"You Are Here” explores issues affecting our world not from behind our desks but from our personal experiences as people living, visiting and working in cities around the world.
Lockdown on One Street, Rave on Another: Establishing Egalitarianism in Beirut

Growing up in Lebanon, I had the chance to experience a variety of urban spaces. Hailing from a small mountain village, space meant intimacy and virtue; while frequenting Beirut city as a teenager, space meant protest and expression. Lebanese people often joke that one street in Beirut could be on military lockdown while the neighboring […]

Happiness: The Foundation of Human-Centric Design

Happiness is a universal goal for humankind. Happiness, as an emotion, is vague and personal– because there are so many ways to describe it.  It depends on the individual, and yet, there are consistent, universal truths. We pursue it as if it were the holy grail– and yet, it is quite accessible, like air, but […]

CRTKL Celebrates Black History Month: Black Voices in Architecture Throughout History

This guide was created to explore the legacy of prominent Black voices in architecture and discuss racism, social movements, and civil rights as they manifest in the built environment at the intersection of housing, transit, density, urban development, decay and discrimination. Note: For any books or media where a purchase is necessary, please consider using […]

#Justice: Carrying a Moment into a Movement with Anna Leach

Voices and Perspectives is a series from CallisonRTKL to elevate the perspectives of our people. We are grateful for their commitment to facilitate and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusivity in our firm and beyond. Today, we’re talking to Associate Vice President Anna Leach about her commitment to bringing conversations of injustice beyond an explosive moment […]

An Ally to Diversity: The Importance of Fostering Inclusivity with James Lai

Voices and Perspectives is a series from CallisonRTKL to elevate the perspectives of our people. We are grateful for their commitment to facilitate and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusivity in our firm and beyond. Today, we’re talking to Associate Director James Lai about his commitment to being an ally of diversity and fostering inclusivity amongst […]

With Compassion Comes Understanding: How Local Volunteering Fosters Community

Roughly twice a week, I find myself working a shift in a basement kitchen, helping to cook thousands of meals a week. I have 30 years of professional experience as an Interior designer. What’s going on here? Like most people, my COVID experience has been up as well as down. Alongside strict restrictions and curtailed […]

Much Ado About Zoom: Curving Burnout with Porsche Ellison

Voices and Perspectives is a series from CallisonRTKL to elevate the perspectives of our people. We are grateful for their commitment to facilitate and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusivity in our firm and beyond. Today, we’re talking to Project Assistant Porsche Ellison about the necessity of human connection in a time rife with uncertainty.  Porsche […]

The Only One in the Room: A Conversation with Lucy Baraquio

Voices and Perspectives is a series from CallisonRTKL to elevate the perspectives of our people. We are grateful for their commitment to facilitate and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusivity in our firm and beyond. Today, we’re talking to Vice President Lucy Baraquio about her experience as a queer woman of color in the AEC industry. […]

Inspiring Humanity in Mental Healthcare: A Q&A with Dan Thomas

With over 25 years of experience in healthcare design and planning domestically and internationally, Dan Thomas knows healthcare. Today, in celebration of World Mental Health Day, we speak to him about the importance of maintaining patient humanity in the face of mental healthcare in a global pandemic. What is the personal importance of mental healthcare […]

Mental Health by Design: A Q&A with Pablo La Roche

Pablo La Roche is an associate vice president in CallisonRTKL’s Los Angeles office and the firm’s Performance-Driven Design leader– implementing sustainable design in projects worldwide. Today, in celebration of World Mental Health Day, we speak to him about the importance of embedding mental health care in architecture itself. What is the importance of mental health […]

C R O S S R O A D S: A Conversation with Founders Michael Friebele and Kyle Jeffery

Crossroads (n.): A point at which a crucial decision must be made that will have far-reaching impact, a new series and partnership from CRTKL We are witnessing a rapid change in our society like never before in human history. As a result of dire consequences to many, times like these drive humanity to evolve. It […]