I Hear Design: the i+s podcast

The Anatomy of a Spec-Worthy Product dives into what really makes a product worthy of specification—beyond surface-level aesthetics and marketing claims. Host Lauren Brant breaks down the essential elements designers and architects need to evaluate today’s products, from certifications and documentation to material transparency, digital spec tools, and embodied carbon.

Drawing on reporting from interiors+sources, this episode explo...

In this ICYMI article-read episode of I Hear Design, we explore Radford University’s Artis Center for Adaptive Innovation and Creativity, an interdisciplinary, student-centered hub that brings the health sciences and the arts under one roof based on a recent article published by interiors+sources. Designed by Hord Coplan Macht in collaboration with William Rawn Associates, the 178,000-square-foot facility replaces siloed department...

When clients say they need a project to be “budget-conscious,” what do they actually mean—and how can design teams respond without sacrificing creativity? In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen sits down with Sophie Bidek, Studio Director of Vocon, a Chicago-based design leader whose work spans multifamily, mixed-use, workplace, boutique hospitality, and placemaking.

Sophie shares how today’s clients are approaching...

With hybrid work raising expectations for the office, which is now judged against the comfort and convenience of home, organizations are increasingly prioritizing better amenities and services for their workplaces. In this In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) article-read episode of I Hear Design, based on the article, "Designing Workplace Amenities: Create Experiences That Attract and Retain Talent," we explore why amenities have become ...

Emerging designers are stepping into a profession that looks nothing like what many were trained for—hybrid work has changed studio culture, and AI is accelerating everything from ideation to expectations. In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen sits down with Elisabeth Mejia, IIDA NY Chapter President and Office Design Leader, Interiors at HKS, and Paridhi Chawla, VP of Student Development for IIDA NY and a designer...

In this episode of Product Talk, host Lauren Brant explores what product engagement data reveals about the way designers are thinking, clicking, and ultimately specifying for the year ahead. Drawing on real behavior from the interiors+sources audience, the conversation uncovers the categories and qualities that held attention longest—and what those patterns suggest about evolving priorities in commercial design. It’s an insightful ...

As both a science and an art, acoustics can make or break the way a space functions. In this ICYMI article-read episode based on "The Art and Science of Acoustics," by Armstrong's Kenneth Wood, published on the interiors+sources website on Oct. 16, 2025, we break down the fundamentals of how sound behaves in interiors, why ceilings and plenums matter more than many teams realize, and how designers can align performance goals with r...

In this episode of I Hear Design, Gensler’s co-CEO’s Jordan Goldstein and Elizabeth Brink sit down with host Robert Nieminen to explore the firm’s 2026 Design Forecast and what it means for the future of the built environment. They discuss how the “6 in ’26” meta trends emerged from research across 33 practice areas and 57 offices, and why design agility and creativity are now strategic imperatives in an era of volatility and rapid...

In this ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) article-read episode of I Hear Design, we explore “microbiome architecture,” a next-step evolution of biophilic design that intentionally integrates plants and their microbiomes into commercial and institutional interiors. Based on the article by Rose Morrison published on the interiors+sources website, you’ll hear how plant systems can be designed to support indoor air quality, occupant well-b...

What does it really look like when a design firm leads with values, not simply as a slogan, but as an operating system? In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen talks with Perkins&Will Principal and CEO, Phil Harrison, and Lindsey Peckinpaugh, Principal and President, about their impact report, “Stewardship in Action: A Values-Driven Approach to Design.”

Together, they explore how “values-driven” design shows up i...

What do interiors+sources readers value most right now, and what does that reveal about where commercial interiors are heading next? In this year-end Editors’ Cut episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen is joined by interiors+sources Editor-in-Chief Carrie Meadows and Editor Lauren Brant for a behind-the-scenes look at the People’s Choice Projects of 2025, including what stood out across the broader mix of projects published...

Welcome to the debut of Product Talk, a new monthly series on the I Hear Design podcast hosted by Lauren Brant. In this first annual roundup episode, Lauren shares the top five most-viewed Product Picks of 2025, chosen by your clicks on the interiors+sources website, and unpacks why these products rose to the top of the year’s analytics.

You’ll hear what made each pick stand out for real-world specification and storytelling in comm...

Industrial designer and Luxxbox founder Jason Bird joins I Hear Design to unpack the design side of acoustic lighting—how soft materials, fixture geometry, surface area, and above-table placement can absorb chatter, clarify zones, and elevate “quiet luxury” in lobbies, lounges, F&B and guest rooms. He stresses designers as the true gatekeepers of the soundscape, and how acoustic lighting is a uniquely cost-effective tool becaus...

In this In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) article-read episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen opens with a brief update on the White House’s proposed 90,000-square-foot ballroom project, including preservation groups’ calls for a rigorous review process, a December 12, 2025 lawsuit seeking to halt the work, and reporting that a new lead architect has taken over the project in spite of calls from the A&D community to decline...

How are interior designers actually using AI—and what are they afraid of? In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen sits down with Guy Adam Ailion, co-founder and CEO of Mattoboard, to unpack the company’s new State of AI & Interior Design report. Based on a global survey of designers and architects, the findings reveal a striking paradox: AI adoption is widespread and many designers feel it boosts creativity, yet ...

In this In Case You Missed It episode of I Hear Design from interiors+sources, we revisit the article “Transforming Built Environments Through Trauma-Informed Design,” written by Carrie Meadows and originally published on August 12, 2025, on the interiors+sources website. Drawing on guidance from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the work of the Trauma-Informed Design Society, the episode ex...

How often do you think about the air your projects are asking people to breathe?

In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen unpacks why indoor air quality (IAQ) has become a frontline design issue—from post-pandemic health concerns and wildfire smoke to rising expectations for healthier workplaces. Unpacking insights from articles published in interiors+sources and BUILDINGS, along with recent research, Robert walks thr...

In this In Case You Missed It episode of I Hear Design, we revisit Jennifer Kenson’s feature, “Beyond Aesthetics: Biophilic Design & Neuroscience in Healthcare Spaces,” originally published on i+s. You’ll hear how biophilic design in healthcare goes far beyond adding plants or wood tones—it taps into neuroscience and concepts like the “collective unconscious” and prospect-refuge theory to reduce stress responses, support healin...

The hospitality market is recalibrating, and design teams are adapting accordingly. In this episode, Jill Cole, President of Cole Martinez Curtis and Associates (CMCA), returns to the I Hear Design podcast to unpack what’s changed since her last guest appearance in 2023: financing slowdowns and the rise of limited-service/extended-stay, why experiential design still wins, and how the hotel lobby is evolving into a multifunctional “...