Greetings from the ArcFluence Crew
The ArcFluence Podcast, hosted by Nick Karakaian, Paul Fatkins, and Nino Samardzic, explores the influence of architecture and design on our daily lives. From the way we live, work, and invest to the spaces we inhabit, architecture shapes our experiences in profound ways. This post delves into the recurring themes discussed on the podcast, providing insights into how design can enrich our lives and build a more sustainable future.
Nick: Welcome to the Arcfluence Podcast, where we talk about how design influences the way we live, work, and invest. I'm Nick Karakaian, along with my co-hosts Paul Fatkins and Nino Samardzic. Okay, guys, we are having our first podcast right now at this moment in history. It's a Sunday. We're at Paul's house and his office, and we got a pretty nice view of a retention pond.
Nino: Yup. Is it retention or detention pond?
Nick: Why don't you tell us about that, Nino? It's my favorite line that I used for the last 20 years whenever I don't actually know something and Nino has the answer. Alright, so this is an art architecture podcast, but we're going to talk about how design impacts the value of property, the function of property, the way we live our lives and how we can live a more fulfilled life and develop a more interesting culture, by thinking about design and implementing it in traditional new and interesting ways. Does that make sense? Yeah, it does. How long have we got? I think this is just gonna be like a get to know us. we've known each other for almost 20 years. Man.
Paul: When did we meet?
Nino: 2007. In my case.
Nick: That summer prior because we were both a resident assistants. I met Paul... a little before you made it to Kent. I think it was what, 2005 Paul?
Paul: I came in 2003. 2005. Well, so yeah, 2004 when we met, we were both RAs working for the residential services.
Nick: A job that I wasn't so good at. The only one I was bad at.
Paul: You came and asked me to be your roommate, you know?
Nick: Well, that's because you were the smartest student in the architecture program at the time and I was just joining I was a year behind I had to catch up.
Paul: Your resident if I recall, right?
Nick: They invited me to an architecture get together. You guys were having some cookout. it was just having a cookout. Gathering, okay. Yeah, first year gathering and I missed it. I'm coming from the Air Force. I was at camp previously for a couple years, but I was a business major. And, always loved houses and I, why not do architecture?
Nino: Actually my question to you, like why architecture?
Nick: The real story is really depressing because most people are like, ever since I was a young person, I've always been fascinated by design...
Nino: Go ahead.
Paul: You did drywall stuff first, right? Yeah. Did that scratch an itch?
Nick: Of course. I mean, I always loved houses. I got into construction at a young age, and I was drywalling in high school, and making some decent money in college. I remember one house, I was working for a builder and I was drywalling during the week. I was by myself in this huge house, probably about the size of yours, Paul. And this guy pulls up in a Jaguar and he walks in and kind of just, talks down to me, you know, so it says "hey, make sure you do this and don't forget about that," and I'm like "Oh, I'm sorry... who are you?" ..."I'm..."
Nino: ...an architect.
Nick: Nice to meet you. He was the architect. And I'm like, when I grow up, I want to be a jerk just like him. And he got into his Jaguar and drove away.
Paul: You're not making us sound too good here. We're here to help people not talk down to them.
Nick: I started meeting some of you guys, I realized that I was a little bit different than you. And I recognized immediately that you were one of the smartest kids in the program. I got to be friends with this guy.
Nino: Which is actually one of your best skills, recognizing talents.
Nick: But Paul didn't like me at first.
Paul: No, not really. Why? I felt, I was suspicious about him and how he acted. It's like that snake oil salesman kind of vibe. Oh, right. A little bit. Little bit.
Nick: Yeah. Adventure and Explorer!
Paul: No, no, I mean, you had that side to you too. Like you definitely, it was there, but hey... can I sit next to you during this exam?
Nick: I really appreciated how intelligent you were. And then comes Nino. I think at that point we were seniors. Because I came in basically your second year. I had to do first-year studio.
Paul: You met Nino during our junior year, right? he was there for a little bit already he went in. you went to the dean...
Nino: The first time we met it was, a fourth year studio, I believe. I arrived in the three tower before of that, I already get like two parking tickets. So I was lost space and time.
Nick: You were still learning English.
Nino: Yeah. so, and Nick, then Nick was the first one who approached me. I was curious. Yeah. He overheard the time from, from like a Serbia, Bosnia kind of thing. And he was in Croatia. He approached me and say, Hey, I'm Nick.
Nick: I like to hedge my bets. When we had to present our first project about a month later, I was blown away. the assignment was, I don't even remember..
Nino: It was actually, we have to choose one of the roughest environment and build sustainable house or it was a visitor center.
Nick: No, this was a prelude to the visitor center. Sustainability. And you were coming up with, how we have solar panels in the window panes and wind scoops and geothermal. You came up with a completely closed environment. I remember thinking this is what houses on the moon are going to look like. And I need to partner with this guy so we can build them.
Nino: Hey guys, have you watched the show all mankind? For all mankind, yes.
Paul: Is that the one where they have the base on the moon?
Nick: I've seen it, but I haven't watched it.
Paul: Watch it. If you're talking about moon bases, then you have to be in. It's right up your alley.
Nino: on Apple TV.
Nick: I have been watching a lot of television with my wife lately, and it's a big compromise. I don't get to watch anything I want to watch.
Paul: Hey, what I remember is I think Dalton wanted to hold you back. That's why I got confused whether it was later on. Yeah, it was later. But you went in and you basically said, listen, this guy knows what he's doing. You need to put him with us.
Nino: it wasn't Dalton was actually Maurizio.
Paul: Sabini. He was the acting dean at the time.
Nick: Maurizio Sabini was a head of the graduate department. They wanted to hold you back a year because of your English. Yeah. Not because of your skill or your education.
Nino: At the beginning I was interested in urban design. And the only spot they can actually give me was to go with third year studio and go for urban design. And, uh, I signed in, then you actually called me on the phone.
