Architecture 5 10 20

About Architecture 5 10 20

I'm your host, Guy Geier, Managing Partner of FXCollaborative Architects in New York. My guests for this podcast series come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences related to the built environment. All of them are thought leaders and futurists in their fields. Our conversations will start with understanding how they arrived at what they are doing now but, more importantly, we will focus on their vision for the future, looking out 5, 10 and 20 years. We'll explore trends that have caught on for future development and those that have surprised them, as well as how they think about the future and how we will leverage design to build a more sustainable, equitable and just society.

Publisher

Guy Geier

Category

business · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Jan 2022

Latest episode

6 Jan 2026

Latest episodes

3 of 41 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   6 Jan 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Finale: On Leadership and Legacy

   Welcome back to Architecture 5 10 20! I'm your host, Guy Geier (https://www.linkedin.com/in/guygeier/), Managing Partner of FXCollaborative Architects in New York. My guests for this podcast are pioneers and visionaries shaping the future of the built environment across various disciplines. Join me in exploring their remarkable journeys, discovering how they reach their current heights, and envisioning what lies ahead in the next 5, 10, and 20 years. For this finale episode, I am joined by Carole Wedge of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) (https://www.aia.org/). Carole and I trace her 40-year career from a nontraditional start at Shepley Bulfinch, through Wall Street detours, to leading one of the country's oldest architecture firms! She reflects on how those experiences shaped her approach to mentorship, inclusion, and professional growth, and she shares how saying "yes" to opportunities that she didn't fully understand introduced her to national networks, long-term collaborations, and initiatives such as the Women's Leadership Summit! We explore Carole's priorities as CEO, including but not limited to how the organization can better support architects via practical business training, and technology integration. Carole highlights the importance of architects having the tools to help communities prepare for and recover from disasters such as Hurricane Sandy while also ensuring that the next generation is engaged, supported, and inspired to lead. We touch upon challenges facing the profession, from post-pandemic workplace changes to attracting young talent, including underrepresented voices, and the need to address long-standing issues such as compensation and access to education. Our discussion also takes a global perspective, with Carole highlighting examples of innovative approaches to design around the world and stressing the value of collaboration across firms, communities, and government. She also talks about how architects can step into roles that make a real difference in shaping cities and public spaces, and, along the way, she shares her reflections on giving back to a profession that has given her so much. If you're curious about where architecture is headed, the responsibilities of professional leadership, and the strategies needed to make a real impact on both the profession and the communities it serves, this episode is for you. Thank you for tuning in to the final episode! Time stamps: [2:37] - Hear how Carole shifted from biology to architecture, combining climate awareness, sustainability, and creativity. [5:24] - Economic downturns led Carole to Wall Street, teaching her business skills which architects rarely learn. [8:12] - Beginning nontraditionally, Carole embraced mentorship and helped change her firm into a national practice. [10:29] - Carole discusses how Shepley Bulfinch evolved via resilience, relationships, and adaptability. [13:03] - Carole highlights her work on landmark hospitals, including Boston Children's. [14:03] - Carole credits saying yes to opportunities for building leadership networks and driving meaningful initiatives. [17:11] - Hear how, retiring from Shepley, Carole embraced AIA leadership to use her experience for broader impact. [19:25] - Carole highlights supporting architects via technology, business skills, and climate-resilient community rebuilding.[22:38] - Carole advocates for proactive design and mentoring young architects to strengthen the profession. [25:29] - Since COVID, younger professionals are missing out on the informal learning and mentorship that used to happen naturally in the office. [26:09] - Carole regards hybrid models as opportunities, stressing listening to members and supporting local AIA efforts.[28:42] - Carole stresses that AI complements, not replaces, architects, and she highlights attracting the next generation. [29:54] - Carole advocates for teaching business, technology, and career skills to architects. [32:55] - Carole highlights NOMA and Project Pipeline's role in K–12 design education and hands-on career exposure. [34:47] - Carole stresses the need to reform compensation and support architects amid rising education costs. [36:52] - Fair profit-sharing and transparency about salary help address student debt challenges. [37:55] - Hear how AIA (https://www.aia.org/)'s Washington presence enables advocacy. [40:26] Carole highlights aligning architects with communities and students to address climate, housing, and technology issues. [43:38] Carole encourages optimism, continuous improvement, and saying yes to opportunities while giving back to the profession. Links / Resources: Guy Geier (https://www.linkedin.com/in/guygeier/) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/arch51020fxc/) | Twitter (https://twitter.com/arch51020fxc) Carole Wedge Carole's LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolecwedge/) | AIA Website (https://www.aia.org/) | AIA LinkedIn

