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American Building

If you want to explore urgent topics related to housing and what they can teach us about ourselves and our country, join us here at American Building. Your host, Atif Qadir, Atif Qadir is a licensed architect and entrepreneur, interested in solving big problems through innovation and technology. He has founded two proptech companies and a real estate development firm, building products ranging from software to workforce housing. Through these experiences, he has a unique perspective on the housing problems - and solutions - we’ll hear about this season. We’ll not only dive into the design and development of iconic buildings, but we’ll also analyze how federal and state policy, local entitlements, and access to capital and distribution are making it increasingly difficult to house Americans. Plus, we will be unpacking relevant news headlines and providing insight into the current legislation related to housing. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Episodes

Vishaan Chakrabarti of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland | Improving the Work of a Legend | Part 1

Today we will be speaking with Vishaan Chakrabarti, a licensed architect and the founder of the Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU). His professional portfolio is diverse, expanding from creating a master plan for the surrounding area of Michigan Central Station in Detroit to creating a social housing neighborhood in East New York. In this week’s episode, we will be speaking to Vishaan about his latest project for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, originally designed by I.M. ...

Nov 16, 202141 minSeason 2Ep. 26

Faith Rose of O’Neill Rose Architects | Cowboy Heaven in Big Sky | Redefining Residential

Today we will be speaking with Faith Rose, a founding partner of O’Neill Rose Architects, a design firm based in Brooklyn. Her firm builds projects that have distinct physical, cultural, and historical conditions that create rich and meaningful spaces. She shares how her projects use a versatile approach to creating space that reflects and frames her client’s aspirations. One such project is Cowboy Heaven, a vacation home project in Big Sky. This Montana-style log cabin is a place for residents ...

Nov 09, 202152 minSeason 2Ep. 25

Johanna Anderson of Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services | Founders Way in Ithaca | Affordable Housing Development

On this week’s episode, we will be speaking with Johanna Anderson, Executive Director of Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services. We will be speaking about Founder’s Way, a major mixed-use project in downtown Ithaca, New York on the site of a former Catholic school. This project was purchased by INHS from the Immaculate Conception School at 320 West Buffalo St. in Ithaca from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester. The property will be redeveloped with the intention to create a mixed-use community...

Nov 02, 202138 minSeason 2Ep. 24

Yasmin Rehmanjee of Buro Happold | The Hudson’s Site in Detroit | Urban Redevelopment

In today’s episode, we will be speaking with Yasmin Rehmanjee, partner and Co-Director of the New York office of Buro Happold. She has had two decades of structural engineering design experience, leading large-scale, multidisciplinary projects such as the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Today we will be speaking to Yasmin about the Hudson’s Site in downtown Detroit, a 680-foot mixed-use project that will pay homage to the late department store and tallest retail building in the world. We will ...

Oct 26, 202141 minSeason 2Ep. 23

Jon Pickard of Pickard Chilton | 2+U in Seattle | Why Collaboration Is Key

Jon Pickard is a Co-founder and Principal at Pickard Chilton, an award-winning architectural design firm based in Connecticut. We are talking about 2+U (also known as the Qualtrics Tower), the studio’s recently completed 690,000-square foot next-generation office complex in the heart of downtown Seattle. 2+U consists of 2 separate towers of 38 stories and 18 stories joined atop a common podium. It has 19,000 square feet of retail and restaurants over 2 floors, as well as an underground parking g...

Oct 13, 20211 hr 1 minSeason 2Ep. 22

Jenny Peysin of Jenny Peysin Architecture | Wilderness Drive in East Jewett | Passive House Design

This week we will be speaking with Jenny Peysin, a licensed architect based in Brooklyn, NYC, about her current passive house project, Wilderness Drive in the Catskills region of upstate New York. As the founder of Jenny Peysin Architecture, her approach to design is rooted in a modernist philosophy, one that incorporates people with the spaces in which they live and work. She has also become a certified passive house designer and has since shifted her focus towards this way of designing and bui...