Nick: I couldn't believe it because he's clearly was like way, way behind where I was. I'm like, if I'm going on the graduate program, you certainly should be.
Paul: He was way behind, beyond everybody. It's like you looked at what he was producing compared to everybody else... it's like top of the class.
Nick:You taught in Bosnia?
Nino: Yeah. For one year.
Nick: I remember winning at Geography B in third grade about Yugoslavia going through civil war and you grew up in it.
Nino: Yeah. In the middle of the worst part of Yugoslavia, which was Bosnia they always call it like a Yugoslavia in a micro environment. Because you cannot really draw the line between different nationalities. Everything was mixed. you even have mixed marriages, the worst war. is a civil war. When you see neighborhoods dividing, putting lines between them, when you see the families, marriages falling apart because of this going on over the night, and unfortunately it wasn't really going over the night, it was boiling. Don't get me wrong, Yugoslavia was actually, even though it was a socialist country, was, uh, was never part of the Eastern Bloc, was the balance between East and West, uh, and, uh, it was actually used by both Soviets and the United States as a ground of compromise. When the Iron Curtain fell down on 89, the purpose of Yugoslavia was diminishing. And people just get busy with their own stuff. And the country start falling apart from the, from the inside. So, there is a lot of things there, history and all these things involved, economy, but yeah.
Nick: You typically open up about it when we're drinking. Yes. Um, so with all that going on in your childhood, when, you've always loved design. You've always told me you love design.
Nino: Why architecture? So, I was first like in a car design. when war started, I was only like a 13 when my family sent me to Belgrade, I grew up in a small town, suddenly I'm sent to my cousins in Belgrade, which is Two million people, giant city. And, uh, there was this like a design school and they have open competition between all kids. But there is this signing exam that you have to go for all schools. But I didn't know that for this school, design school was three weeks earlier comparison to all schools, because you have thousand applicants and they only accept 200 people. So I show up the last day of the exam and the lady looked at me. what are you doing here? I'm here to sign up for exam. You're three weeks late. Oh, snap. Is it? No car designs for me.
Paul: I knew you were into car design. This design school, is it all design?
Nino: All industrial design. I was just doing something that has drafting anything -- related to design --and my eyes landed on the architectural school, so I went for four years of the architectural school that I learned basic of draftings and architecture. After that, I enrolled in a college of architecture in Bosnia. This was in a Belgrade I returned back. I returned back to Bosnia and I enrolled in the school of architecture where I taught after I graduated.
Nick: Yeah, and which brings us back to Sabini's office I think Dalton was also kind of taken over at that point.
Nino: It was, but it was mostly Sabini actually holding the strings because Sabini was like -- your portfolio is good... ...but your English is horrible.
Paul: I think this wasn't that great. I mean, no, his English was really rough, too
Nick: Yeah, I look back and see myself and what I did next was reckless -- just like having the audacity to walk into the Dean's office and make these demands.
Paul: That's the adventure side. Yeah, that's why we love you, man.
Nick: Why don't you put him on my project? I'll help with the English portion of it. And he's going to add value to this program. And what was that competition we entered called?
Nino: Integrated Design or something like that.
Paul: Ohio Edison Design. Integrated design.
Nick: I told him that we would have one of the best projects in this competition if he let Nino come work with us. And we did.
Nino: It was.
Paul: a great experience, honestly. Did you ever say, "told you."
Nick: I feel like that would have probably been a card in my playbook, but I don't think I did. 13 years. Now I'm upset about that because during our, coursework, I had planted seeds for us to start our own architecture firm, before we even had degrees.
Paul: yeah, but to be fair, everybody talks about that in school, right? We're all young and hopeful.
Nick: Conquer the world! When I talk about something, I mean it.... ....So we're graduating with our master's degrees. Paul goes on to Cincinnati LDAP, which is one of the best schools in the country. I went back to Florence. I was planning for the next step. College was never like my golden years, I was always waiting for that next thing.
Nino: Like something tied between your wedding and graduation or moving to New York? Yeah. And Maurizio again was giving you a hard time. Maurizio comes
Nick: He remembered me busting into his office a couple of years earlier. And he's like, I'm going to get this little guy. I was getting married. So it was literally this and one week I got married. I graduated, I got married and then I moved to New York city. I went on a short honeymoon and then I went to New York City. That was my graduation week.
Nino: I was doing some rendering,
Paul: I think I blocked that time out for some reason.
Nino: You're in Cincinnati.
Paul: Yeah, I was far enough removed at that.
Nino: He was in my aunt's apartment doing some interior renderings.
Paul: Oh, so I see. I went away to Cincinnati and all of a sudden Nino got tapped a little bit, a little bit more. Hey buddy, can I come over for a little bit?
Nick: I do remember this though, because you were both in my wedding and I went to Sabini's office and I'm like, Hey, look, cause. He was my studio professor at that point. And he's like, if I need you to get an A. I had a 3, 4 in college. 3, 3 in undergrad or 3, 2, something like that. I wasn't like a great student, but you know. I remember telling him, I go, this is what, this is what I think we should do. Because I think changing this isn't going to have a very big impact. and I'm not doing anything else. if you need to give me a B because of that, that's fine. I just remember guiding that conversation. And guess what he gave me? I was expecting a C. He gave me a B. If he's listening to this, it has been 20 years.
Nino: after all these troubles with Sabine, you really have to prove yourself, especially if you're foreigner, because he came from Italy, but I did like, I forgot what was the, it was actually one of these, uh, research stuff I did. He gave me A, and then after the, like, uh, he, like, gave me the, the script, he asked me, like, uh, Can I use one of your materials for like a part of my presentation and stuff like, uh, will you allow me to do that? It was like, Oh yeah, no problem. So I was pleased that after all this trouble starting, we end up on a high note. And later on, whenever I asked him to give me like a recommendation for application for a job. He said, no problem. And I'll do that for you.
