Tangents by Out of Architecture

Jeffrey Yoo Warren, is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and crafter whose work explores themes of cultural heritage, identity, and community. Jeffrey shares his unique journey from studying architecture to finding his calling in artistic practices deeply rooted in historical research and traditional craftsmanship.

Through his residency at the Library of Congress, Jeffrey talks about the reconstruction of early Asian American communities and neighbourhoods, creating immersive virtual and physical models that invite viewers to experience and connect with these often-overlooked histories.

He also shares his passion for woodworking, papermaking, and learning traditional Korean crafts, allowing him to forge a tangible link with his ancestral roots and cultural inheritance.

Highlights:

• Embracing the personal and specific aspects of one's identity and cultural background can lead to a deeper, more meaningful artistic practice, challenging the concept of universality as a design goal.
• Finding joy and fulfilment in the creative process is essential, and recognizing when work no longer aligns with one's passions is a valuable lesson.
• Collaboration and building community connections, especially within diasporic or underrepresented groups, can foster a profound sense of belonging and inspire new ideas.
• Trusting one's instincts and exploring seemingly tangential interests can uncover unexpected paths to self-discovery and artistic expression.
• Preserving and reviving traditional crafts and practices can serve as a powerful means of reconnecting with cultural heritage and transmitting ancestral knowledge.

Guest Bio:
Jeffrey Yoo Warren (he/him) is a Korean American artist educator, illustrator, community scientist and researcher in Providence, RI, whose recent work combines ancestral craft practices and creative work with diasporic memory through virtual collaborative worldbuilding. He has spent years creating collaborative community science projects which decenter dominant culture in environmental knowledge production. Jeff is an educator with Movement Education Outdoors and AS220, and part of the New Old art collective with Aisha Jandosova, hosting art-making and storytelling events with older adults; he is also the 2023 Innovator in Residence at the Library of Congress for my ongoing project Seeing Lost Enclaves: Relational reconstructions of erased historic neighborhoods of color.
His current artistic practice investigates how people build identity and strength through their interactions with artifacts and histories, and the ways that objects can tell stories that people can be part of in the present.

In this episode, I spoke with Ozzie Gonzalez, Principal and Owner of P3 Consulting, (people, planet, profit) about his fascinating journey from architecture into environmental consulting. Ozzie has applied his architecture skills to help companies develop sustainability policies and embed social responsibility into their work.

We discuss how Ozzie got started in green building, and expanded into broader corporate strategy during the recession. He shared great insights on working with clients ready for bold change and bringing more creativity into consulting.

I appreciated Ozzie’s perspective on creating rich human experiences through his work. It was wonderful to hear how he lives out his values while guiding organizations to address problems in new ways.

Highlights:

• Ozzie was drawn to architecture as a way to create better human habitats after studying environmental science. He was especially interested in sustainability from the start of his career.
• He started by doing green building consulting for architecture firms before transitioning into teaching sustainability courses during the 2008 recession.
• Ozzie helped develop sustainability policies and standards for global manufacturing companies, allowing him to have impact beyond individual buildings.
• He looks for companies talking boldly about sustainability goals but struggling to meet them as potential clients.
• Ozzie aims to bring creativity into his consulting process through music, art, and playful activities to spark innovation.
• His goal now is helping people have the fullest human experience possible through his work.

Guest Bio:
Ozzie is an artist, a problem solver, and a change agent. Trained as an Environmental Scientist and as an Architect, Ozzie has spent his 25-year career journey dedicated to advancing the practice of sustainable and equitable development in communities throughout the US and Latin America. Using his background in the performing arts, Ozzie utilizes story, music, and narrative style to humanize even the most technical subject matter and capture the imaginations of clients and audiences alike.Ozzie has worked in the construction and design industry throughout his career. He has been involved in sustainable design projects, equitable contracting, and now owns his own consulting practice dedicated to helping clients implement strategies to confront the challenges posed by changes in technology, policy, and culture. In addition to running his own consulting practice—P3 Consulting—Ozzie serves as the Board President for Trimet, Portland’s regional transportation authority.

And if you're in Portland, Oregon, you can find Ozzie at the Trio Club on Tuesdays leading open mics and playing music!

On this episode of Tangents, Anamika Goyal, Director of Operations for Architecture & Construction at Riley Projects and OOA advisor, shares her experiences from working in more traditional architecture firms to innovative startups in the AEC industry (WeWork, Cottage, Riley Projects). Hear Anamika’s insights into leadership, management, and finding a career that fulfills a passion for building without leaving architecture.

Check out our show notes below where you’ll find recommended resources from Anamika! And listen to the end to hear Luis Velez, from the OOA community!

Highlights:

• Leader, Problem Solver, Connector
• Getting Started in Architecture Later in Life
• Reflecting Objectively On Your Career
• Out of (Traditional) Architecture But Still Building
• Managing Healthy Teams and People
• Fostering a Culture of Everyday Leadership
• The Right Amount of Autonomy Comes From Good Hiring Practices
• An Architect as a Starting Point

Recommended Reading from Anamika:

• Company of One - Paul Jarvis (Strategic ways to go out on your own)
• The Goal - Eliyahu Goldratt (If you love this book, you might love an operations-focused role!)
• Radical Candor - Kim Scott (Management aka helping your team reach its highest potential, with a focus on communication and individuals)
• High Output Management - Andrew Grove (Management aka helping your team reach its highest potential, with a focus on the business, professional development, and operations)

On this episode of Tangents, architect Manon Paquet shares her experiences transitioning from a traditional architecture office to a tech startup. Discover what can and cannot be challenged and changed when architecture meets tech, and how technology can be part of the answer to the housing crisis. If you ever felt like you wanted to improve parts of the profession but hit a wall, this episode is for you. Hear Manon share how she defends the craft but also when you know it's time to get out of architecture.

Highlights:

• Determined, Honest, Observant
• Getting a Foot in the Door with LinkedIn
• More than Architects in the Room
• What Is An Architecture Startup
• Using Your Time Where It Matters
• The Value of An Architect
• Change the Process In How You Build
• Architecture for the Other 99%
• Guiding Clients Through The Process
• Transparency and Knowledge Sharing to Save Time
• Making the Switch
• Many Different Hats

In this Tangents episode, we speak with ELLEN ABRAHAM, Chief Pin Officer at Architect Pins, one of our amazing OOA Advisors and Senior Project Manger and Co-Founder of Equity Design Lab @ SOM.

Highlights:

• SOM’s Equity Design Lab, which focuses on creating equitable and community-focused designs
• How architects have the power to be change-makers and make a positive impact on communities
• “Always Be Pitching” and how an entrepreneurial spirit embraces risk and failing forward
• Creating Architect Pins as a way for architects and designers to express and celebrate their unique journeys and values
• Staying true to yourself, embracing failure, and finding community to support your growth and success