I Hear Design: the i+s podcast

ICYMI: Swan Dive Design Studio Transforms a Sam’s Club into a Community Hub and Pickleball Destination

In this In Case You Missed It episode of the I Hear Design podcast, we revisit an interiors+sources article by Janelle Penny on Relish Food Hall + Pickleball, an 88,000-square-foot adaptive reuse project in Louisville, Colorado, designed by Swan Dive Design Studio. Once a former Sam’s Club (and briefly used as a community center after the 2021 Marshall Fire), the building has been reimagined as a year-round destination with 19 indoor pickleball courts, two outdoor courts, eight locally driven food concepts, a coffee shop, full bar, event spaces, conference areas, outdoor patio and game lawn.
The episode looks at how Swan Dive used zoning, circulation, acoustical separation, playful material references, and strategic indoor-outdoor connections to make a massive big-box space feel welcoming, human-scaled, and community-centered. It’s a story about adaptive reuse, design constraints, bold client trust and the growing role of experiential destinations in giving underused retail buildings a second life.

Product Talk | The Future of Textiles: Why Soft is Power

Textiles are no longer just a finishing touch—they’re a high-performance design solution. In this episode of Product Talk, Lauren Brant explores how textiles are shaping acoustics, wellness, and sustainability while influencing how people feel and interact within a space.
From antimicrobial and acoustic fabrics to the rise of tactility and wellness-driven trends like “soft-clubbing,” this episode breaks down why materials matter more than ever. Plus, a look at evolving sustainability standards, certifications, and smarter sampling practices.
Key Moments in This Episode
00:00 – Introduction: Why textiles deserve a second lookRethinking textiles as essential to performance, wellness, and storytelling—not just aesthetics.
01:30 – Soft is doing hard workHow textiles are replacing traditional building systems with acoustic, antimicrobial, and performance-driven solutions.
04:30 – The rise of tactility and wellnessWhy touch, comfort, and emotional response are shaping material specification.
06:00 – What is “soft-clubbing”?A cultural shift toward wellness-driven social spaces and how it’s influencing interior design.
08:00 – Behavioral design through textilesHow materials like bouclé, wool, and linen impact how people feel, stay, and remember a space.
10:00 – Sustainability to accountabilityWhy “eco-friendly” isn’t enough anymore—and what designers should be asking instead.
11:30 – Understanding textile certificationsBreaking down OEKO-TEX® and GOTS and what they actually verify.
13:30 – Rethinking material samplingHow platforms and take-back programs are reducing waste and supporting circularity.
15:00 – Craft vs. technologyThe balance between high-performance textiles and handcrafted, human-centered design.
16:30 – Design takeaways for specifiersKey strategies for evaluating textiles as functional, sensory, and storytelling tools.
18:00 – Outro: Spec smarterFinal thoughts on why textiles are now doing the heavy lifting—technically, emotionally, and environmentally.

Earth Month 2026: What the Sustainability Conversation Gets Right (and Wrong) with Robert Nieminen

What does sustainable design actually look like when you strip away the rhetoric? In this Earth Month episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen takes a thoughtful (and at times provocative) look at the state of the sustainability conversation in architecture and design. Drawing on reporting from interiors+sources, BUILDINGS, Architectural Products, and Building Design+Construction, he explores why the strongest case for sustainability has never been moral perfection, but better buildings: healthier, more efficient, more resilient, and better equipped for a changing world. From adaptive reuse and LEED v5 to embodied carbon, smart building controls, and resilience planning, this episode challenges both cynicism and climate melodrama while offering a more practical framework for progress.

ICYMI: From Classroom to Career: The People Who Shape a Designer’s Path

In this In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) episode, we revisit an interiors+sources article titled, "From Classroom to Career: The People Who Shape a Designer's Path," about the vital role mentorship plays in shaping the next generation of designers. While formal education builds technical knowledge, this conversation highlights why soft skills like communication, teamwork, and time management are often what determine early-career success. Drawing on insights from leaders at ASID, //3877, and FCA, the episode examines how mentorship can strengthen confidence, create meaningful professional connections, and help emerging designers navigate the path from classroom to career.

How to Build an Interiors Team From Scratch with Christina Franklin

What does it take to build an interiors team from scratch and make it a true strategic partner to architecture, not a “finishes at the end” function?
In this episode of I Hear Design, we sit down with Christina Franklin, Partner and Director of Interior Design at Generator Studio in Kansas City. Christina shares what it was like joining as a team of one and how she established the foundations that allowed an interiors practice to scale, which included defining a clear point of view, clarifying the scope of ownership, and embedding interiors into the design process from day one.
We also talk about what “hospitality-forward design” really means beyond buzzwords (translating it into tangible decisions like arrival sequence, lighting, and emotional resonance instead), plus the tools and standards that help maintain quality as a team grows. Christina also offers a candid take on AI as an early-stage ideation tool, how to gauge whether a team is truly healthy, and the leadership shift she calls out most: learning to release control and build trust.

