Episodes

Margot Siegel was born in 1932 in Germany, and as a child, she went on to live in Paris and then New York, as her family fled from Nazi occupation. She describes herself as always being somewhat of an outsider, having experienced the shock of new countries and cultures, and then becoming an architect in a time where it was highly unusual to be a woman and an architect. She attended Pratt Institute, graduating with her architecture degree in 1955. Finding that others weren’t giving her the opport...

Do you want to start your own practice, but aren’t sure how to go about getting work? Ginger Tanzmann knows how you feel, and she asked herself those same questions. In 1978, Ginger had $20,000, two rooms in the Bradbury Building, and the passion to pursue her dream of owning her own architecture business. In this interview with Virginia (better known as Ginger) Tanzmann, FAIA, we hear the stories of Ginger’s long and illustrious career, including how she built The Tanzmann Associates from 1978-...

Today’s guest is Deborah Weintraub, Chief Deputy City Engineer for the Bureau of Engineering in the City of Los Angeles’ Department of Public Works. Deborah is the first architect and woman to hold the position, and in this role has overseen projects like the LA River Revitalization Master Plan and the 6th Street Viaduct, which is currently under construction. Through this work, she had made major contributions to the city and its future, applying her architectural background and training to eng...

Episode 10 features Ingalill Wahlroos-Ritter, Dean of the School of Architecture at Woodbury University and Director of WUHO (Woodbury University Hollywood) Gallery. Ingalill was elevated to the College of Fellows in the AIA this year, a high distinction awarded to only 3 percent of AIA members. She serves on the advisory board of the LA Forum for Architecture and Urban Design,* and previously was on the Board of the AIA|LA. Prior to her tenure at Woodbury, Ingalill taught at Cornell, Yale, the ...

This episode features Ena Dubnoff, an architect and artist who had a diverse career since graduating at the top of her class, and as the only woman in her class, from USC in 1960. Ena has her Masters of Architecture from Columbia, and throughout her career taught at Penn State, Sci-Arc and USC, and worked at the offices of William Pereira, A. Quincy Jones, and Skidmore, Owings, & Merril. She established her own practice specializing in projects for non-profit organizations, such as W.O.R.K.S. , ...

This episode features Elizabeth Timme, founder and co-executive director of LA-Más with Helen Leung. LA-Más is a non-profit urban design organization that helps lower-income and underserved communities shape their future through policy and architecture. During this episode, Elizabeth talks about LA-Más, and some of the exciting work they are doing in our city. Elizabeth and Helen were just named Emerging Voices by the Architectural League of New York, and Elizabeth is also part of the Re:Code LA...

This episode features Wena Dows, a residential designer who had her own practice in Los Angeles for over 60 years, after graduating from UC Berkeley in 1950. She talks about what it was like to go to architecture school in the late 40s, how she found work and then went on to build a successful practice and raise three kids. I believe that Wena has made the world I entered into a better place, and I am thankful to share her stories here with you. Wena has also formerly chaired the AWAF (Associat...

This episode features Sarah Lorenzen, professor and former chair of the architecture department at Cal Poly Pomona, partner at TOLO (formerly Peter Tolkin Architecture), Resident Director at the Neutra VDL House in Silverlake, and recently elected Director to the Board of Directors at AIA|LA. Sarah speaks about her education and background in architecture as an alumnus of Smith College, Atlanta College of Art (BFA), Georgia Tech (M.Arch), and SCI-Arc (M.Arch, MR+D) and took a one-year sabbatica...

Episode 5 of the XX|LA Architects Podcast features an interview with Nina Briggs, founding principal at THE FABRIC, award-winning educator, and creator of a documentary film “Practitioners”. “Practitioners” gives us a view into the diverse and extraordinary careers of women in and around the architecture community in Los Angeles, and sheds light onto these women’s undeniable impact upon our community. During this episode, Nina tells us about the film and her goals for the project. She talks abo...

Episode 4 of the XX|LA Architects Podcast features an informal round table discussion on the topic of starting a small architecture business. Architects and entrepreneurs Harper Halprin of HH Design, Luciana Tagliaferri of Tagliaferri Architects, and host Audrey Sato of Sato Architects discuss the ups and downs of starting their own practices, including topics like getting work, how we knew we were ready to go it alone, work/life balance, contracts, and diversification. Connect with us! HH Des...

In episode 3 of the XX|LA Architects Podcast, I speak with Barbara Flammang, partner at Killefer Flammang Architects. KFA was named the 2016 AIACC Firm of the Year, an award bestowed in recognition of the firm’s humanitarian work and their thriving company culture. Barbara shares her journey starting in 1980 with KFA, and how she and her husband Wade built an award-winning, equitable company that currently employs 66 people in Santa Monica. Barbara speaks about the importance of relationships, t...

In the second episode of the XX|LA Architects Podcast, I speak with Pooja Bhagat, Architect for the City of Santa Monica** and Chair of the Women in Architecture (WiA) Committee at AIA|LA. In this episode, Pooja tells us about the upcoming Powerful IV Conference, and how we can encourage equity in the profession. We discuss her interest in place-making, as seen in the Ocean Avenue South and Santa Monica Village projects she worked on at Moore Ruble Yudell. We even get personal speaking about her...

Welcome to the very first episode of the XX|LA Architects Podcast! I am so excited about this interview with Laura O’Neill, Senior Architectural Historian at GPA Consulting and Chair of the Santa Monica Landmarks Commission. In this episode, Laura gives us insight into what it’s like to be an architectural historian and public figure, and her strategies for interfacing with clients and the public. In addition, she discusses her management style and ways her company promotes a healthy live-work ...