Paul: I had a few projects that were pulled and they do whatever with them, right? After the final's done, you turn in the project and they do the evaluation. But yeah, there's a few, projects that got taken I wonder if they still have them somewhere at Kent State. Maybe. Hey, there's my model from 2006!
Nick: Why don't we take a field trip? Go back to Kent State?
Nino: Yes, and do exploration.
Paul: Knock on the door. Hey guys, we want to see our models. Where are they? We want them back.
Nino: Do you know what was my satisfaction? It was like one of these younger kids get hired in Hasenstab. And he's like an approach to me, like after several months and he actually learned a little bit more about me and It was like, Oh, that's cool.
Paul: yeah, so that's good stuff. It's the same thing. It's like people in the program, like wanted to know who I was. And I'm just like. Who are you? how do you know? No, this is good.
Nick: Who's that person next to you always?
Nino: It's more like girls recognizing.
Nick: All right. So I kind of want to just stop us here for a second and say,
Paul: Well, we got to get .to my origin story here.
Nick: We're going to go back. It's like the movies where they fast forward and then rewind. So today we own an architecture firm together, and we do commercial, residential, all kinds of awesome stuff, and we're kind of just getting started. But we're finally getting to realize that dream that we talked about when we were in school together.
Paul: Yeah, and to be clear we're getting started with the firm, but we've been around for 20 years working on stuff.
Nick: Yeah, I started my company.
Gosh, it's been eight or eight years nine years now and I've I will was always in residential right and I always enlisted the both of you to help me Get the job done You guys have been doing You know, drawings for me for years and years and years and, and kind of, um, I've been moving us to this point. I finally, we're all in the same city.
Yeah, remember when thank you Nick. Yeah, remember when you were in Chicago, I was in New York and you were in Cleveland Yeah, and now we're all in Columbus now.
Nino: We are in Columbus. Thank to you. So that's your that's that Power you have to put good pieces together and run stuff.
Paul: Thankfully, we didn't listen to him at first.
he wanted us all in New York.
Nick: I think we could have made it in New York. If we can make it there, we can make it anywhere.
Nino: I was thinking the same thing. but no, it turned out to be good. I love Columbus.
Paul: I mean, stuff happens for a reason, right?
Nick: And just like Nino said, right now People from the coast are moving. Yes, the Midwest Columbus. Everyone has their eyes on Columbus. We just won the crew just won the championship for a soccer There we go. I mean we we're we're becoming we have infrastructure. We have the new Intel Coming in Different headquarters are now moving their headquarters to Columbus this year just tons of growth, population growth, a lot of exciting things happening. So with that said, let's go back now. I, you guys come to my wedding, I get married, I moved to New York. So we graduate, Nino stays in Cleveland and I pester him for years to come to where I'm at and let's start a firm together. Paul, you ended up going to Cincinnati.
Paul: They were going to give me money to go back to Italy, for another six months. loved it. It was great study abroad experience, but it's like, it's the same people. same, classmates, teachers, like what's new, what's different, what's challenging. Nothing. Right. So it's like Cincinnati gave me that release valve to explore and challenge myself and meet new people, make new connections and go to one of the top programs in the entire country. And it's like, not only did I get my education there, But they had their internship program. So I ended up in New York before Nick ended up in New York and I did my internship in New York. It was the first one out of the gate. then I went to New Mexico for a time where Nino came out. I did some rock climbing on the side of the mountain and said some prayers to the good Lord.
Nino: First time I ever climbed 75 feet. It was scary.
Nick: There was a lot of quivering.
Paul: You got about five feet up.
You can keep going. Yes, we got you. What was the fellow's name.
Nino: Who was actually holding me?
Paul: Rory, Bilocheck. Rory
Nino: He told me, like, if you could figure out 3D Studio Max, you can actually climb this thing.
Paul: It's like that movie with, uh, Baby Steps with, Bill Murray, right? It's like baby steps, baby steps. I can do it. Just baby steps. But anyway, he was inching up, inching up. And yeah, eventually you made it like 75 feet.
Nino: Around 75 feet and I was looking down and people were actually who was and this is Cliff Riot of the side of the road and people will actually stop with their cars and they're staring at me and I was like staring back at them and I was like a this is pretty... it was chilling experience.
Paul: Yeah, it was great. I got to go to New York and get wonderful experience there. Really challenged myself. Go out to New Mexico.
Nino: Something else happened in New York.
Paul: I know. Whatever happened in New York stays in New York. That's later in life. Are
Nick: We talking about you getting engaged or my 30th birthday party?
Paul: A lot happened in New York. the last one was in Ohio. So it was great stuff. I had a little like my introduction to architecture, right?
I was in high school I really wasn't that great of a student. I didn't know really what I wanted to do And then there was this student. I was great once I got into college and I woke up a little bit but in high school I'm like, this is all a joke.
Like I never studied. Not challenging. Like I'd show up and take the test and do okay. I never did homework. I never did anything extra. But, but it kind of bit me because when I discovered what I wanted to do, I'm like, crap, I need really good grades and, you know, really good background and math.
Nick: So that's why I started as a business major in college because I wanted to get out in the world.
Paul: So it was similar. I started in some other major, it might've been business, something like that. I did that for a year before I got into the architecture program, because Kent is still an okay school with decent criteria to let people in.
And so basically I had to do a year first and then get into the architecture programs, kind of similar to what you did, Nick. Um, but then once, I mean, once I was there, I was fine. Like I, I was studious. I got great grades. like I said, at first I didn't know what I wanted to do and I got introduced to CAD and drawing.
It was a design class and I had to draw these isometric images from the 2d shapes. I fell in love with it. Something about working with the spatial relationships from 2d to 3d. lit a fire. I got intoxicated.
