#345 - LOU MAXON, Founder of Maxon House & Client of Olson Kundig
SUMMARY
This week David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Lou Maxon, Founder of Maxon House to discuss his story as a client of Olson Kundig. They cover the process of building a house; hiring Olson Kundig as the architect; working with contractors; building a studio on railroad tracks; tips for being a client; and more. Enjoy!
ABOUT LOU
“Creative director, design director, art director, consultant, brand maestro, designer, writer specializing in brand, craft, design, story, and strategy headquartered in the Pacific Northwest. I create transformative brand experiences and storytelling for B2B and D2C client partners. Lead creative development, campaigns, design, and content programs for world-class brands. Partner and consult with startups, top consumer and B2B — D2C brands, and agency and marketing firms for project and retainer work.”
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Background.
(05:27) Purchasing land and moving.
(23:56) Working with Architects for the first time.
(32:24) Hiring Olson Kundig.
“I don’t think Tom is a troublemaker but I do think he does investigate the edges and he is very comfortable with the right kind of client collaborator to know the questions to ask.” (35:33)
(58:45) Hiring a Contractor.
“As clients, from a design perspective, we’re paying this fee to Olson Kundig and so we’re investing in their vision of our program. For me, it was always very important [to] in the time allotted, save the design they created. Meaning, we’re not going to value engineer out everything we’ve already paid for.” (01:04:25)
(01:14:45) Surprising aspects of collaborating with an architect.
“ […] The phase between schematic and design development is probably the biggest leap.” (01:17:21)
(01:40:36) Lessons learnt during the process.
“You’re not designing for today, you’re designing for the future and you really have to design it for the people that are going to live there for the longest.” (01:43:36)
(01:47:31) Maxon Studio.
