Colleges and universities are under pressure to prove their value as they navigate enrollment challenges, affordability concerns, student retention, and changing expectations around the campus experience. In this episode of the I Hear Design podcast, host Robert Nieminen speaks with Martin Kimmel, founding principal and chief creative officer of Kimmel Architecture, about how the physical campus can help institutions clarify who they are and why students should choose them.

Kimmel discusses what a higher ed “identity crisis” looks like from an architect’s perspective, how buildings can either reinforce or dilute an institution’s mission, and why campus design should align with recruitment, retention, wellness, belonging, and long-term value. The conversation also explores the evolving role of libraries as student-success hubs, the importance of designing spaces where students can feel “alone together,” and how colleges can achieve meaningful transformation through extraordinary solutions for ordinary budgets.

Sound influences every space we design, yet acoustics are often treated as an afterthought. In this episode of Product Talk, Lauren Brant sits down with Dr. Robert MacMeccan, President of Turf Design, to explore why acoustics should be considered one of the foundational elements of architecture and interior design—not simply a finishing touch. Together they discuss evidence-based design, neuroinclusive environments, workplace productivity, healthcare healing spaces, and how thoughtful acoustic solutions create healthier, more functional experiences for everyone. Whether you're designing workplaces, schools, healthcare facilities, or hospitality spaces, this conversation will change the way you think about sound.

The language of sustainable materials is getting more complicated. Terms like bio-based, bio-sourced, bio-attributed, and USDA BioPreferred® are increasingly common in product literature, but they don’t necessarily mean the same thing—or provide the same level of verification.

In this ICYMI episode of I Hear Design, we revisit an interiors+sources article that breaks down the terminology designers and specifiers should understand when evaluating renewable material claims. Learn how ASTM D6866 testing helps verify bio-based content, how supply-chain tracking differs from lab verification, and why a higher percentage of renewable content doesn’t always tell the full sustainability or performance story.

It’s a practical primer for design professionals who want to look beyond marketing language, ask better questions, and specify bio-based materials with greater confidence.