ArtsDesign

I Would Prefer Not To

The Architectural League of New York

Why does an architect turn down a commission? What could change if we knew? An interview podcast series produced by MIT's Critical Broadcasting Lab sheds light on a necessary but understudied part of architectural practice.

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20 episodes
monthly
Avg 1 hr 2 min
English

Episodes 20

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S5 · E6
August 4 · 1 hr 3 min
Kate Orff
Tracing the history of the New York–based landscape and urbanism practice SCAPE, founder Kate Orff speaks to host Ana Miljački about authorship in landscape architecture, projecting desire onto a brief’s requirement, curricula as a means of engaging with landscape, and, of course, oysters.
S5 · E5
May 26 · 1 hr 13 min
LTL Architects
In this episode Paul Lewis, Marc Tsurumaki, and David J. Lewis of LTL Architects speak about the “productive oscillation” between academic research, speculative drawing, and the material realities of building that defines their practice; LTL’s trajectory from the “opportunistic” spatial inventions of early New York interiors to an existential focus on biogenic materialities and the climate crisis; and their publications that reorient both the classroom and the construction site.
S5 · E4
April 14 · 1 hr 10 min
Thom Mayne
In this episode, the founder of Morphosis recaps a career defined by “troublemaking” and discusses framing architecture as a collaborative, cinematic process, the shift from designing private residences to international competitions and federal work, and the particularities of working in Los Angeles.
S5 · E3
Nov 20, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
nARCHITECTS
In this episode, the co-founders of NYC-based nARCHITECTS discuss their mission-driven practice that engages with the community, resistance to architectural closure, their fascination with “almost buildings,” and the value of leaving room for misusers.
S5 · E2
Oct 16, 2025 · 54 min
Leong Leong
In this episode, the co-founder of NYC-based Leong Leong discusses world building, feedback loops between aesthetics and politics, and professional growth as a reflection of ego death.
S5 · E1
Sep 11, 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Hashim Sarkis
In the season five premiere, host Ana Miljački talks with Hashim Sarkis about the latent nature of optimism in practice, the difficulties of running an office across different continents, and how direct action leads to hope.
S4 · E8
May 29, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
MASS Design Group
In this episode, host Ana Miljački speaks with Christian Benimana, Patricia Gruits, and Alan Ricks, co-executive directors of MASS Design Group, about philanthropy in the design process, the political economy of building, and what is possible across different global contexts. MASS was founded in 2008 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. More than 15 years later, this global, multidisciplinary collective has over 200 members with offices in Boston; in Kigali, Rwanda; Poughkeepsie, New York; and Santa Fe, New Mexico.
S4 · E7
Apr 24, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
Nader Tehrani
In this episode, host Ana Miljački speaks with Nader Tehrani, founding partner of the Boston-based firm NADAAA, about the development of construction details; the political push and pull between architects, clients, and contractors ; and the importance of didacticism in designing architecture schools.
S4 · E6
Mar 18, 2025 · 45 min
Aziza Chaouni
In this episode, architect Aziza Chaouni discusses working with NGOs on heritage projects, balancing small-scale volunteer work, and crowdsourcing materials and resources to build project archives.
S4 · E5
Feb 27, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
LOT-EK
In this episode, host Ana Miljački speaks with Ada Tolla and Giuseppe Lignano, founders of the New York City-based practice LOT-EK, about ascribing value to waste, the vestiges of global circular economies, and the importance of love.
S4 · E4
Dec 16, 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
Lateral Office
In this episode, host Ana Miljački speaks with Lola Sheppard and Mason White of Lateral Office to discuss their work in the Canadian Arctic, architecture of expediency in rural areas, and the skill of deep listening.
S4 · E3
Nov 14, 2024 · 50 min
Deborah Berke
Host Ana Miljački talks with Deborah Berke of New York City-based TenBerke about loving projects like children, striking a balance between reverence and irreverence, and measuring a project against a mission statement.
S4 · E2
Oct 11, 2024 · 1 hr 6 min
MOS
In this episode of I Would Prefer Not To, Ana speaks with Hilary Sample and Michael Meredith of NYC-based MOS Architects. Topics of discussion include the complex intertwining of work and life, playfulness and the publication of process, feedback between academic culture and the world of practice, and collaborative models.
S4 · E1
Sep 13, 2024 · 56 min
Germane Barnes
In the premiere episode of season four, Ana Miljački talks with Germane Barnes about storytelling-as-design impetus, delivering on promises, and his skeptical relationship to emails, among other topics.
S3 · E6
Jul 19, 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
APRDELESP
Ana Miljački speaks with Rodrigo Escandón Cesarman and Guillermo Gonzalez Ceballos of Mexico City-based practice APRDELESP about their case studies, the creation of architectural institutions, and designing appealing “spaces of encounter.”
S3 · E5
Jun 17, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min
Architecture Research Office
In this episode of I Would Prefer Not To, Ana Miljački speaks with Adam Yarinsky, Stephen Cassell, and Kim Yao of Architecture Research Office about professional versus academic research, how adhering to pre-articulated values affects relationships with clients, and the benefits and drawbacks of being generalists.
S3 · E4
May 10, 2024 · 57 min
Jeanne Gang
Ana Miljački and Studio Gang founder Jeanne Gang discuss architects as the nexus of intersecting issues, advocating on behalf of animals as constituents, and growing one’s own building materials.
S3 · E3
Mar 11, 2024 · 1 hr 19 min
Colectivo C733
Ana Miljački speaks with members of the Mexico City-based group about the tumultuous nature of collective practice and a shifting paradigm in civic architecture.
S3 · E2
Feb 12, 2024 · 1 hr
Future Firm
Ana Miljački speaks with Ann Lui and Craig Reschke of Chicago-based studio Future Firm about expanding the role of the architect, absorbing risk, and how to respond when asked to do magic.
S3 · E1
Jan 16, 2024 · 47 min
Annabelle Selldorf
In the Season 3 premiere, Ana Miljački speaks with Annabelle Selldorf about how falling in love with projects can result in heartbreak, what it means to transcend style, and the limitations of typological experience.

Showing 1–20 of 20 episodes