Infill, Inspire, Innovate: Exploring Non-Traditional Architecture With Alex Nikjoo
Summary
Stephen Drew speaks with Alex Nikjoo about non-traditional architecture, infill sites, adaptive reuse, sustainable upgrades, construction payments, AI, developers, practice development and the realities of building relationships.Non-traditional architecture often starts with awkward sites, overlooked opportunities and practical problems that need a sharper commercial and design response.
Stephen Drew speaks with Alex Nikjoo about infill sites, sustainable upgrades, adaptive reuse, construction payments, AI, developers and the reality of building a practice around relationships and delivery.
The conversation covers:
- How infill and brownfield sites can become design opportunities
- Why sustainable upgrades often depend on budget and client commitment
- How payment disputes affect construction projects
- What AI may and may not change in smaller practice work
- Why published projects do not remove the need to keep winning work
Read the episode on Architecture Social: Exploring Non-Traditional Architecture with Alex Nikjoo
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Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction to non-traditional architecture
- 05:00 Sustainable upgrades and improving existing buildings
- 10:00 Infill sites, brownfield land and overlooked opportunities
- 15:00 Construction payments and making projects more transparent
- 20:00 Builder payments, disputes and practical industry problems
- 25:00 AI, design risk and what not to panic about yet
- 30:00 Developers, contractors and understanding different roles
- 35:00 Winning work, publishing projects and the reality of practice
- 40:00 Architecture Social, job searching and closing reflections
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