Nino: I neverd heard this before. Did you know this?
Nick: I did. Paul, if you look around our office, You can see we have the plotter, we have the 3D printer. What's this thing over here?
Paul: It's another 3D printer.
Yeah, two 3D printers. it translated from 2D to 3D, all that spatial stuff. Awesome computer there.
Nick: For me, I was in the construction side of it, where I wanted to be in the field building the house.
So Nino, you stayed in Cleveland for 13 years. You started working on some big projects, leading some teams and kind of sinking your teeth into some sophisticated projects on the commercial side, which is Opposite of what I do
Paul: Have you done anything else besides health care?
Nino: I first started doing the schools like elementary schools I like about United States and whatever I say If I criticize some things about this country, it's because I want it to be better.
What I love about this country is that people recognize the talent, regardless. You know, it's like from country that I came from, you know, it's a war torn apart, and, uh, the biggest problem for every country surviving the war is corruption. And, uh, if you want to get the job, good job, you have to know the guy that knows the guy that knows the guy, or you have to be relative or something, you know, here, if you have a talent and you have good work ethic, and generally you're a nice guy, people love you.
You have very good chance to succeed. as soon as I landed my position to work like an intern. I was quickly assigned to my first big project, which was this elementary school in a very impoverished area in Akron. But soon after that, 08, 09 hit. And this was the first time I experienced, it was a shock for me because I'm very connected to people.
I'm freed from them and trying to give the energy back. But seeing my coworker being laid off, it was shocking experience for me. And that day we lost 10 people and suddenly all this educational work disappeared because Akron Public School System Didn't have funding anymore Then I switched to lab research so I start working on that and sooner or later my company they are actually the majority of clients are in health care And I always loved the big complex projects which health care is When you look in all these uses, I2Us, which is the healthcare, it's probably the most stringent, most complicated one, has all this special provision.
Paul: Hard enough doing retail, trying to make sure people get out. Can you imagine you're under the surgery and you got to make sure the person is safe getting out of the building?
Nino: Not only that, you also have to design heliopads
Nick: You recently took me into a hospital and we got to look in this room. Am I allowed to say this?
Nino: Go ahead. It's public now.
Nick: Yeah. So, you took me into this room and it had a door that was like, I don't know, two or three feet thick.
It was like a vault for the radiation.
Nino: Yeah. It's a linear accelerator.
Nick: Unbelievable like they had to spec everything out do interviews they're talking to people who are Manufacturing the equipment the doctors who are using the equipment I'm looking at this process and how it's a lot more complicated than picking out countertops for your luxury home.
Paul: What color do you want? Granite quartz. It's a little more complicated.
Nino: That's a good thing. So I have it. They really start putting in giant projects, very big project.
I was also in behavior healthcare, which is kind of sad experience, good experience, but at the same time kind of, I love doing them, but at the same time I visit one of these facilities and I was like, uh, I was struck how How less we appreciate the mind health, you know, like our mental health, we all like, uh, looking like, uh, because it's not visible thing, you know, we'll look like, uh, Oh, he broke his leg or he has a cancer or something.
You know what I'm saying that you can more relate and we always look in a mental health from the perspective, you know what, it's, it's just like, uh, it's still like, uh, people have different opinions on it. And when I, when I visit one of these facilities, it was actually, uh, I forgot what was that place down south from Akron and it was a state facility really, you know, strike me like, uh, how cool.
How important role now you have designing architecture for these peoples? Because there is no one unified formula, so all these people have different mental issues and you have to design the space to fit them all. And also to, like, you know, put them, you know,
Nick: You know, unless you have that first hand experience you don't really think about it
Nino: appreciate the people that do putting themselves to help these people, and many of them is just mystery of the brain, you know?
Nick: I mean, I think we're seeing a new kind of Era of architecture even in the residential side where this accessibility, right?
So it's like it's not like oh, we're ADA standards It goes almost beyond that beyond that. We're talking about just the aging community accessibility in general even taking into account how you feel like if we're furnishing a short term and midterm rental We're being thoughtful about the wall colors that we're choosing Um It's really kind of impacting the way we live in terms of how can we not just add value to the property, but how can we add value to our lives and the experience you have when you're in that space.
Nino: lives. Because when you see. Data, majority of our time we spending in close space.
Nick: Alright, let's get back to you Paul. I want to know about your journey so you go to Chicago, you start working on some big residential projects, towers and...
Paul: Out of Cincinnati, right. I was like, okay, where am I gonna go? I want a larger city with opportunity. So I started looking at New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, um, New York.
But the offers weren't good enough. It wasn't me. I got offers from a few different places. you got to pay the bills, right? You got to survive. So Chicago was, a major city, With a lot of opportunity and people and population density.
So the pay was just above and it was 15,000 over, everywhere else right out of school it was a very attractive offer. How can I pass it up? And this was a big firm.
Yeah. It was like 200 people in Chicago, a couple hundred people in, San Francisco. Yeah. Yeah. And then they had, they expanded when I was there. They grew an office in Washington Boston. I think they started one in New York. And then they had like a little offshoot like out in Honolulu. So I mean like massive firm and yeah, we were doing high rise residential.
That was the bread and butter. I did a little bit of institutional stuff with universities. and airports. but the bread and butter was the high rise residential stuff.
Nick: You had a knack for laying out small apartments and I living in New York designing luxury apartments, right after I left Google, I got my contractor's license, my real estate license, and started designing kitchens and baths. That was probably the first time where I'm like, okay, I'm an entrepreneur and I was offering design services and construction services, which was not too common for a smaller operation.
Paul: I think at that time you were kind of leaving me alone. what program are you even using? It was something on some web based application.
Nick: A kitchen app and it was specifically for kitchens. Gosh, that was so long ago. it was like, it was Giza. But I do remember picking your brain and you were helping me work out some stuff. And then eventually you started drawing this out for me. Cause I didn't have the time anymore.
