in the wrong direction. ACT NOW: the next 25 purchasers get it for a special discount rate of $9! Before You Build Guidebook Download LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius speaks with Helen Neal, founder of HN Communications and a sustainability communications specialist working with global corporations and NGOs, about greenwashing, regulation, AI, and the changing business case for sustainability. Helen explains that greenwashing is not always the result of intentional deception. More often, problems emerge when detailed sustainability data moves from technical teams into marketing and communications, where complex information can become simplified, polished, or overstated. The conversation also explores a broader shift in how sustainability is being understood inside business. Rather than framing it solely as carbon reduction or an altruistic responsibility, Helen sees sustainability increasingly becoming a conversation about long-term business resilience. Dimitrius and Helen also discuss the role of artificial intelligence in sustainability communications. AI can help organizations analyze increasingly complex regulations and identify potential risks in their messaging—but it can also hallucinate regulations, produce inconsistent answers, and confidently rewrite claims in ways that create even greater exposure. Ultimately, the human expert remains essential. In this episode: What greenwashing actually meansWhy many greenwashing problems are unintentionalHow sustainability data gets distorted through marketing and communicationsWhy environmental claims increasingly require evidence and verificationExamples of companies getting sustainability messaging wrongThe growing regulatory landscape surrounding green claimsWhat “green hushing” means and why companies are doing itWhy staying silent about sustainability can also create riskThe importance of honesty, humility, and transparencyHow sustainability is becoming a boardroom and business-resilience issueSupply chain security, energy security, and resource managementWhy sustainability and profitability do not have to conflictHow AI can help analyze sustainability regulationsThe risks of relying on large language models for factual or regulatory guidanceWhy human expertise becomes even more important as AI adoption growsThe continued importance of human stories in sustainability communicationsWhy Helen is optimistic about the next generation of business leaders As Discussed: Helen Neal HN Communications Webinar: Getting Ready for ECGT: What the New Rules Mean for Sustainability Communications Enjoyed this episode? You might want to also listen to the limited series Going Green LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Unstruct Design Vault

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius breaks down how homeowners and business owners should evaluate contractors before committing to a renovation, ADU, addition, kitchen remodel, or small commercial project. The episode explains why price without context can be dangerous, why vague scope leads to incomparable bids, and how drawings, specifications, communication, qualifications, and transparency all shape the success of a project. In This Episode Why the lowest bid is not always the best valueHow unclear scope leads to confusing contractor estimatesWhat to look for when reviewing contractor qualificationsWhy communication is one of the strongest indicators of project experienceWhat questions to ask about pricing, allowances, exclusions, permits, and change ordersWhy early contractor input can be helpful, but is not the same as a final construction contractHow an architect can help review bids and identify inconsistenciesRed flags to watch for before hiring a contractor As discussed: Before You Build is Dimitrius’ strategic pre-design framework for homeowners and business owners planning kitchens, ADUs, additions, renovations, and small commercial tenant improvements. It helps you define scope, understand costs, think through soft costs and contingency, assemble the right team, understand timelines, and avoid common mistakes before spending money in the wrong direction. ACT NOW: the next 25 purchasers get it for a special discount rate of $9! Before You Build Guidebook Download LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Design Vault Unstruct

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius speaks with Raleigh-based developer, consultant, and writer Desmond Dunn, founder of The Emerging Developer, about why density alone is not a sufficient measure of successful community development. The conversation was inspired by Desmond’s article, “Density Without Infrastructure Is a Recipe for Disaster,” and his argument that density tends to multiply the conditions already present in a neighborhood. If a community lacks walkability, schools, transportation, recreation, grocery stores, economic opportunity, or basic infrastructure, simply adding more residents can intensify those deficiencies rather than solve them. Desmond and Dimitrius also examine how concentrating affordable housing in historically disinvested communities can reinforce existing inequities, why the built environment influences behavior and opportunity, and how development can become disconnected from human outcomes when projects are optimized primarily around financial performance. They discuss the role of small, community-based developers and why people who actually understand a neighborhood may be better positioned to identify what it needs—whether that is housing, mixed-use development, local businesses, public space, or something else entirely. Desmond also explains why meaningful community engagement should happen before a project is designed, not after the major decisions have already been made. Ultimately, the conversation asks developers, architects, planners, and policymakers to think beyond unit counts and consider a larger question: Does what we are building actually make the community better? In this episode: Why density without supporting infrastructure can create new problemsWhy housing unit count is an incomplete measure of successHow density can amplify existing neighborhood conditionsThe consequences of concentrating affordable housingThe relationship between the built environment, psychology, and behaviorHow historic disinvestment continues to shape communities todayWhy many developments are optimized for capital rather than peopleThe importance of neighborhood services, schools, transportation, and economic opportunityWhy small developers matter to the housing ecosystemCommunity-based development versus standardized development modelsWhy community engagement needs to happen before design beginsThe “hardware and software” of healthy communitiesCreating places that encourage human connectionWhy responsible development should create more value for a community than it extracts As Discussed: Density Without Infrastructure Is a Recipe for Disaster Enjoyed this episode? You might want to also listen to the limited series Going Green & Built to Divide LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Design Vault Unstruct

