The Second Studio Podcast: Interview with Greg Warner

The Second Studio (formerly The Midnight Charette) is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by Architects David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features different creative professionals in unscripted conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and personal discussions.

A variety of subjects are covered with honesty and humor: some episodes are interviews, while others are tips for fellow designers, reviews of buildings and other projects, or casual explorations of everyday life and design. The Second Studio is also available on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.

This week David and Marina are joined by Architect Greg Warner, Principal and Founder of Walker Warner Architects to discuss growing up in Hawaii and its influence on his professional career; co-founding his office and its growth; working in Hawaii; the responsibilities of a principal and the importance of leadership; his philosophy and approach to projects; and more.

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Highlights & Timestamps

Growing up in Hawaii (00:00)

Developing an interest in architecture (06:00)

Post graduation and co-founding Walker Warner Architects (18:41) 

Greg’s working partnership with Brooks (31:21)

Design processes within the office (36:38)

If you think about drawing a window and taking the time to draw your lines from one corner to the other, your thinking process is very different than picking a window from a [computer program] menu. It’s a powerful thing to move quickly, but sometimes that’s not always the best. It’s not a “right or wrong”. It’s just being aware of, in the art of architecture, what it takes to get to the best solution. (40:07)

Office growth (54:00)

Working in Hawaii (01:01:46)

Design philosophy (01:16:50)

[Being an architect is similar] to those food shows where all the chefs line up and the clock has an hour or so. You look into the pantry, there’s a whole bunch of great ingredients, and you try to make something out of them for the main dish. that’s kind of what we do. We seek out really good clients and good ingredients. Then we try to figure out what it is we want to make. (01:21:00)

Running a practice and the leadership roles (01:30:11) 

When I was in school, I was like, “Oh my gosh, you’re the professor of that studio!” [I felt I couldn’t] get near them because the intimidation factor, for me… It’s the same old thing [in an office, but as a principal,] you have to think the other way. It’s my responsibility to be say to folks in the office, whether they’re new or have been there a long time, that this is who I am or, “How are you doing?” (01:31:39)

There is that undescribed chemistry or unplanned circumstantial way that you see something or say something that doesn’t translate in Zoom or anything. The sooner we get back to that, the better. It doesn’t mean that we’d have to be there all the time like we were, but in the creative world of how we do things, I think it’s really important. Particularly the earlier-in-their-career folks who just don’t have the opportunity to be side by side with senior-level or experienced people… there’s a big question mark in that regard, as to what they’re losing out on as much as anything. Again, that gets back to the responsibility of leaders and being in the office. (01:33:39)

Check out The Second Studio Podcast’s previous editions.