Paul: I think you sent me something from Giza and I was just like, what is this? Oh, I can't afford rabbit. Yeah. I'm just doing whatever program I have access to.
Nick: Well, the main thing about Giza is I used that when I was designing furniture.
for Google, I did corporate interiors for a couple of years and I laid out office cubicles and all kinds of things. that translated into the kitchen and bath worlds. you can specify appliances. Cabinetry, all this other stuff. So it was a little bit different, but more friendly especially if you're selling products because they can track all these parts and pieces as well.
but no, it wasn't a full set of construction documents that we could submit for permitting.
Paul: Yeah. just the design side of things, right.
Nick: The intent of what you wanted, but not necessarily the approval for the city, which is where you came in. As my job started getting more sophisticated, you started helping me with this.
Paul: Yeah. obviously we completely retooled everything you were doing because like I said, as soon as I got what you sent me, I'm just like, no, I even remember you were initially sending me sketches of stuff. you had a notebook. I think Nino got a few of them too from, you gave some projects to him as well.
Nick, this isn't adding up. Not only is it not adding up, it's not even like, it's not even drawn right. It's like, where's this?
Nick: I remember, we would measure a house with the tape measure. And, I would go home, I'd pour a glass of wine or a beer, whatever it was at the time, and I'd just start drawing what we sketched out that day.
And I'd get, and I'm having so much fun, oh, 10 feet 3 inches, and I'd just go through the whole thing. I'd get to the corner, and it would never line up, not once. It would just, they would never connect, which by the way, I think this is going to segue into an episode down the road here where now, of course, today we use a 3D scanner, you know,
Paul: We use 3D scanning.
Yeah. Yeah. I remember it's like, I would send you back out there. I'd be like, you know, no, go back and remeasure because this doesn't work. So bad. It's like, are you sure? I need, yes, you need to. Don't even ask me. Are you sure? Yeah.
Nick: There was a lot more work back then. I do like technology.
Paul: It's like the residential stuff was, right up my alley because that's what I was doing on a daily basis. the other thing that made me attractive to the firm in Chicago is the rendering stuff. I think that's, you know, and I have something in common there. So we were able to visualize all this stuff for everybody and, that's priceless to people. The millions of dollars of projects that, I helped win for that firm is, I mean, like every single project I pretty much helped with. But you put
Nino: ...Another level, like you started using drones and all these technologies It was amazing.
Paul: I was constantly looking for the animations, yeah, visual visualization stuff.
Nick: So you guys stayed at large firms just honing your skill sets, stacking your skills...
Paul: Learning the ropes. Right.
Nick: And now you're teaching people, you're running teams and these big firms.
Whereas I, I never went to a big firm. after Google, I went on my own.
Paul: and keep in mind, I had my internships too. So I had, A really small, tiny design firm is Vito Conci in New York, which was like crazy off the wall stuff. It's like adult content stuff. I thought it was like, you're not allowed to talk about it.
Nick: You can talk about it. We can talk about, we can say whatever we want. Yeah.
Paul: Let's keep it family friendly. I mean, there's some disturbing, look him up. He's in MoMA I remember that off the wall stuff.
So that was very interesting. And then I had a smaller firm in New Mexico. There was like 20 people there. And then I've worked for small firms in Ohio
Nick: I'm living in New York city about 10 years now. I'm begging you guys to come to New York.
You're not coming because you're starting to get more money in your jobs. You're starting to have families at this point. We're all married. and I get an offer on my house in Queens, New York from a developer to buy this at overmarket value. we negotiated a little bit and I'm like done.
So I'm kind of at the point in my life where I'm like, okay, Anything I buy in this neighborhood I'm just gonna be trading for equal value, right? I wanted to stay in New York. I loved New York City. I've been in Columbus now for over six years.
Paul: I was shocked when you were like, we're leaving, we're going somewhere else.
Nick: Okay. And I'm just now calling Columbus my home, which is crazy. Cause that's how proud I was to be a New Yorker. But, I sold the house. we made a killing on it. Somehow we managed to buy a house in 2011, 2012, sold it for twice as much.
So I have a little bit of cash in my pocket for the first time paid off all my debt. And we decided, We're going to move, we're going to travel and see what's out there. we bought an RV, we investigated a number of different cities. Of course, I'm in Seattle Denver and Austin.
And Sarah and I are just having like, Oh, this is going to be so fun.
Paul: RV, right? Yes. I remember the Christmas car where it's like. Crapper's fool.
Nick: Verbiage is #*@3 full.
Paul: Paul #*@3 full, you were in your bathroom. I think in the picture, it was like a Christmas vacation.
Nick: cute card. I'll have to dig that up and send it to you. Yeah, I almost
Paul: Now I remember. We'll post it on our Instagram if you find it.
Nick: Okay. So I put in some offers in Portland and all these places, but I quickly found that, and I'm doing all these research on days of sunshine, like what's best for me and my wife to start this new chapter of our lives.
We find ourselves in Columbus, Ohio, where my other best friend, Danny was living in Columbus, and we ended up finding a fourplex that we went into contract on and bought. our plan was, we were staying in our RV in a campground and our plan was just to get this fourplex up and running, get it rented out and then move on to the next city.
That was going to be my life. I was just going to travel, buy a place, fix it up, get some renters in there and move on. We didn't move on. We ended up staying here. And then it became my goal, I quickly realized that, hey, I need to do something with my time I fix up these properties.
I wanted to create some active income on top of my real estate investments. So now I'm begging you guys to come. I'm like, we're ready. we're ready to design houses. We're ready to start our own firm for real. Like we've dreamed about in college. and Paul, you were the first person to move to Columbus.