2. 

   22 Dec 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Sustainability Milestones: Architecture 2030

   Welcome back to Architecture 5 10 20! I'm your host, Guy Geier (https://www.linkedin.com/in/guygeier/), Managing Partner of FXCollaborative Architects in New York. My guests for this podcast are pioneers and visionaries shaping the future of the built environment across various disciplines. Join me in exploring their remarkable journeys, discovering how they reach their current heights, and envisioning what lies ahead in the next 5, 10, and 20 years. For this episode, I am joined by Architecture 2030's C.E.O., Vincent Martinez. We talk about two decades of work taking on carbon emissions in the built environment, with Vince sharing the story of how he got involved with Architecture 2030 nearly two decades ago, stepping into a movement which recognized buildings as a central driver of climate change. We explore how efforts have been made to help architects and designers understand the full scope of operational emissions and how simple, low-cost design strategies can make a huge difference. Vincent walks us through how the conversation around climate in architecture has evolved, and we talk about operational energy, passive and active systems, electrification, and renewable power as well as why the transition of the energy grid is just as important as what happens inside the building itself. He also shares insights into embodied carbon and explains how certain high-impact materials such as steel, concrete, aluminum contribute significantly to emissions, touching upon why demand-side strategies are becoming such essential tools for the industry. We also talk about some global trends, from Europe to developing regions, and discuss how the lessons learned in the U.S. can inform a worldwide effort. Vincent explains initiatives such as SHIFT that push us to rethink modern architecture and planning so that design is both culturally rooted and climate-responsive. We also talk about the growing idea of sufficiency - how designers can achieve outcomes with fewer resources and how operational and embodied carbon reduction can go in tandem with creating spaces that people actually want and need. Vincent and I, in addition, reflect on the past twenty years of progress – what has worked, where challenges remain, and how the future of climate-conscious design is expanding beyond individual buildings to whole cities, infrastructure, and planning systems! For anyone interested in the intersection of design, climate action, and the real-world power of architecture, this conversation with Vincent is definitely one that you will not want to miss! Time stamps: [01:36] - Hear how Vincent trained as a civil engineer and joined Architecture 2030 almost twenty years ago. [02:53] - Ed's research revealed that architecture causes 40% of carbon emissions, inspiring the 2030 Challenge. [06:19] - Architecture 2030 first explained full climate impacts, reframing design as a practical, demand-side solution. [07:59] - Hear how Vincent's focus evolved from operational energy to whole-life carbon. [10:34] - Vincent discusses how energy efficiency and electrification are cost-effective. [13:03] - Vincent explains how historical projections overestimated electricity needs, but renewable strategies replaced coal without new nuclear plants. [15:13] - Global building growth raises embodied carbon even as operational emissions decline with efficiency and renewables. [18:55] - High-impact materials create emissions right from the start which is why we need smarter sourcing and less material use [20:54] - Urban infill and renovation tend to reuse embodied carbon, reducing emissions without building more than we need. [23:11] - Hear how SHIFT reassesses modern architecture. [25:22] - Vincent links architecture to local culture, climate, and human-focused design. [26:53] - Vincent argues that sufficiency reduces resource use through thoughtful design, balancing equity, needs, and planetary limits. [29:50] - Vincent explains how early operational emission strategies prove how design can expand buildings while cutting energy and emissions. [32:46] - Climate solutions need to combine mitigation, adaptation, and human-centered outcomes. [35:50] - Design leadership is so important for achieving zero-carbon buildings and broader built environment progress. Links / Resources: Guy Geier Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/arch51020fxc/) | Twitter (https://twitter.com/arch51020fxc) Vincent Martinez Vincent's LinkedIn | Architecture 2030's Website | Architecture 2030's LinkedIn

3. 

