Internal Architecture
SYSTEMIC ISSUES ARE STRUCTURAL - HERE'S YOUR SLEDGEHAMMER
A podcast for designers and architecturally curious humans who want to identify the invisible structures in their daily lives.
What would you need to hear to be convinced that architecture is more than the buildings we see around us? What would it take for us as humans to confront and redesign the structure of our very own perspectives, beliefs, and conditioning as a means to creating systemic change. In this podcast we will see that our work is not only in the details of drawing, but in the details of our everyday life and the potential of a great conversation.
Welcome to Internal Architecture - Class is in session but instead of walking into a stale room with rows of desks it’s a virtual space filled with inspiring and radical conversations all in the comfort of your own home. Get ready to learn, listen, and question "How the f*ck is this related to architecture?"
Warm squeezes and happy listening,
Professionally of course ;)
- Cassie
MEET YOUR HOST
Cassandra Brown holds her masters in architecture alongside a decade of play in intrapersonal and interpersonal communication spaces. She is eager to grow and connect with others who hold inspiring visions for this field. Humanizing the process of systemic change through conversations that bridge design and human consciousness.
Internal Architecture
PART 1 | THE GIFT OF GAB WITH TESSA AND MACKENZIE
An interview with Mackenzie Coulthard and Tessa Coughenour, where they share what it's like entering the field after completing their Master's degrees. We discuss the tensions between creating warm, eclectic homes and economic forces, the parallels between Hood Feminism and sustainability movements (who gets centered vs. who gets left out), and the professional narratives we've inherited - like "it depends on the client" - that keep us feeling powerless.
This episode is an invitation to listen for the invisible systems that become visible in casual conversation. Part 2 will dive into their thesis projects and what they want to demolish and rebuild in the field.
Contact: Email: internalarchitecture.podcast@gmail.com Instagram: @internalarchitecture_podcast
Resources Mentioned: Note: In this episode, I use a doctor/patient budget analogy to illustrate Peggy Deamer's arguments about professional agency in architecture. This is my interpretation of her work, not a direct quote. I'm currently reading her books Architecture and Labor and Architecture and Capitalism.
- Deamer, Peggy. Architecture and Labor https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9780429325182/architecture-labor-peggy-deamer
- Deamer, Peggy. Architecture and Capitalism https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9780203499023/architecture-capitalism-peggy-deamer
- Kendall, Mikki. Hood Feminism https://bookshop.org/p/books/hood-feminism-notes-from-the-women-that-a-movement-forgot-mikki-kendall/0b59e0604ec65bd8
Meet Our Guests:
Mackenzie Coulthard is a Montana–based designer and graduate of Montana State University with a Master's degree in Architecture. She is interested in holistic design approaches that respond to human health, environmental responsibility, and natural resources. Originally from a small agricultural town in Northern California rooted in viticulture, Mackenzie brings a deep appreciation for land-based industries and rural life as she pursues work that aligns with her values.
Tessa Coughenour is a Montana–based designer and graduate of Montana State University, where she earned her Master's degree in Architecture. She is currently finding her niche within the field and has a passion for combining health and architecture—learning to design in ways that can heal and nurture our bodies naturally. Architecture can have tremendous impacts on people, and learning how to create beneficial and lasting effects is the journey she is on!