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Practice Disrupted by Practice of Architecture

Practice Disrupted by Practice of Architecture

By: Evelyn Lee
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The evolution of architectural practice has been relatively slow towards change, yet modern shifts in business and design management have prompted today's leading architects to rethink how they work. On Practice Disrupted, Evelyn Lee, FAIA, NOMA, an architect, angel investor, fractional COO, and Founder of Practice of Architecture, sets out to illuminate the future of the profession to help architects remain relevant and valuable in a changing world. She will explore how technology, cultural shifts, and emerging best practices are prompting firm owners to reassess their business models and adjust their studios. Each episode features an industry leader who explores the new frontier of architectural practice.Copyright 2026 Evelyn Lee Art Career Success Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • 228: Architecture, Innovation, and What the Built Environment Needs to Learn

    228: Architecture, Innovation, and What the Built Environment Needs to Learn
    Mar 26 2026
    Are architects going to figure out startups first, or will startups figure out architecture first?In this episode of Practice Disrupted, host Evelyn Lee is joined by Brian Boyer, founding director of the Bachelor of Science in Urban Technology at the University of Michigan, and Larry Fabbroni, architect and innovator, to discuss the critical crossroads facing the built environment. With roughly 165 companies currently vying to sell technology into the AECO supply chain, Brian and Larry explore the "innovation gap" in an industry that remains significantly under-innovated compared to analogous sectors. They advocate for a radical shift in architectural education and practice, one that equips architects with the entrepreneurial vocabulary and venture design skills needed to lead the companies of the future.The conversation delves into the rise of "Urban Tech" and why it is essential for architects to understand the landscape of startups and capital. Brian shares the mission behind his first-of-its-kind degree program, which prepares students to manage the complexity of cities through a lens of product and service design. Larry discusses the intimidation many architects feel when facing the startup world and the importance of providing them with the resources to move from being passive employees of tech companies to becoming the founders and leaders who actually define how our built environment is delivered."The fastest moving teams are gonna be the ones who have individuals with those deep knowledge expertise, who have the knowledge across the domains and can collaborate with each other faster and better." - Larry Fabbroni This episode is a deep dive into the tension between traditional practice and the rapid influx of venture-backed technology. Brian and Larry break down the mechanics of the "professional intensive" they are building to bridge the gap between design thinking and business innovation. Whether you are curious about the intersection of cities and technology or looking to bring a more entrepreneurial mindset to your own career, this discussion offers a roadmap for architects to reclaim their seat at the head of the table in the digital age.Guests:Brian Boyer is the founding director of the Bachelor of Science in Urban Technology degree program at the University of Michigan's Taubman College. A designer and educator with a background in strategic design and urban informatics, he has spent his career exploring how technology and design can be leveraged to improve the quality of urban life and governance.Larry Fabbroni is an architect with over two decades in practice. He formerly led master planning projects at Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects and Strada Architecture, working on some of the largest development projects in the U.S. Today, he serves as a consultant specializing in strategic pre-development services and as CIO for the Practice of Architecture. Larry earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he focused on entrepreneurship and strategy.This episode is especially for you if:✅ You are curious about the "Urban Tech" landscape and why it is a critical new frontier for architectural practice.✅ You want to understand why the housing sector is considered "10 times under-innovated" and how architects can change that.✅ You are interested in how architecture schools are evolving to teach venture design and entrepreneurial leadership.✅ You are an architect looking to expand your professional vocabulary to include startups, scale-ups, and venture capital.✅ You want to hear a strategic perspective on whether architects will lead the next generation of tech companies or simply work for them.What have you done to take action lately? Share your reflections with us on social and join the conversation.📍 Show Links:Learn more about Bryan on his WebsiteConnect with Bryan on LinkedInConnect with Larry on LinkedInConnect with Evelyn on LinkedInRegister your interest for the courseListen to the previous episode with Brian📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out our past episodes Be a part of our community — join the conversation
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    56 mins
  • 227: Beyond the Tools: What It Actually Takes to Build a Digital Practice