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius breaks down design-build — where it works well, where it can create risk, and what homeowners and business owners need to understand before choosing it as their project delivery method. In This Episode: What design-build actually meansWhy one team and one contract can be appealingWhen design-build can work wellWhy design-build is not automatically cheaper, faster, or less riskyThe importance of scope clarity and transparent pricingHow design-build can reduce independent checks and balancesWhy design depth and client advocacy matterQuestions to ask before hiring a design-build firmWhen an independent architect may be the better starting point As discussed: Before You Build is Dimitrius’ strategic pre-design framework for homeowners and business owners planning kitchens, ADUs, additions, renovations, and small commercial tenant improvements. It helps you define scope, understand costs, think through soft costs and contingency, assemble the right team, understand timelines, and avoid common mistakes before spending money in the wrong direction. ACT NOW: the next 25 purchasers get it for a special discount rate of $9! Before You Build Guidebook Download LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Unstruct Design Vault

In this episode, Dimitrius speaks with Drew Small, founder of No New Data Centers, a grassroots platform challenging a proposed data center near his Nashville home and the Nashville Zoo. They examine the enormous energy, water, land, and infrastructure demands of modern data centers, along with concerns about pollution, heat, noise, flooding, and development in working-class, immigrant, and historically Black communities. Drew also explains how tax incentives, utility interests, and weak local regulations are accelerating construction—often before communities fully understand what is being proposed. But this is also a conversation about people power. Drew shares how concerned residents turned a local development fight into a growing movement and why zoning, public participation, and collective attention may be the strongest tools communities have to demand more responsible development. A timely conversation about technology, environmental justice, corporate influence, and the power of ordinary people to shape the places they call home. No New Data Centers Find Data Centers Near You Enjoyed this episode? You might want to also listen to the limited series Going Green & Built to Divide LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Design Vault Unstruct Unstruct

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius explains that while not every project requires an architect, the right time to bring one in is often much earlier than most people think. He explores why architecture can be difficult to value upfront, why drawings are often misunderstood as a simple commodity, and how the real value of an architect is revealed through clarity, coordination, risk reduction, and a more guided process. Through examples involving wall removals, additions, ADUs, commercial spaces, and unpermitted work, this episode highlights the hidden complexity behind projects that may seem simple on the surface. In this episode: Why “I just need plans” can be a costly assumptionWhen cosmetic work becomes architectural complexityHow removing a wall can create structural and financial riskWhy additions and ADUs require more planning than many owners expectHow architects help make the process feel easier and less stressfulWhy clients often appreciate the value of architectural services most after the project is complete As discussed: Before You Build Guidebook Download LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Unstruct Unstruct Design Vault

In this episode of SPACES, architect Todd Ferking returns to the show to discuss the future of learning environments. He shares his decision to leave a national leadership role at DLR Group and launch Arcis Studio, a consultancy focused on helping school districts and design teams establish the vision, educational strategy, and planning foundations that lead to more meaningful learning environments. We revisit his work on Compton High School and Centennial High School, including the challenge of creating innovative educational facilities within California’s exceptionally high construction costs. Todd also explains how program visibility, interdisciplinary connections, smaller learning communities, and stronger relationships between students and adults can influence learning and school safety. We also look ahead to the impact of artificial intelligence on education and the built environment. If students can increasingly receive personalized instruction through digital tools, should schools continue dedicating most of their space to traditional classrooms? Or could the schools of the future become application hubs—places where students gather to experiment, build, collaborate, socialize, and put knowledge into practice? In this episode: Why Todd launched Arcis Studio after 25 years with DLR GroupThe importance of establishing educational vision before design beginsLessons from the planning and design of Compton and Centennial High SchoolsDesigning flexible, visible, and interdisciplinary learning environmentsWhy California schools must accomplish more with less spaceCreating stronger connections between career technical education and core academicsApproaching school safety through relationships, scale, and layered securityHow AI could transform teaching, learning, and educational facilitiesReimagining schools as hubs for application, creation, and collaboration As discussed: ARCIS Studio Todd Ferking on LinkedIn SPACES episode 12: Schools LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Unstruct Unstruct Design Vault