ICYMI: Behavioral Health Facility Design: Begin By Balancing Safety, Dignity, and Therapeutic Outcomes

Behavioral health facility design requires more than durable materials and safety protocols—it calls for spaces that actively support healing, dignity, and positive patient experiences. In this In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) episode, we revisit a recent interiors+sources article exploring the foundational principles designers need to understand before planning these complex environments.
This episode looks at how treatment types, therapy methods, social dynamics, and levels of patient privacy shape design decisions from the outset. It also explores why safety and therapeutic outcomes are not competing priorities, but closely connected ones, and how thoughtful interior planning can help create environments that are both protective and humane.

Product Talk | Material Intelligence: Why the Future of Product Specification Goes Beyond Carbon with Kenn Busch

In this episode of Product Talk, host Lauren Brant speaks with sustainability journalist and material expert Kenn Busch about the growing importance of material intelligence in product specification.
As more architecture and design firms begin collecting materials data through initiatives like the American Institute of Architects Materials Pledge, designers are gaining new insight into how products impact human health, climate, and the built environment.
But carbon metrics only tell part of the story.
Together, Brant and Busch explore how chemistry, lifecycle thinking, and responsible sourcing—especially when it comes to forests and wood products—are shaping the future of sustainable specification in the A&D industry.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
Why “material intelligence” is becoming essential in product specification—and how designers can move beyond trends to evaluate products through chemistry, lifecycle impacts, and human health.
What the latest data from the American Institute of Architects Materials Pledge reveals about how architecture and design firms are collecting materials data—and where the industry still has work to do.
How forests and responsibly sourced wood products fit into the future of sustainable design, and the role designers play in communicating their value through the materials they choose to specify.

Mobility + Place (Part 2): Designing for the Desert with Ben Ayers and Hannah Hackathorn

What does it mean to design for place in a desert city shaped by rapid growth, rising heat, and shifting expectations around how people live and move?
In Part 2 of I Hear Design’s Mobility + Place mini-series, Robert Nieminen speaks with Hannah Hackathorn and Benjamin Ayers of Mancini’s Phoenix office about the realities of designing in and for the desert. In this conversation, we explore how architects and designers are responding to extreme heat with layered strategies for shade, landscape, airflow, and thermal comfort, while also rethinking water use, sustainability, and the role of regional identity in a fast-evolving metro area.
Hackathorn and Ayers discuss why climate-responsive design must begin with fundamentals like building orientation, form, and site planning; how outdoor transitions can become more humane and usable; and why authentic design for place goes beyond desert aesthetics to reflect culture, community, and long-term livability. They also look at the promise of mixed-use development, adaptive reuse, and greater density as Phoenix continues to grow.
In this episode, you'll discover:
How designing for extreme heat goes beyond HVAC to include shade, building orientation, airflow, landscape, and transitional spaces between indoors and outdoors.
Why thermal comfort in desert environments is as much about human experience and movement as it is about technical performance.
How water awareness shapes architecture through landscape choices, low-water fixtures, and the idea that in the desert, water strategy is design strategy.
Why authentic regional design should respond to climate, culture, community, and construction realities—not just rely on stereotypical desert aesthetics.
What fast-growing cities like Phoenix can teach designers everywhere about resilience, density, mixed-use development, and creating more walkable, livable communities.
How sustainability conversations with clients are shifting from certification and image toward long-term value, performance, and return on investment.
Why adaptive reuse and district-scale thinking may play a bigger role in shaping the future of desert cities than standalone buildings alone.

ICYMI: AIA’s Materials Pledge Report Reveals Progress—and What Comes Next

What does AIA’s latest Materials Pledge report reveal about the future of material selection in design? In this In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) article-read episode, we revisit an article recently published on the interiors+sources website titled, "AIA's Materials Pledge Report Reveals Progress—and What Comes Next." Listen in as we explore where firms are making measurable progress in human and climate health, how project-level data is shaping healthier procurement strategies, and why social health, equity, client education, and reclaimed materials remain important frontiers for the industry.

Mobility + Place (Part 1): Designing for the Passenger Experience with John Anthal

Airports are among the most complex public environments designers have to shape—high-traffic, high-stress spaces where operational efficiency and human experience must work together seamlessly.
In this episode of I Hear Design, we kick off the first installment of the two-part "Mobility + Place" mini-series with John Anthal, who leads Mancini’s aviation sector. Anthal discusses how airport design has evolved in recent years to focus more intentionally on passenger comfort, intuitive wayfinding, seamless security, thoughtful lounge experiences, and a stronger sense of place.
The conversation also explores how airports are increasingly functioning like mini cities, with integrated hospitality, transportation, and commercial offerings, while still needing to feel curated, welcoming, and distinct to their location. Along the way, Anthal shares practical insights that apply far beyond aviation, offering lessons for architects and designers working on any high-traffic, user-centered environment.