Episodes

  • Episode 32: Interview with Environmental Artist Joan Baron

    Episode 32: Interview with Environmental Artist Joan Baron
    Dec 17 2025
    Environmental Artist Joan Baron has long been interested in earthen materials. She is currently obsessed with adobe and making earthen ovens or hornos as a way to empower everyday people to not only make their own food, but build their own earthen oven too! She, along with artisan Clint Plecas (who was a previous guest on Tea with Taz), lead adobe workshops teaching everyday people how to make adobe bricks and how to build with them. Making your own earthen home with adobe, Joan believes, could be an answer to the housing affordability crisis young people are facing. We also talk about the role of art in the built environment and how it can be used for placemaking. You won't want to miss this conversation with Joan, who is a powerhouse of an artist, community builder, and activist!
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    41 mins
  • Episode 31: Interview with Local Real Estate Developer Ryan Hilbun

    Episode 31: Interview with Local Real Estate Developer Ryan Hilbun
    Oct 16 2025
    What does a real estate developer actually do? Ryan Hilbun, a local up-and-coming Phoenix developer illuminates the inner workings of the development world in this podcast. He tells us what matters to developers and how they make decisions. (Hint: It's not always JUST about the bottom line.) We also talk about Ryan's passion for Placemaking and how it impacts the work he does.
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    44 mins
  • Episode 30: What is Trauma-Informed Design?

    Episode 30: What is Trauma-Informed Design?
    Aug 25 2025
    Everyone has gone through some level of trauma, but some have to deal with more serious trauma than others - think of people who have lost housing in a natural disaster or war, people recovering from domestic abuse or hospitalized patients. These may be examples that don't apply to you but designing with a trauma-informed approach benefits everyone! RJ Millhouse, Assistant Professor at the ASU Design School, breaks it down for us and explains how trauma-informed design is a thoughtful approach that would improve design for all demographics.
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    45 mins
  • Episode 29: All About Building with Adobe with Clint Plecas

    Episode 29: All About Building with Adobe with Clint Plecas
    Jul 17 2025
    Although adobe is an ancient building material that likely originated in the Middle East, it has a uniquely Arizonan dimension in that our clay-heavy soil is perfect to make sturdy and beautiful adobe bricks. Clint Plecas, an adobe craftsman, gives us an overview of this natural building material, its origins in Arizona, it's rich history, how to make it and how adobe is used and made in modern times.
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    58 mins
  • Episode 28: A Conversation with Prof. Phil Horton on how Design Education is Changing Amid Political Upheaval

    Episode 28: A Conversation with Prof. Phil Horton on how Design Education is Changing Amid Political Upheaval
    Jun 18 2025
    Join us for a timely conversation with Clinical Associate Professor of Architecture Phil Horton about how the recent changes in federal funding and policy are impacting The Design School at Arizona State University along with the positive and sometimes challenging impact of eliminating barriers for students who want to study architecture. Phil also tells us about the innovative joint studio he's been running with the architecture program at the An-Najah National University in Nablus, Palestine and how this collaboration has become more relevant yet more uncertain than ever.
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    56 mins
  • Episode 27: A Conversation with Arizona's State Historical Preservation Office

    Episode 27: A Conversation with Arizona's State Historical Preservation Office
    Apr 8 2025
    Kathryn Leonard is one of my favorite leaders. She has been serving as the Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer for nearly nine years and the agency is better for her courageous leadership. Listen to us geek out about historic preservation in Arizona and how stressful it can be, but when it works, how rewarding it is. We talk about some big questions that the field of preservation is facing - such as who's history is being preserved, should we be rethinking the idea of historical integrity and how can we get young people interested in preservation? One of Kathryn and her team's biggest efforts during the year is putting on the annual Arizona State Historic Preservation Conference which is happening in Phoenix this year. Everyone is welcome. You can register here: https://www.azpreservation.org/confer.... Kathryn also talks about the the Arizona State Historic Preservation Plan update which is an opportunity to address the big questions of preservation and to forge a new, more inclusive, path for historic preservation in Arizona.
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    52 mins
  • Episode 26: An Overview of the 2025 Architectural Film Showcase with Steve Weiss

    Episode 26: An Overview of the 2025 Architectural Film Showcase with Steve Weiss
    Mar 27 2025
    The Valley's resident independent film screener Steve Weiss (No Festival Required) tells us about the three films he's chosen to show at this year's Architectural Film Showcase. He tells us about the wonderful spaces he will be screening the films in and the star-studded (local stars at least) post-film discussion panels he's put together. Here are the films, times, dates, and locations. You can buy your tickets at www.nofestivalrequired.com "The Hollywood Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story" April 9, 2025, Walter Studios, Doors at 6:30pm, Film at 7:00pm "beadlearchitecture - A Film by Suzanne D. Johnson" April 13, 2025, 3rd Street Theater at Phoenix Center for the Arts, Doors at 12:30pm, FIlm at 1:00pm "Light without Sun - A Film om Architect Jorn Utzon and Cas Lis" April 17, 2025, The Abbey PHX, Doors at 6:30pm, Film at 7:30pm
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    29 mins
  • Episode 25: Omar Bailey Shares His Journey as a Black Architect

    Episode 25: Omar Bailey Shares His Journey as a Black Architect
    Feb 17 2025
    Omar Bailey, a Senior Associate at the architecture firm Shepley Bulfinch, talks about how he got to where he is and how he found his strengths even though they weren't what he expected they would be in architecture school. Listen to this fun and informative conversation about how architecture professionals change and grow as they advance in their career and some of the additional obstacles minority architects have to overcome.
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    44 mins