Oct 05, 202135 minSeason 2Ep. 21

Chris Mazzola of Bijou Properties | 7Seventy House in Hoboken | Mitigating Environmental Hazards

Today we will be speaking with Chris Mazzola, the Director of Development at Bijou Properties and a developer who focuses on residential anchored, mixed-use developments in New Jersey. He has been with the company for seven years and has shaped many of their major projects in the process, from acquisitions all the way to leasing. On today’s episode, we will hear more about the 7Seventy House, a new major mixed-use development in Hoboken, New Jersey, and dive into Chris’s personal experience work...

Sep 28, 202136 minSeason 2Ep. 20

Camila Crazut of Spivak Architects | Central Park West in New York City | Client Chemistry

Today we speak with Camila Crazut, an architect and interior designer working as a Project Manager at Spivak Architects in New York City. After training and becoming licensed as an architect in Venezuela, Camila came to the US to extend her training with a degree in interior design. Regardless of the title, Camila identifies as a designer capable of a wide range of creative projects, including the project we focus on today, a Central Park West residential apartment. We discuss the unique challen...

Sep 21, 202136 minSeason 2Ep. 19

Rob Menendez of Port Authority of NY and NJ | The Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City | Resilient City Transit

Today we will be talking to Rob Menendez, a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. We will be discussing a major intermodal transit hub in Manhattan’s Times Square, serving 65M people per year, known as the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Located in the heart of Times Square, this project is not only the nation's largest bus terminal but the busiest in the world. As Rob notes, the current plan for the project’s expansion tackles the need to make trans...

Sep 14, 202144 minSeason 2Ep. 18

Alicia Hylton-Daniel of Hylton Daniel | Modernist 4 in Durham, NC | Durham Does Modern

In today’s episode, we will be speaking with Alicia Hylton-Daniel who is the founder of Hylton Daniel, a design and construction company in Durham, North Carolina. She is both an interior designer and a general contractor, featuring in the Durham Magazine and the HGTV show Love it or List It, where she shares her portfolio of modernist renovation and new construction projects in greater Durham. Today we will be speaking with her about Modernist 4, a new single-family home project currently in de...

Sep 08, 202153 minSeason 2Ep. 17

Phillip Gesue of Strategic Capital | 75 Park Lane in Jersey City | A Home for Newcomers

This week we'll be talking to Phillip Gesue, the Chief Development Officer at Strategic Capital, a Jersey City-based development company that is a subsidiary of China Construction America. Previously, he held senior development roles at the Witkoff Group and Time Equities. In this week’s episode, we will discuss how a 37 story high-rise, located just steps from the Hudson River, is set to become the city’s landmark condominium residence. We will be speaking with him about how he has been involve...

Aug 31, 202136 minSeason 2Ep. 16

Samer Hanini of Hanini Group | Peoples Bank Building in Passaic | Historical Preservation

For this episode, we welcome Samer Hanini. Samer is the founder and managing partner of the Hanini Group, a development company with an affiliated architecture firm, Brick Design, and a construction management firm, Hanini Construction. We are talking about the Peoples Bank Building, his recently completed 120,000-square-foot mixed-use building in downtown Passaic, New Jersey. This historic landmark was built in 1931. After standing empty for nearly 30 years, it was completely renovated to inclu...

Aug 24, 202157 minSeason 2Ep. 15

Matthias Hollwich of HWKN | 25 Kent in Brooklyn | How To Find The Right Partner

For this episode, we welcome Matthias Hollwich, Founder and Partner of the architecture firm HWKN (“Hawk-in”). This episode takes a deep dive into 25 Kent, HWKN’s recently completed commercial building on the Williamsburg waterfront in Brooklyn. Totaling 500,000 square feet, the development is divided among office, light manufacturing, and retail. It includes 1.8 acres of open space and, for grateful dog owners, a pop-up puppy spa and camp. The owners of the project are Heritage Equity Partners ...

Aug 17, 202147 minSeason 2Ep. 14

Galia Solomonoff of SAS/Solomonoff Architecture Studio | The Philadelphia Art Alliance in Philadelphia | Art Is Everywhere

This week we'll be talking with Galia Solomonoff, founder and creative director of SAS/Solomona Architecture Studio, in New York City. We will be speaking to her about the Philadelphia Art Alliance, which Galia completed in collaboration with JacobsWyper Architects in 2019. This project preserved and re-imagined a dilapidated building in the heart of Philadelphia and owned by the University of the Arts. Currently, it is a gathering spot for artists to share ideas and redefine the city’s urban la...

