Thiel Architecture + Design

Spent yesterday at Grace Farms’ day long Design for Freedom Summit 2024. Led by Grace Farms remarkable CEO and Founder, Sharon Prince, the day’s focus was on how the design and construction industry can support ethical labor practices around the world while remaining equally committed to sustainability. How do we do this? We ask where things comes from - the provenance of a product. We use local materials so we know who made them. We use less. We recycle. We only build what we need. And we ask for global cooperation. It was an inspiring day filled with panels of experts including architects, lawyers, manufacturers, and contractors. And, of course, it was a day spent at the glorious Grace Farms.

This is such great news for those of us north of New York City. A trail is being developed along the Hudson River from Beacon to Cold Spring. Read about SCAPE's thoughtful approach to their masterplan.

We often find ourselves teaching our new and potential clients about the design process architects follow. If you are thinking about a construction project, whether a hospitality or office space, or a residential addition or renovation, it’s important to understand the design process and how an architect can help you. Starting next week, we are going to breakdown the phases of design and answer any questions about working with and selecting an architect.

Happy International Women’s Day to my design partner, Julie, and our entire team of talented, smart, creative and kind women. And to all the wonderful women I know who are doing great things to make their communities, families, and the world a better place. Keep it up, ladies! We are on a roll!

What a fantastic partnership. Hilton and AutoCamp provide a glamping experience at national parks. Perfect for the summer!

I spent yesterday as a judge for the @ctrestaurantassoc high school ProStart Invitational. Students from across the state gathered in Hartford to compete in culinary challenges while other student teams presented concepts for restaurants. That’s where I came in to evaluate their ideas on design and layout, and how well their ideas were executed. What a lovely day spent meeting smart kids with bright futures. It was an honor to be part of this exciting event.

I don’t know about you but I’m excited about this. Check out the moon landing Thursday afternoon. #nasa

Fun! That’s me on the feed of my former boss, Michael Graves, with my teakettle designed by Michael. In addition to his brilliant post modern architecture (which PS, is roaring back in) his teakettle helped put him on the map.

While in Atlanta recently, I had a chance to visit the Carter Presidential Library. In addition to learning about his childhood, his time in office and beyond, and seeing and feeling the size and scale of the Oval Office, it gave me a chance to relive that time in my life and the events that shaped our country. And it convinced me to take the time to visit the libraries of other presidents. Nice to see this article pop up. Perfect timing.

I was last in Florence in October. We flew into Rome and took the train to Florence. Nice sweet way to take a break and settle into Italy. But this. I like this. Opening in 2026. Congrats to Rafael Vignoli Architects.