Most Podern Podcast

If your city, office, or retail district feels emptier than it used to, it’s not just “remote work” or “online shopping.” It’s a deeper problem: digital convenience is quietly fueling loneliness—and the built environment is being forced to evolve. Winston Fisher argues the next era isn’t virtual-first…it’s a renewed fight for real-world connection.
Winston (Managing Partner at Fisher Brothers, CEO of AREA15) breaks down why the future is physical—and what developers, operators, and city leaders get wrong when they treat real estate like a spreadsheet instead of a living platform. You’ll hear how AREA15 was designed as “real estate as content,” why programming is the true moat, and how brand + technology + operations can turn a space into an “always-on” destination. He also goes deep on authenticity, uncompromising standards, and why playing it safe is the real risk.

https://www.fisherbrothers.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/winstonfisher/
https://area15.com/

Chapters00:00 – Programming as the Cure for Loneliness00:28 – Why the Built Environment Matters More Than 20 Years Ago01:56 – The “Future Is Physical” Moment (and Why Zoom Isn’t Enough)03:54 – Physical + Digital: The Overlay That Actually Works04:41 – “Real Estate as Content”: What Great Space Feels Like06:17 – Profit vs. Purpose: The Honest Economics of Real Estate08:47 – How Developers Decide the “Qualitative” Choices10:28 – Inside AREA15: The Original Bet and the Creative Thesis12:24 – The 30-Acre Campus: Art-Forward Entertainment as a New Category13:16 – Concrete Examples: Meow Wolf, John Wick, Barbie Cafe + More14:23 – The Big Surprise: Scale, Stitching, and Diversified Entertainment15:47 – Why Programming Became the Secret Weapon17:08 – Owner-Operator Advantage: Owning the Guest Journey18:15 – Brand as Real Estate’s Hidden Multiplier19:39 – From Box to Platform: Tech + Ops + Real Estate Working Together22:18 – Taking the Model to Other Cities (and What Must Change)24:18 – Why Being a Conformist Is the Real Risk29:28 – Authenticity Is Hard: The Internal Fight Against “Shortcuts”32:21 – Can AREA15 Work Outside Vegas (or Go Vertical in Manhattan)?37:10 – Fixing Downtowns: Cities Need a Vision Big Enough to Anchor41:09 – 30 Years From Now: A Healthier Relationship With Technology44:13 – The Algorithm of Humanity: Why Live Experiences Will Surge46:13 – Where to Find Winston + AREA15

Every year, 12 million tons of architectural glass from skyscrapers and office buildings ends up in landfills. Even though you diligently put your glass bottles in the recycling bin, only 30% of collected glass actually gets recycled back into glass.

Sydney Mainster, VP of Sustainability at The Durst Organization, is on a mission to change that. After watching hundreds of tons of perfectly recyclable glass from a 40-story building go to waste, she pioneered a partnership to recycle skyscraper windows across New York City.

In this episode, Sydney and David Entwistle (Director of Major Projects at Saint-Gobain Glass) reveal:
- Why glass is the ONLY material recyclers lose money on
- The hidden contamination problem that shuts down $40M furnaces
- How "sneaky sustainability" is making glass recycling standard practice
- Why interior office glass is the secret to scaling this solution
- The roadblocks preventing this from going national

Sydney and David are completely reimagining how we handle one of our most valuable building materials.

🔗 Connect with Sydney Mainster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smainster/🔗 Connect with David Entwistle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-entwistle-b51b2531/

Chapters
00:00 Circular Economy in Glass Recycling00:37 Roles and Responsibilities in Sustainability00:54 The Glass Recycling Challenge07:37 Understanding Architectural Glass vs. Container Glass16:15 Origin Stories of Glass Recycling Programs27:03 Collaboration and Learning in the Industry31:30 The Journey of Deconstruction and Sustainability33:37 Overcoming the Status Quo in Construction35:12 Convincing Stakeholders for Sustainable Practices38:40 The Role of Case Studies in Advocacy40:19 Scaling Challenges in Sustainability43:46 Looking Forward: The Future of Sustainability

What if a powerful climate solution in cities isn’t a new building, but the roof that’s already there? As heat waves intensify across Europe, architect and MIT-trained educator Olivier Faber explains how his firm, Roofscapes is transforming overlooked rooftops into cooling, accessible, green infrastructure. Starting with Paris’s iconic zinc roofs, the conversation unpacks why existing buildings are misaligned with today’s climate, how shading and vegetation can dramatically reduce indoor temperatures without air conditioning, and why renovation and adaptation may matter more than new construction in the decades ahead. Along the way, Olivier reveals the political, technical, and cultural battles behind testing climate solutions in historic cities, and why climate adaptation is about changing how we value the buildings we already have.