Paul: It was great working for the firm... the variety of projects, the variety of locations. we worked everywhere. had towers all across the country, even out in Hawaii. at the end of the day, it was a grind, right?
You're, you're that car and it's a big, big firm and you're feeling like a cog in the system. Not getting the attention you deserve and the respect you deserve. No matter how much effort you put into it, it's like the feedback you get. It's like, good job. Keep doing your stuff.
Nick: Well, I'm going to argue with you because you love to work hard. Both of you do, and that's why you're my best friends. I like hard workers, but I mean,
Paul: at a certain point that breaks down, right? You need to get a little more recognition because it's like you're pushing constantly to develop and grow. And you almost, I started to feel like I was getting held back
So it's time to go again. explore, find new challenges, new horizons, and new things to take on.
Nick: And you didn't foolishly move to Columbus without a job. you moved with a great job offer at another big firm where you could grow and get licensed and how many states do you license it now?
Paul: There's 16 or whatever, lost count at this point, and I have to maintain all of them, which is the fun stuff.
Nick: I see those bills come through and I guess I don't know how much that costs.
Paul: Everybody wants to cut out a pie. Yeah, Larson was a good firm to work for.
You know, yeah, they were on the larger side, but like the office here in Columbus was smaller. And like you said, it was, it was another opportunity for me to grow and develop and then actually start leading teams and mentoring them helping them progress in their careers.
Right? And so again, it was like amazing opportunity and you know. it just made sense to make the move. Like, it's like, why should I stay here in Chicago? Even though salary is decent, we're living an okay life. in a great city. Everything is, you know, fine. It's not, not like we're like in desperation to go somewhere else.
But at the end of the day it made the most sense.
Nick: Also you were privy to what these small commercial projects cost and what architecture firms would charge for some of these projects, which would be. Huge late, a couple of years later when we started our own thing.
Paul: Yeah. when I made the decision, like I told you you're like. What? I was,
Nick: I was surprised. I was exhausted by asking you to come to Columbus. I
Paul: was exhausted. Yeah. I came for an interview and stayed at your place when I did the interview here.
And um, so like you were somewhat aware of it, but when I told you I was considering moving, you were shocked, And then when we got Nino,
Nick: the whole earth was shaking. I knew once I got you, I would get Nino. Nino was just a matter of time because the three of us bring in very different dynamics to the table, which is why we're experiencing success.
Nino, when did you end up coming to Columbus?
Nino: Pretty much similar to Paul, feeling the same thing. almost like you reach the ceiling and, for me it was the easiest thing because I'm only like two hours away from Columbus, I'm already in Ohio, so if you guys can sacrifice that much.
I can sacrifice a little bit and join you guys. And, I will start missing the friends, even you guys coming to our place
Paul: Uh, only a couple of times
Nino: Exactly. We get busy with our lives.
Nick: Every Sunday and watch F1.
Nino: Yes. And you can talk about that a little bit later.
Car design coming back. Yeah. And, It wasn't that easy. I was so ready. And my wife was so ready. She was even ready than I am. And once again, get an offer in a good firm and similar to Paul now get opportunities instead of to be like a.
Part of the big members, like, just one moving part. Now I'm suddenly leading the team.
Paul: You're the one building the machine.
Nino: Exactly. and you learning something new, which is like, management, I'm project manager now. Where you're actually learning not only about the architecture itself, but communication with the client, which is key.
Then managing the financing of your project, your project performance. So, and also another key thing is actually building the team, communication with the team. You have multiple things running on when you have different heads and changing every day. in order to communicate with all pieces and parts, different mentalities, the different aspiration between team members.
So that was really like a challenging things. But another really important thing is just be close to our bodies and diving into the something new, which is now becoming our influence.
Nick: It has become ArcFluence.
Paul: ArcFluence
Nick: So we're here, so basically
Paul: Long path, but...
Nick: we're here.
Yeah, it only took 19 years.
Paul: Point now where initially you were like, oh yeah, let's start something.Ccan it be an architecture? Can we register with the state? And you're like, do we have to do really even initially you wanted to do like another Nestor's where it's like we're design service and I'm like, no, if I'm going to do this with you, Nick, it's an architectural firm, period.
Nick: This is why I needed you guys. So my mind is always like real estate. And how can we make this profitable where the, that love of design is now I'm able to like, I'm bringing that out again. Right. Um, typically when you look over like all the architecture firms that are out there, like residential, you know, specific architecture firms, they're small, right?I knew we needed to have a couple different niches that we specialized in, which requires different talents, and a team of people. I started forming that over the years so we could get to this place. I want to create an environment where I can work with my friends, do something that I love and give value to the world. we're starting with Columbus. now we're licensed in 16 states and, doing projects all over the state, and we're looking at like a job in Hawaii.
Paul: I need to do follow up with them. Thanks for reminding me.
Nino: No, I think this is really good stuff because, uh, Fermi's here. It's ArcFluence, uh, you put a few guys fully involved. soon as I build up a more client base and bring a little bit, some different flavor to it.
And, uh, and now we actually exceeding the residential. We actually moving to different commercial fields as well. And can you guys tell more about ArcFluence, the goals of the ArcFluence and goals of this podcast?
Nick: Yeah, that's a great segue what we really want to talk about is this is not going to be a podcast from architects to architects.
This is going to be a podcast about design to consumers and people interested in architecture and design and how we can add value to your personal home.
Paul: But architects can also listen in. It's not specifically tailored to an architect.
Nick: Architects. No, absolutely.
Also, I know a lot of architects and designers who may work for a firm and have, something on the side that they do. This is going to help them as well, we want to make. Your primary residence better. We want to have those conversations. What are the positive and negatives in terms of functionality and value?
I mean, let's, let's talk about strategy for your property. Maybe it's a rental. Are we going to do a longterm? Are we going to do a midterm? Are we going to do short term? There's different design aspects to keep in mind when we're space planning, when we're doing the interior design and when we're furnishing.