Aug 10, 202146 minEp. 13

Rachel Loeb of NYCEDC | Bronx Point in Bronx | Building with Integrity

Today, our guest is Rachel Loeb. Rachel is the President and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. NYCEDC is a mission-driven non-profit organization that works on behalf of New York City to invest in neighborhoods to address long-standing community needs. We’ll chat about the Bronx Point project, which broke ground earlier this year. It features 542 units of affordable housing, creates a new waterfront esplanade, 10,000 square feet of retail, and the Universal Hip Hop Museu...

Aug 03, 202143 minSeason 2Ep. 12

Kirk Mitchell of AKT Designs | North Woodland St in Englewood | The Client's Desire

Today, our guest is architect Kirk Mitchell. Kirk is the founder and principal at AKT Designs, an architecture and interior design firm based in Bergen County, New Jersey. We will be talking about 432 Woodland, a spectacular renovation of a single-family home in the Palisades, a stunning cliffside area of northern New Jersey. Listen in as we discuss how the pandemic has impacted residential design, the best ways to narrow down unlimited options while designing with a client, and Kirk’s renovatio...

Jul 26, 202144 minSeason 2Ep. 11

Anthony Pellegrino of ASH NYC | Hotel Peter & Paul in New Orleans | Embracing the Community

Today we’re talking with Anthony Pellegrino, Head of Hotels for ASH NYC, about the Hotel Peter & Paul in New Orleans. In this $20M project, ASH NYC reimagined a campus of buildings once owned by the Catholic Diocese into a 71 room hotel with 3 F&B outlets, an event space, and a courtyard. Anthony shares some fascinating insight on the project, specifically how his long-standing experience in the hospitality industry came into play, the importance of embracing the New Orleans community, a...

Jul 19, 202141 minSeason 2Ep. 10

Kim Yao of Architecture Research Office | Milgard Hall in Tacoma | A School for Everyone

Today we welcome Kim Yao to the podcast, partner at Architecture Research Office, ARO, in New York City. We will be talking about Milgard Hall, the 55,000 square foot Interdisciplinary STEM building at the University of Washington - Tacoma campus. It combines the School of Engineering & Technology and the Milgard Business School, and the Global Innovation and Design Lab together, as a hub for entrepreneurship on campus. Listen in as we discuss creating an infrastructure that creates more fle...

Jul 12, 202147 minSeason 2Ep. 9

Rafael Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli | Brookfield Place in New York City | Rethinking the World Trade Center

On 9/11, images of Brookfield Place were seen around the world. Its gorgeous glass barrel-vaulted roof collapsed, its entrance blocked by a mountain of debris. Recently, Pelli Clarke Pelli reimagined what the building entrance could be, restoring key parts and changing others, to deliver a more innovative, sustainable building at this iconic location. Today we talk with Rafael Pelli, who rehabilitated his father’s initial vision with modern, sustainable swagger. Listen in as we discuss the devel...

Jul 06, 202145 minSeason 2Ep. 8

MaryAnne Gilmartin of MAG Partners | 241 West 28th Street in New York City | Building When No One Else Is

One of the most well-known and well-respected professionals in the real estate business joins us on the podcast today for a highly insightful and motivating chat. Listen in as MaryAnne Gilmartin, founder and CEO of MAG Partners, walks us through the process of their latest project, 241 West 28th St, a new-construction, residential building in Chelsea, Manhattan. This building was the only major development in the city to break ground last year during the Covid-19 pandemic. Tune in to learn more ...

Jun 28, 202147 minSeason 2Ep. 7

Ann Rolland of FXCollaborative | Hunter's Point Campus in Long Island City | School as a Sanctuary

In today’s episode, we welcome esteemed architect and partner at FXCollaborative, Ann Rolland, to discuss her most recent project, Q404, or The Academy for Careers in TV and Film located in Hunters Point, Queens. We begin with the foundations of Ann’s architectural journey and explore how as architects and designers we can ensure people feel safer returning to schools in a post-Covid landscape. A school designed today helps inspire a student to do great things tomorrow. Listen in to find out mor...

