208: Architecture, And: Building Across Disciplines with Mikael Avery

Practice Disrupted by Practice of Architecture

How can a career in architecture be more than a single path, but a foundation for a multifaceted professional life?

This week, we welcome back Mikael Avery, a designer, educator, and healthcare professional, for a deep dive into his own remarkable journey. Mikael’s story is one of continuous exploration, starting with a degree in landscape architecture before moving through urban design, a traditional architectural apprenticeship, and a solo digital fabrication practice. Driven by a desire for a larger impact, he then made a significant pivot, earning a master's degree in occupational therapy to learn about healthcare from the inside out. Today, his work weaves all these threads together as a senior lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, a collaborator with design firms, and the co-leader of a medical device startup.

Throughout the conversation, Mikael explains how he sees these varied roles not as separate careers, but as different facets of one cohesive professional identity: that of a designer and educator. He shares invaluable insights into the cross-pollination of skills between fields, how his designer’s mindset informs his work in healthcare, and how the crucial soft skills learned in occupational therapy, like building instant rapport with clients, are vital for architects. His ultimate hope for the profession is a return to its fundamental purpose.

"Architecture is a service profession. Because our work is in service of the people. And so I think the more students who graduate and really appreciate that service aspect of architecture and design, I think the more in demand designers will be." - Mikael Avery

This episode concludes with a powerful reframing of what a career can be. Mikael’s journey is a testament to seeing a career not as a linear path to be followed, but as a continuous development propelled by curiosity and a desire to learn. He offers actionable advice for anyone looking to forge their own way: start with confidence in your design skills, be curious, learn the language of other industries, and build a network to create opportunities. His story is a compelling case for how a commitment to service can unlock the true value of design in any field.

Guest:

Mikael Avery is a designer, educator, maker, and healthcare professional working at the intersection of architecture, product design, and health. He is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches courses in the architecture department and the Integrated Product Design program. Alongside his teaching, he advises healthcare systems, collaborates with design firms like Fifteen, and co-leads a medical device startup, embodying a truly interdisciplinary approach to practice.

Is This Episode for You?

This episode is for you if:

✅ You are exploring a non-linear career and want to see how different interests can form a cohesive whole.

✅ You want to understand how skills from other industries, like healthcare, can benefit architectural practice.

✅ You are a student or young professional seeking advice on how to forge your own unique career path.

✅ You believe in the power of design to have a larger social impact beyond the building.

✅ You are inspired by the idea of architecture as a service profession and want to explore what that means.

📍 Show Links:

• Connect with Mikael LinkedIn
• Visit FIFTEEN’s Website

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