Paul: I mean, architecture is architecture, whether it's a house. Or a hospital or a retail space The things about value and design all come onto the table. it's a little bit different when it's your primary home, but it's the same thing.
If you're talking about design and value added It's architecture.
Nick: It all applies. there's a lot of opportunity in Columbus right now and a lot of other cities where. You know, there's these mixed use buildings and maybe we have there's some hurdles we have to overcome But maybe we want to invest in a small building for our for our future office Um, but how are we going to make that viable?
Well, maybe it has a second floor that has an apartment or maybe we can convert it to an apartment Maybe we can airbnb that to make that now a viable something that's more self sustaining rather than A liability for us and something for us to worry about so we can conduct our business.
Paul: Yeah, I think residential has been our base, right?
So that's going to be one of the primary drivers in the beginning stages. But yeah, I see it a little bit of a broader picture
Nick: beyond residential. having that commercial base will give us some insight to accessibility for residential and also this comfort maybe we do want to spend some money in the commercial space.
I worked at Google for, Part of my job as a space planner was to make sure that office environment made the Googlers as productive as possible. So we thought about the ergonomic furnitures, color schemes, the space that you're in, are we in a bullpen? Are, do we have offices? Is there a private space?
Is there a telephone booth that we can go and have a call if we need to step out for a second so we wouldn't interrupt our colleagues. all these things that are functioning in the office can transcend into the home environment. And now a lot of us are working from home at least a couple of days a week.
We need to take all that into account and plan for it.
Paul: Or an office for a podcast with your buddies. On a Sunday. Multi-use space.
Nino: Things in the market are changing. I was actually listening. Um, it was good presentation by the city official, city official of Columbus, talking about trends
the major thing was actually now this switch from the zoning to the mixed use environment. Uh, and this ambience of the neighborhoods and what the different neighborhood Neighborhoods in Columbus are actually requesting and looking for. He was actually talking, first he was talking lack, lack of the residential space.
And also he was talking about, uh, how some neighborhoods makes no sense to force having commercial on the first floor. But actually designate that space for residential. As well, security and all the stuff, eyes on the street, and just, you know, creating the vibe, walkable neighborhoods, which is the new approach.
Marie, finally, saying goodbye to modernism in creation of the city, when everything divided by zones, and we have to sit in a car to go from zone A, B to C, now we should have everything within the walking
Nick: We need to weave it. You need to have something like in New York City. Sometimes I wouldn't leave my block. Yeah, because Everything is there if I wanted to see a friend or have a new adventure.
Nino: I mean that's a process is gonna take time. Some neighborhoods will drive slower. Some of them are just like a takeoff like over the night It's hard to stay ahead of the curve, but more, and more that you learn Especially in this podcast, you're going to probably keep you on ahead of that curve.
Paul: Yeah, it's not all just going to be backstory. The next one we're going to get into design and how it, I think.
Nick: We'll do a second one that we're general value add on how to make your property better depending on what the function of it is. And then we can dive deeper into those categories by bringing on guests who are leading those industries.
Paul: Yeah. So yeah, I'm excited for this. We're going to get into a lot of different areas and topics. It's not just going to be residential. It's not just going to be health. it's going to be everything, And it's like how you're bringing value and different insight and opportunity into architecture
Nino: and also you can hear some funny stories that we actually experienced in this field.
Nick have plenty of them.
Nick: Yeah. And I'm excited to communicate our different perspectives on it Nino you're a very talented, but emotional professional. that translates differently than Paul, who's super productive efficient and logical about how we look at spaces.
then I always have, I'm looking at the business side of it. how are we bringing value to this?
Nino: And you will see, you will learn a lot. You will learn from the trends that are actually happening in the city and nationwide. Uh, I don't want to say in architectural, but shaping the space.
you already probably know that all these legislations and Requirements just getting just more stringent.
Paul: Talking about some of the requirements
Nino: requirements that everybody's now facing and you will see the trends that what you actually see in commercial is start peeking into the residential.
Nick: I remember when I first moved to Columbus, I was able to submit for our first flip that we did with a hand sketch drawing. I couldn't believe it. And when I say napkin
Paul: sketch and architecture,
Nick: And today we're showing, uh, appliance, equipment, placement, clearances, GFI.
Paul: even when you have approval, they want you to document more,
Nino: know, exactly. Do you have LVL beams? Yeah.
Nick: A letter from an engineer. we have to do load calculations.
Nino: And all you will see, it's actually the market response for people looking for, just bigger open spaces. Do
Nick: we want to say what an LVL is. Paul, go ahead. It's basically engineered beam.
Paul:Technically you don't need to stamp your residential floor plans yet, but we're coming to a point where it's quickly going to be needed, in terms of standard construction, like a two by four we can frame out a house But whenever there are trusses or LVLs or beams, engineered members that are designed, there has to be either a cut sheet from the manufacturer along with the set of drawings, or we have to get an engineer to come in and approve what we're showing.
Nino: Depending on what jurisdiction you are actually planning to build this house or renovating this house.
Paul: Yeah, we can. like I said, we'll get into some of that stuff later on. So I can't wait.
Nino: Yeah. And you're
Nick: I think we're going to end right there.
This has been fun. You guys, I'm pumped about what's to come. I'm looking forward to it too. See you guys
Paul: Take care. This has been the ArcFluence podcast. Please subscribe on the platform of your choice and leave us a review. As always, you can get more information on arcfluence. I'm Paul Fatkins. I'm Nick Karakaian.
Nick: We'll see you next time.
Architecture as a Lifelong Journey
The hosts bring together a wealth of experience, sharing their unique paths into the field of architecture. Whether it’s starting from construction work, transitioning from other careers, or managing complex projects, each of them has cultivated a deep understanding of design’s transformative power. Their stories emphasize architecture as more than a career choice; it’s a lifelong journey shaped by passion, challenges, and a commitment to making a difference.