Jun 21, 202158 minSeason 2Ep. 6

Megan Luce of Michael Graves Architecture & Design | 1776 On The Green in Morristown | Hospitality With the Client In Mind

Today we’re joined by Megan Luce, Senior Director of Interior Design at Michael Graves. Join us as we discuss what it was like to work alongside Michael Graves, himself, and take a look behind the scenes of Megan’s latest project, 1776 On The Green in Morristown, New Jersey. Having begun work on this combination bar, restaurant, and Top Golf Suite just before the pandemic, Megan divulges the keys to designing a space that will invite diners to ease back into the post-pandemic restaurant experien...

Jun 14, 202135 minSeason 2Ep. 5

Season 2 Trailer: What are we building now?

What goes into making an iconic building in America? What are the stories and who are the people behind the next generation of architecture? In season two of American Building Podcast, we aim to answer these questions as well as how the pandemic has impacted the architectural landscape by sitting down with top developers and designers at the forefront of the industry. Be sure to follow the podcast on your favorite listening app so you don't miss a thing and head to www.americanbuildingpodcast.co...

Jun 14, 20211 min

Samer Hanini of Hanini Group | Peoples Bank Building in Passaic | Preserving History

The second guest on the American Building series is Samer Hanini. Samer is the founder and managing partner of the Hanini Group, a development company with an affiliated architecture firm, Brick Design, and a construction management firm, Hanini Construction. We are talking about the Peoples Bank Building, his recently completed 120,000-square-foot mixed-use building in downtown Passaic, New Jersey. This historic landmark was built in 1931. After standing empty for nearly 30 years, it was comple...

Oct 27, 202056 minSeason 1Ep. 2

Matthias Hollwich of HWKN | 25 Kent in Brooklyn | Offices Beyond Office Districts

The first guest in the American Building series is Matthias Hollwich, Founder and Partner of the architecture firm HWKN (“Hawk-in”). This episode takes a deep dive into 25 Kent, HWKN’s recently completed commercial building on the Williamsburg waterfront in Brooklyn. Totaling 500,000 square feet, the development is divided among office, light manufacturing, and retail. It includes 1.8 acres of open space and, for grateful dog owners, a pop-up puppy spa and camp. The owners of the project are Her...

Oct 27, 202046 minSeason 1Ep. 1

Jon Pickard of Pickard Chilton | 2+U in Seattle | Office as Community

Our third guest in the American Building series is Jon Pickard. Jon is a Co-founder and Principal at Pickard Chilton, an award-winning architectural design firm based in Connecticut. We will be talking about 2+U (also known as the Qualtrics Tower), the studio’s recently completed 690,000-square foot next-generation office complex in the heart of downtown Seattle. 2+U consists of 2 separate towers of 38 stories and 18 stories joined atop a common podium. It has 19,000 square feet of retail and re...

Oct 27, 20201 hrSeason 1Ep. 3

Martin Ditto of Ditto Residential | OSLOadmo in Washington, D.C. | Learning Through Iteration

Our fourth guest of the American Building series is Martin Ditto. Martin is the founder and CEO of Ditto Residential, an award-winning development firm based in Washington, DC. We are talking about OSLOadmo, an 8-unit residential development in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of DC. It was completed just over a year ago and is the 3rd in his series of OSLO-branded co-living properties in urban infill locations. Martin is committed to developing new ways of living and is looking to branch into a la...

Oct 27, 202051 minSeason 1Ep. 4

American Building Podcast: Trailer

American Building is a podcast series sponsored by Michael Graves Architecture & Design, headlined by Atif Z. Qadir, AIA, and hosted at the Warehouse, the home of the late Michael Graves in Princeton, New Jersey. With his unique perspective as both architect and developer, Atif interviews accomplished individuals who tell the stories of American buildings that they have designed and/or developed. His guests talk about their processes and products on a deeply personal level, highlighting the ...

Oct 12, 20202 min
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