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius breaks down the important differences between architects, designers, and drafters — and why choosing the right type of help early can have a major impact on your budget, permitting, construction process, and overall project success. While each role can bring value, they are not interchangeable. The key question is not simply, “Who can draw this?” The better question is: What does this project actually require? In this episode: The difference between architects, designers, and draftersWhere designers can add significant valueWhat drafters typically provideWhy removing a wall can trigger structural, electrical, permitting, and budget considerationsHow project complexity should determine your teamWhy the cheapest path upfront is not always the least expensive path overallWhat questions to ask before hiring someone to prepare drawings Once you understand the scope, risks, systems, and approvals involved, it becomes much easier to assemble the right team. As discussed: Before You Build Guidebook Download LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Design Vault Unstruct Unstruct

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius speaks with Andrew Goodwin, AIA, founder of AGD, about the evolving role of the architect in a profession being reshaped by technology, entrepreneurship, education, and social responsibility. Andrew shares how his career has moved between traditional practice, public interest design, teaching, publishing, nonprofit work, and firm leadership—and why he believes architects can no longer rely on outdated definitions of the profession. Instead of returning to the old idea of the “master builder,” Andrew makes the case for the architect as a master entrepreneur, advocate, communicator, educator, and citizen leader. The conversation explores how liability narrowed the role of architects, how design-build and integrated delivery may be shifting it again, and how AI is forcing schools and firms to rethink what future architects actually need to learn. Andrew also discusses building AGD around purpose, innovation, remote flexibility, community engagement, and a commitment to doing good first. It’s a conversation about architecture as a practice, but also as a platform—for storytelling, leadership, service, advocacy, and impact. In this episode: Why the architect’s role needs to expand beyond traditional servicesHow AI may reshape architectural education and early-career practiceWhat students should understand about entrepreneurship and businessHow storytelling and communication help clients understand designWhy purpose, innovation, and social impact are central to AGD’s workHow architects can define their own path instead of inheriting an outdated one As discussed: AGD Architecture + Design Disrupted: The Architecture Profession Metamorphosis of the Future Architect LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Design Vault Unstruct Unstruct

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius examines one of the most overlooked parts of any construction project: soft costs. He highlights what the total project budget should include and explores why soft costs are not “extras” — they are the services and approvals that make a project buildable, coordinated, and legally permitted. For owners, understanding these costs early can help prevent financial stress, delays, and costly surprises later. In this episode: Why construction cost is only one part of your total project budgetWhat soft costs are and why they matterWhy architecture is more than “drawing plans”When engineering becomes necessaryWhy permits and plan check fees vary so widelyHow Title 24 energy compliance affects California projectsWhen surveys, soils reports, and specialty consultants may be requiredWhy contingency should be included and tracked separatelyHow better planning reduces risk before construction begins If your budget only includes construction, it is not your real project budget. A realistic project budget should account for construction, soft costs, and contingency. Before You Build Guidebook Download LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Unstruct Design Vault Unstruct

In this episode of SPACES, Dimitrius sits down with Colby Cox, founder and CEO of Convergence Communities, to explore how the built environment can either isolate us or help bring us back together. Colby has spent more than two decades developing mixed-use, master-planned communities rooted in human connection, wellbeing, and intentional living. For him, development is not just about what pencils out on a pro forma. It is about legacy: how a place feels 50 or 100 years from now, how it supports the people who live there, and whether it helps create a true sense of belonging. Through projects like The Granary in Milton, Delaware, Colby is challenging the conventional suburban model by rethinking porches, lot sizes, shared green space, public amenities, programming, and community gathering places. His goal is not simply to build houses, but to create places that gently pull people out of isolation and into relationship with their neighbors, their town, nature, and themselves. The conversation explores why many modern neighborhoods fail to foster connection, how fear and liability often shape development decisions, and why the return on investment in real estate should include more than dollars and cents. Colby also shares how his team is experimenting with ideas like a brewery incubator, meditation gardens, shared living models, and community-serving amenities designed to invite the surrounding town in—not wall residents off from it. This is a conversation about development, loneliness, legacy, and the role of design in rebuilding social connection. As discussed: The Granary Convergence Communities Built to Divide Podcast Series LYNES If you enjoy our content, you can check out similar content from our fellow creators at Gābl Media. Spaces Podcast Spaces Podcast website LYNES // Gābl Media All rights reserved Mentioned in this episode: Unstruct Design Vault Unstruct