Members benefit from exclusive fireside chats with guest speakers in private rooms of less than 10 people.
CritRoom wouldn't be what it is today without the generous support and the contributions of the following guest speakers and critics. They have shown us that moving into tech is less a "transition" as it is equipping yourself with the relevant tools to (re)design the world for the better.
As someone with a multifaceted background in physical, digital, and architectural design, Jeff told his story to CritRoom members about how he came to realize his passion for solving complex logistical and communication challenges in different sectors and industries. He also touched upon current trends of AEC industry software and takeaways working for B2B products.
Preston gave a talk on “How I tried and failed to build a startup.” Once an architect, he took a turn to write code and to build a product he envisioned. He showed us the napkin sketch that kickstarted his adventures as a three-time founder and explained how at one point, he even learned a brand new language to pitch his idea. In the form of a fireside chat, CritRoom members deep-dived into what it means to build a startup and how it is different (and in some ways similar) to architecture.
In his presentation, “Architecture through Code,” Libo argues that “every architect should learn how to code.” Questioning conventional workflows, Libo initially approached coding to hack into the status quo and make changes. Since architects use computers to create buildings, by “speaking the language of computers,” they shape their tools—and that’s immensely powerful. His talk raised plenty of food for thought. When we have successfully automated all the tedious grunt work— how should architects and designers use their new-found freedom?
Moe gave a presentation on his own story moving from architecture into digital design. He candidly shared his experience getting his first product design job, his many interesting digital side projects that helped him advance in his craft, and finally, the mental algorithms that took place as he decided to take a leap of faith and create his own business — Monograph.
Speaking from his own experience, Bryan gave us a talk on the power of side projects. As an architecture school instructor, he noticed that students lacked high-quality, accurate CAD blocks to use in their design projects. This observation kickstarted a passion project to document objects, people, and animals exhaustively and eventually led to dimensions.com. Already running his own architectural design studio, his digital passion project grew into a monetizing side business in its own right, which sparked his imagination of how architecture business models can be revolutionized.
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🎁 An opportunity to give back to the design community, and good karma for being generous with sharing your experience and knowledge
🎨 Authentic intellectual connection with a committed group of smart and talented designers with a shared background!
🧚🏻 A magical experience—we always leave the meetup feeling very refreshed and rejuvenated, and we hope you'll feel the same way 🙂
💰 Honorarium — everyone's time should be respected.
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