Thumbnail Image courtesy of Roofscapes
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Keywords
architecture, climate change, renovation, urban design, sustainability, Roofscapes, green roofs, preservation, adaptation, building practices, Paris, urban design, heat island effect
Chapters
00:00 Background and Journey into Architecture
00:51 Exploring Alternative Architecture Practices
03:52 Introducing Roofscapes and Its Mission
06:17 Physical Adaptation: Before and After
07:16 The Challenges of Zinc Roofs in Urban Design
10:29 Innovative Solutions for Urban Heat Management
11:34Pitching Green Roof Solutions to Building Owners
14:08 Navigating the Complexities of Building Regulations
17:14 Measuring the Impact of Climate Adaptation Projects
24:09 Future Directions for Climate Adaptation in Architecture
Links
Olivier Faber - https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivier-faber
Roofscapes - https://www.roofscapes.studio/MITx - https://mitxonline.mit.edu/

The American suburban dream is unsustainable—but we're not giving up on it.

David Kooris, Executive Director of the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority and lecturer at Yale, explains why sprawl no longer works as an economic engine and how we can retrofit existing suburbs to be more prosperous, walkable, and sustainable.

In this episode, we explore:✓ Why the suburban development model is fiscally unsustainable✓ How to transform aging strip malls into thriving town centers✓ The art of community engagement that builds consensus (not opposition)✓ Why making car-dependent places walkable has more impact than you think✓ Planning concepts everyone should understand about their built environment

https://www.wearecmda.com/

Chapters
00:00 The Impetus for Urban Planning00:00 Understanding the Role of Municipal Development00:00 Examples of Community Engagement00:00 David Kooris's Background and Insights00:41 The Importance of Long-Term Planning00:41 Retrofitting Suburban Landscapes00:41 Strategies for Community Improvement00:41 Engaging Future Residents in Development Conversations00:41 The Importance of Diverse Stakeholder Engagement00:41 Overcoming Community Resistance to Change00:41 Planning 101: Essential Concepts for Community Engagement00:41 Understanding the Complexities of the Built Environment00:41 Streamlining Community Engagement in Planning00:41 Innovative Approaches to Municipal Development00:41 Reflecting on the Current Era of Urban Planning

What hidden design choices make a 125,000-person festival feel effortless—and what happens when being off by just one foot throws everything into chaos? Why do some festivals become cultural icons while others collapse spectacularly? And how did one architect watching the Fyre Festival documentary suddenly realize, “I could do this a million times better”—and then actually go do it?
In this episode, Reiko Wei, design production manager at Goldenvoice (the team behind Coachella & Stagecoach), pulls back the curtain on the invisible systems, political negotiations, spatial puzzles, and human-centered decisions that shape the world’s most iconic music festivals. She reveals how a show built on 1200 acres needs precision down to a single foot, why the fire marshal has the ultimate power, how Gen Z is reshaping festival culture, and why physical spaces for real connection matter more than ever in a post-COVID world.
If you’ve ever wondered how a “giant party” becomes a safe, seamless, deeply human experience—or why these events still matter—this conversation will change how you see every festival you attend.
https://goldenvoice.com/
https://www.coachella.com/
https://www.stagecoachfestival.com/
Chapters
00:00 Understanding Coachella: The Festival Experience03:19 The Role of Logistics in Event Planning06:41 Reiko's Transition from Architecture to Event Planning10:10 Collaboration with Authorities and Stakeholders13:35 The Evolution of Coachella: Adapting to Change17:00 Designing for Experience: The Importance of Flow21:15 The Art of Curation in Festivals25:02 Shifting Audience Dynamics Post-COVID27:11 The Importance of In-Person Connections30:43 Navigating Loneliness and Community31:51 Reflections on the Current Era