   19 Sept 2025TRANSCRIPT

   Sustainability Milestones: An International Perspective

   Welcome back to Architecture 5 10 20! I’m your host, Guy Geier, Managing Partner of FXCollaborative Architects in New York. My guests for this podcast are pioneers and visionaries shaping the future of the built environment across various disciplines. Join me in exploring their remarkable journeys, discovering how they reach their current heights, and envisioning what lies ahead in the next 5, 10, and 20 years. I am really excited to have Hugo Lafrance on the podcast for this episode! Hugo is the Director of Sustainability at the international design firm lemay, and he joins me to share his story and unique background starting with a biology degree before moving into the built environment industry. He talks about joining lemay about 9 years ago to lead its sustainability efforts, including big projects like the Phoenix building renovation, and he also explains how lemay developed its “net positive” approach, which looks beyond energy efficiency to consider a wider range of impacts. We also dig into how lemay’s design teams set priorities differently on each project instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach, with Hugo pointing out how this has helped them spot areas to improve, like gaining a better understanding of embodied carbon in building materials. Looking ahead, Hugo shares some key sustainability trends that he sees gaining traction such as the circular economy and regenerative design. He stresses the important role architects play in tackling climate change and creating resilient buildings, while also giving insight into the sustainability landscape in Canada - from national net zero commitments to the new building code on the horizon. He also highlights the need for regional strategies that reflect differences in energy grids, resources, and climate impacts across the country! Overall, our conversation really highlights lemay's holistic, data-driven approach to sustainable design as well as its efforts to push the industry forward on critical environmental and social issues. Enjoy my conversation with Hugo Lafrance! Time stamps: [01:50] - Hear how Hugo Lafrance shifted from biology to sustainability consulting, blending ecological passion with construction. [04:58] - Many still misuse “green” claims, but concepts like circular economy encourage more efficient products. [06:35] - Hugo asserts that the market has evolved and that contractors progress in sustainability while many still must improve. [08:59] - Hear how, transforming an abandoned warehouse, lemay proved that old structures can achieve high-performance certifications and awards. [12:28] - Hugo points out how net positive emphasizes health, climate, and measurable benefits. [14:42] - Hugo explains how the tool benchmarks projects on health, environment, and carbon, revealing patterns and continual improvement. [16:34] - It's so important for architects to optimize materials and carbon impacts. [19:21] - Canada’s 2030 and 2050 net zero commitments drive innovation, momentum, and stricter building standards. [22:58] - Net positive helps boost climate resilience by shaping designs that can handle future crises like floods, fires, and strong winds. [25:43] - Hugo predicts that the future points toward circular economies and regenerative design, creating buildings that restore rather than reduce. Links / Resources: Guy Geier Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/arch51020fxc/) | Twitter (https://twitter.com/arch51020fxc) Hugo Lafrance / lemay Hugo's LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugolafrance/) | lemay Website (https://lemay.com/) | lemay LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/lemay/)

Inside a recent episode

Finale: On Leadership and Legacy

Published 6 Jan 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And I think that was the kind of coolest part of my chapter at Sheppley was, I feel like I sat in every seat. I worked there for 37 years. Sort of like in architecture, every project is different. Every chapter of leadership was different and eventually became the president and CEO of the firm. Cut to do some really fun things. Expanded nationally and become more of a national design firm. It must have been a thrill too to be at the head of a firm with the kind of legacy. I mean, those listeners who may not realize, we refer to Sheppley very in shorthand, but Sheppley Bolfinch, Richardson and Abbott, it's such Charles Bolfinch and HH Richardson are the two middle names. […]

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• Adam Fisher
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