Key Insights:
- Nick’s Journey: From construction work to entrepreneurship, Nick emphasizes the importance of learning from hands-on experience.
- Paul’s Path: With a background in residential high-rise and institutional projects, Paul brings a focus on technical precision and high standards.
- Nino’s Perspective: Having grown up amidst the rebuilding efforts in war-torn Bosnia, Nino’s experiences highlight architecture’s potential to foster community resilience.
The Interplay of Design and Functionality
The ArcFluence Podcast underscores how good design is about more than aesthetics—it’s also about functionality. The hosts explore how architecture can shape our environments in practical ways, from residential homes to healthcare facilities. They discuss the importance of accessibility, ergonomic considerations, and how thoughtful design can impact productivity and well-being.
Key Insights:
- Creating Functional Spaces: The hosts talk about planning spaces that support their intended purpose, whether it’s for living, working, or healing.
- Accessibility and Beyond: There’s a focus on going beyond ADA standards to create inclusive spaces that accommodate diverse needs, such as aging in place.
- Influence on Well-being: Thoughtful design can reduce stress, improve health outcomes, and enhance overall quality of life.
Design for Value: Enhancing Property and Lives
The hosts discuss how architecture not only adds aesthetic value but can also increase the financial worth of properties. They emphasize that strategic design can boost property value by considering how spaces are used, materials selected, and future functionality needs. The podcast sheds light on the business side of architecture, offering listeners insights into how smart investments in design can pay off.
Key Insights:
- Strategic Investments: Explore how design elements, like open layouts and sustainable materials, contribute to long-term property value.
- Real Estate Synergies: Nick’s entrepreneurial experience in real estate highlights the synergy between architectural design and investment potential.
- Sustainable Practices: By incorporating green building materials and energy-efficient technologies, architects can create spaces that are both valuable and sustainable.
Technology’s Role in Modern Architecture
Technology plays a pivotal role in the work that Nick, Paul, and Nino do, and it’s a recurring theme on the podcast. They discuss how tools like 3D scanning, CAD software, and even drones are transforming the field, enabling architects to visualize projects before they’re built and streamline the design process. This theme also extends to how technology influences urban planning and smart city development.
Key Insights:
- 3D Scanning and Visualization: Advanced tech allows for precise measurements, digital renderings, and immersive project walkthroughs.
- Drones in Architecture: Paul discusses how drones facilitate aerial views of project sites, making it easier to plan for large-scale builds.
- Smart Cities and Urban Planning: There’s a growing emphasis on integrating technology into city planning, from sustainable infrastructure to data-driven design.
Urban Transformation and Mixed-Use Spaces
A major topic discussed on the podcast is the shift in urban planning toward mixed-use developments, which combine residential, commercial, and recreational spaces in one area. The hosts share their thoughts on the benefits of mixed-use environments, like walkable neighborhoods and more vibrant communities. This trend also reflects the changing demands of urban populations, particularly in cities like Columbus, Ohio.
Key Insights:
- Neighborhood Revitalization: Mixed-use developments breathe new life into communities by making them more walkable and socially dynamic.
- Adaptive Reuse: Turning old commercial buildings into residential spaces helps cities utilize existing structures and reduce environmental impact.
- Housing Solutions: The hosts discuss the importance of urban housing solutions that address both the affordability crisis and the need for sustainable design.
Resilience and Community Building through Design
As a recurring theme, the podcast emphasizes how architecture can build resilience in communities, particularly through the design of public spaces, schools, and healthcare facilities. Nino’s experience with healthcare architecture showcases the importance of creating spaces that support well-being, while Paul’s background in residential and institutional projects illustrates the broader social impact of thoughtful design.
Key Insights:
- Healthcare Facilities: Designing healthcare environments that cater to both physical and mental health is essential for community resilience.
- Educational Spaces: Schools are more than places of learning—they’re community centers that can foster a sense of belonging and support.
- Public Spaces: Parks, libraries, and other public areas are critical for fostering connections and improving the quality of urban life.
Future-Focused Design and Sustainability
The ArcFluence Podcast explores how architects are increasingly focused on sustainable practices, not just in terms of materials, but also in energy usage and waste reduction. The hosts discuss trends like green roofs, solar panels, and eco-friendly building practices that align with a future-oriented approach to design.
Key Insights:
- Sustainable Materials: The use of recycled, local, and low-impact materials helps reduce the carbon footprint of new buildings.
- Energy Efficiency: The hosts explore ways to incorporate energy-saving technologies, such as solar panels and advanced insulation techniques.
- Biophilic Design: Emphasizing connections with nature, biophilic design incorporates elements like indoor plants, natural lighting, and green spaces to enhance well-being.
What’s Next: A Roadmap for Future Episodes
The ArcFluence Podcast is just getting started, and the hosts have plans to dive into more specialized topics, from the intricacies of adaptive reuse projects to the role of architects in disaster relief. Upcoming episodes will continue to explore how design shapes our world, offering actionable insights for both professionals and enthusiasts.
Future Topics:
- Innovative Housing Solutions: Exploring ways to address the housing crisis through creative design approaches.
- Architectural Trends: From tiny homes to co-living spaces, the podcast will cover emerging trends that are changing the face of architecture.
- Professional Development: Insights for aspiring architects on career growth, licensure, and navigating the industry.
Conclusion
The ArcFluence Podcast offers a wealth of knowledge on how architecture impacts our lives in profound ways. From building sustainable cities to creating homes that support mental well-being, the podcast’s hosts share insights drawn from years of experience in the field. For anyone interested in architecture, design, or simply improving the spaces they live and work in, ArcFluence provides an engaging and informative listen. Stay tuned as they continue to explore new topics and interview industry experts, helping listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the world of architecture.