How are individuals using their training in architecture to explore diverse career paths?

Continuing our on-going series “Architecture, And”, we invite Brian Ringley onto the show to discuss his role as a construction technologist at Boston Dynamics. Brian is part of the team developing Spot, an agile mobile robot that navigates terrain with unprecedented mobility. In this episode we’ll learn more about Spot, Boston Dynamics, and how Brian’s passion for technology and architecture led him to this innovative company.

Guest:

Brian Ringley is a construction technologist at Boston Dynamics where he promotes new value-add autonomous capabilities for construction project delivery and works to expand the construction application ecosystem with the Spot SDK. Prior to Boston Dynamics, he was a Senior Construction Automation Researcher at WeWork where he managed the construction robotics research program and contributed to initiatives in design automation, unitized prefabrication, and construction site progress monitoring. He has also taught architecture courses for many years, most recently at Pratt GAUD where he led seminars in computational fabrication and industrial robotic automation for industrialized construction.

Show Links:

Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics, 'Do You Love Me?'

Meet Spot

‘Beyond the Master Builder: How Robots Can Really Transform the Role of the Architect’ by Brian Ringley, published in Architect

‘Boston Dynamics: Inside the workshop where robots of the future are being built’, 60 Minutes

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Guest:

Rebekah Bukhbinder

Rebekah Bukbinder is an Art Director working in film and television. She has collaborated on notable productions including The Mandalorian, Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. A graduate of SciArc with a Master of Architecture, Rebekah’s background in architecture and fascination with the ephemeral has led her into the world of filmmaking and ultimately has informed a career in set design and world building. Her work in television and film transports audiences into imaginary worlds for people to experience. She believes her career has been a balance of taking risks, and serendipitous moments that led her to where she was meant to be.

You can see more of Rebekah’s work on October 30 when Season 2 of The Mandalorian airs.

Show Links:

https://tinyurl.com/disneyplusTheMandalorian

https://tinyurl.com/disneyplusTheRiseofSkywalker

https://tinyurl.com/netflixTheDarkCrystal

How can a deeper understanding of materials and a closer collaboration with builders reshape the way we design?

In this special episode of Practice Disrupted, we spotlight a hidden gem for architects: the Architecture Center at the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). While AISC has long been a technical hub for engineers, the Architecture Center is working to change that perception, offering architects the tools, knowledge, and support to innovate with steel.

Evelyn is joined by Nima Balasubramanian, Director of Architecture at the AISC Architecture Center, and Parke MacDowell, an Associate Principal and the Director of Fabrication at Payette Architects. Nima details the Center's mission to be a resource "for architects, by architects," bridging the gap between design and fabrication by making technical information more accessible and fostering connections with the fabrication industry.

Parke offers a compelling perspective from the world of practice, sharing how Payette's in-house fabrication group uses physical models and prototypes to foster shared agency, accelerate decision-making, and expand the role of the architect. He argues that embedding fabrication into a firm's process starts not with expensive tools, but with a cultural shift and by building direct relationships with specialty trade fabricators.

"For me the architecture center is all about forging connections, and that’s connections between the designer and the builders who execute their ideas. It’s about establishing a common language and a common knowledge base. It’s that shared territory which accelerates innovation." - Parke MacDowell

The conversation also touches on practical concerns, including steel supply chains and project costs, and explores the future of the profession. Nima shares the Architecture Center's upcoming initiatives, such as hands-on welding workshops and steel mill tours, designed to give architects tangible experience with the material they specify. Parke concludes with a powerful call for architects to recognize the agency they have to shape a more equitable built environment for everyone.

Guests:

Nima Balasubramanian is the Director of Architecture at the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), where she leads the Architecture Center. A former practicing architect, she is now focused on building out the center's mission to provide architects with the resources, knowledge, and support they need to work more effectively and efficiently with structural steel, bridging the gap between design and fabrication.

Parke MacDowell is an Associate Principal and the Director of Fabrication at Payette Architects in Boston. As both a licensed architect and a fabricator with a background in welding, his work sits at the intersection of craft and community. He uses fabrication to drive design excellence, foster shared agency among project teams, and broaden the role of the architect in the building process.

Is This Episode for You?

This episode is for you if:

✅ You want to learn about the resources the AISC Architecture Center provides for architects.

✅ You are interested in how to better integrate fabrication and making into your design process.

✅ You are a small firm owner wondering how to collaborate more effectively with builders and fabricators.

✅ You are curious about hybrid steel-timber structural systems.

✅ You believe architects have a responsibility to broaden their agency and reclaim territory in the building process.

What have you done to take action lately? Share your reflections with us on social and join the conversation.

📍 Show Links:

• Learn more about AISC Architecture...