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This week we begin the Summer Series of Bonus Episodes from the 2026 AIA Conference on Architecture & Design in San Diego, CA.

Cherise is joined by Steve Slack, Vice President of Sales at KEIM Mineral Coatings of America. Steve highlights KEIM’s broad range of sustainable mineral paints, stains, and finishes, emphasizing the innovation that has defined the company for more than a century.

In this episode, Cherise is joined by Yugene Cha, AIA, Partner, and Luke Haas, Senior Associate Principal at Krueck Sexton Partners in Chicago, Illinois. They discuss the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Center (CME) Lobby (or CME Center), also in Chicago. Pedestrian circulation became the primary design generator.

The CME Center renovation transforms an aging commercial lobby into a vibrant, public-facing environment, repositioning one of Chicago’s largest office complexes for a new generation of tenants and visitors. By studying how people naturally moved through the complex, the new glass envelope traces these movement patterns, its curved geometry guiding visitors through the space while softening the building’s scale.

In this episode, Cherise is joined by Jon Williams, Associate at R3A Architecture in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They discuss the University of Pittsburgh Crawford Hall Renovation, also in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The renovation of Crawford Hall at the University of Pittsburgh reimagines a mid-century academic building for the next generation of life sciences research. As part of the interconnected Clapp/LangleyCrawford complex, the project seeks to transform an aging facility into a contemporary research environment while preserving its role within the broader campus fabric. Central to the intervention is a five-foot building addition that accommodates new MEP risers, creating the capacity necessary to support sophisticated laboratory systems without compromising the building’s functionality or spatial organization.

Click here for the extended length interview on YouTube

In this episode, Cherise is joined by David Bagnoli, Principal at StudioMB Architects in Washington DC. They discuss the 13th Street Sanctuary, also in Washington, D.C.

Originally constructed in 1917, the 13th Street Sanctuary stands as a compelling example of how adaptive reuse can breathe new life into forgotten structures while addressing urgent urban needs. Once a neglected church severely damaged during the 2011 Mid-Atlantic earthquake, the building was ultimately deemed unsafe and faced an uncertain future. Through an ambitious transformation, the former place of worship has been reimagined into eight co-living residential units, creating a bold new model for affordable housing in Washington, D.C. The design embraces a deliberate contrast between historic and contemporary elements. New slotted window openings punctuate the heavy masonry exterior, bringing natural light into the units while creating a distinct visual dialogue between old and new.

Click here for the extended length interview on YouTube