https://www.larchitect.org/ https://hapsagency.com/

Shawn Maestretti's work at Studio Petrichor https://studio-petrichor.com/ resonates deeply with the metaphor of the first rain experience that stirs something intrinsic in humans. The smell of the first rain, defined as "petrichor," evokes a sense of renewal, calm, and connection to nature. This sensory reaction is rooted in our survival instincts; rain signals life, growth, and sustenance. Throughout history, humans have been tied to the land and water. The arrival of rain often meant the end of drought, the rebirth of crops, and the revival of ecosystems. Thus, the first rain isn’t just a sensory pleasure—it’s a symbol of hope and balance, ensuring survival by replenishing resources vital for life.

This same ethos drives Shawn’s work at Studio Petrichor. His approach to landscape architecture, particularly as discussed in the podcast with Jason Wan https://www.hunterindustries.com/, reflects the harmony between human intuition and the natural world. Just as the first rain revives the earth, Shawn’s designs aim to restore balance and sustainability to landscapes. By integrating water-smart technologies like rainwater harvesting and smart irrigation systems, Shawn helps create self-sustaining environments that support native ecosystems while conserving vital resources.

What stands out to me in this podcast episode is its immersive, almost voyeuristic quality, driven by the reliance on the video component available on LAP's YouTube channel. This layered experience invites listeners to engage their imagination, much like reading a book that leaves room for personal interpretation of its visual elements. Whether you choose to dive into the full video or simply listen, the episode offers a rich narrative that allows your mind to fill in the sensory details, making it a versatile and enjoyable experience in either format.

https://www.larchitect.org/

https://www.bciburke.com/

Interested in typologies of the built environment - the artist and landscape designer explores the values and meaning embedded in structures and symbols using industrial materials and construction methods evocative of the urban space along with various landscapes. His artwork examines the relationship between humanity and the natural world, reflecting on how we intervene in the environment, imposing order and artifice, and how time will mark itself on the urban fabric. Andrade’s open-ended practice includes the use of a variety of mediums, ranging from drawing, photography, digital fabrication to sound, and are shown in various formats, including installations, public interventions and collaborations. He is of Mexican-American heritage and is originally from National City, California.

this episode sponsored by: https://www.bciburke.com/

Cliff Garten

Cliff Garten is an internationally recognized sculptor and founder of Cliff Garten Studio in Venice, California.

By connecting people to places and infrastructure through sculptural material, social history and ecology, Garten's work locates the latent potential in every public place and situation to become more than the specific functions it appears to perform. Sculpture and landscape, function and form, like public and private experiences are never distinct, but exchange places throughout the day. Sculpture defines our interaction and movement by creating energy between things, generating interest in public activity, reframing our private lives and creating a sense of place within public and private realms.

Garten received a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Master of Landscape Architecture with Distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.