    227: Beyond the Tools: What It Actually Takes to Build a Digital Practice
    Mar 19 2026
    Why does the architecture profession have a technology adoption problem that has almost nothing to do with technology?This week on Practice Disrupted, Evelyn sits down with Melvin Williams III, a Digital Practice Leader at HKS, to explore the underlying machinery of firm transformation. Melvin shares his unconventional path from being a trainee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where he first viewed architecture as a single component within a massive operational system, to founding his own consulting firm and eventually leading digital strategy at one of the world’s largest architecture practices. Together, they discuss why the real barrier to innovation isn't the software we use, but the leadership and culture required to sustain it.The conversation dives deep into the "messy" reality of digital transformation. Melvin reflects on his years as a consultant at Microdesk, where he observed that while firms are often fluent in project execution, they struggle with the "bridge building" needed to evolve their business models. He challenges the industry's historical reliance on 2D artifact production and explains why technology should be viewed as operational leverage rather than just an overhead expense. By shifting the focus from BIM libraries to system-level thinking, Melvin illustrates how firms can move past the "horse and buggy" mentality to embrace a more integrated, data-driven future."Architecture can't really remain centered on artifact production. It has to evolve towards system level thinking about delivery. And when you do that, you start to see that the advantage is going to belong to firms that can design both buildings and the mechanisms by which those buildings are delivered. And that's digital practice, right?" - Melvin Williams IIIThis episode is an essential look at the soft skills required to drive hard changes in AEC. Melvin shares the hard-earned lessons from his own entrepreneurial journey, including the importance of "failing fast", and how those experiences shaped his approach to mentoring leadership on tech adoption. Whether you are a firm leader trying to justify a technology budget or a technologist looking to move from the "help desk" to the board room, this discussion provides a roadmap for building the organizational clarity that makes adoption actually stick.Guest:Melvin Williams III is a Digital Practice Leader at HKS, where he focuses on building the internal culture and systems necessary for true digital transformation. With a career spanning the Port Authority of NY and NJ, his own consulting practice, and years as a specialist at Microdesk, Melvin brings a systems-design perspective to the architecture profession. He is a dedicated advocate for rethinking how technology can strategically align and empower architecture firms.This episode is especially for you if:✅ You are a firm leader struggling to move beyond "traditional" workflows and want to understand the cultural barriers to tech adoption.✅ You are a technologist who feels like "overhead" and wants to learn how to communicate your value as a strategic business partner.✅ You are curious about the difference between project execution and systems design in a large-scale practice.✅ You want to hear an honest perspective on why many digital transformation efforts fail when the "third-party" consultants leave.✅ You are interested in how early career exposure to infrastructure and government agencies can reshape a designer's understanding of buildings.What have you done to take action lately? Share your reflections with us on social and join the conversation.📍 Show Links:Learn more about HKS Connect with Melvin on LinkedIn📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out our past episodes Be a part of our community — join the conversation
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    57 mins
  • 226: From the Inside Out: Larry Sass on Digital Fabrication, AI, and Architecture's Next Chapter

    226: From the Inside Out: Larry Sass on Digital Fabrication, AI, and Architecture's Next Chapter
    Mar 12 2026
    How can architects move beyond the traditional service model and embrace a future where they build products instead of just selling hours?In this episode of Practice Disrupted, Evelyn Lee is joined by Larry Sass, a Professor of Architecture at MIT and lead of the Design Fabrication Group. Larry reflects on a 30-year journey that began with a desire to remain in traditional practice but shifted when he realized the industry’s initial resistance to digital tools. Today, he is a leading voice in digital fabrication and 3D printing, advocating for a radical shift in how architects are trained and how they operate in a world increasingly defined by technology, automation, and the need for new business models.The conversation explores Larry’s conviction that the architecture profession is at a crossroads. He discusses the friction between the slow-moving "service" model of architecture and the fast-paced world of digital innovation. Larry introduces the concept of the "third practice", a path where architects use their design expertise to create software, products, or new fabrication methods rather than simply billing for time. He shares insights from his work at MIT, including the DesignX program, which encourages students to approach architecture with an entrepreneurial mindset to solve industry-wide problems."Try and figure out how to teach people how to start new businesses around the industry of architecture. Reinvent it and rethink it." - Larry SassThis episode is a masterclass in rethinking the value of an architectural education. Larry breaks down why the industry has struggled to fully adopt digital fabrication and what it will take for the next generation to reclaim their role as innovators. From the limitations of current BIM tools to the potential for 3D printing to revolutionize housing, Larry’s perspective challenges the traditional boundaries of the profession and offers a roadmap for those looking to disrupt the status quo from both inside and outside academia.Guest:Larry Sass is a professor of architecture at MIT, where he leads the Design Fabrication Group. With a PhD from MIT and decades of experience in both academia and practice, his research focuses on the intersection of computing and construction. He is dedicated to exploring how 3D printing and digital fabrication can lead to new forms of architectural practice and more efficient housing production.This episode is especially for you if:✅ You are curious about the "Third Practice" and how architects can pivot toward product-based or entrepreneurial business models.✅ You want to understand why digital fabrication has not yet fully disrupted traditional architectural practice as once predicted.✅ You are an educator or student looking for ways to integrate business ideation and entrepreneurship into the architecture curriculum.✅ You are interested in the future of 3D printing and its potential to address global housing needs through "printed" architecture.✅ You want to hear from a veteran of MIT who has spent 30 years bridging the gap between high-tech research and the reality of the profession.What have you done to take action lately? Share your reflections with us on social and join the conversation.📍 Show Links:Learn more about Larry Sass Explore the MIT DesignX ProgramConnect with Larry on LinkedInFollow Larry on Instagram📍 Follow Practice Disrupted on Social:Instagram | LinkedIn | YoutubeCheck out our past episodes Be a part of our community — join the conversation
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    53 mins
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