Digital Garden

Garden

Ideas grow here. Articles start as seeds—rough notes and early thoughts—and develop into evergreen references over time.

Sprout Mar 2026

Big Tent vs. Little Tent

How AI-empowered toolmaking is expanding the definition of architectural practice — and why architects should embrace the bigger tent.

Evergreen Feb 2025

About Me

Kurt Neiswender, AIA, LEED — architect, educator, podcast host, and toolmaker based in Flint, Michigan.

Evergreen Feb 2025

A Podcast About...

The Coffee Sketch Podcast — two architect friends exploring the intersection of sketching, coffee, and architecture. 190+ episodes, 80+ countries.

Sprout Jun 2024

Afraid of Heights

Reflections on fear, technology adoption, and embracing new tools in the architecture profession.

Sprout Jun 2024

Archimaration

Kevin Hui's YouTube channel and Discord community offering beautifully produced architecture education and tours.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Codes and Ordinances

Teaching you how to seek knowledge on your own and find the right resources for building codes.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Curriculum Vitae

Professional curriculum vitae of Kurt Neiswender, AIA, circa 2023.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Design Thinking

Applications of design thinking on real world architecture projects.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Email/Communication/Workstation

Learning how to communicate internally with your team and externally with clients and consultants, plus file management basics.

Evergreen Jun 2024

I Graduated. Now what?

Navigating the transition from architecture school to professional practice in your first years.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Large Firm Basics

The ins and outs of how large architecture firms tick.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Learning by Repetition

The real iterative process of refining building detail, going beyond schematic design.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Learning How to Build

Fundamentals in developing construction details from the footing up, including wall sections that work.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Managing Product Reps and Vendors

How to grow and maintain professional relationships with product representatives and vendors.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Office Standards

Getting familiar with drawing standards and conventions, and how to work within a set of systems.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Passive House Design Basics

An introduction to the five tenets of Passive House design and how they achieve 90% better-than-code performance.

Sprout Jun 2024

Practice of Architecture

Evelyn Lee's platform expanding the definition of architectural practice beyond its traditional boundaries.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Professional Development and Growth

Membership groups like AIA, NOMA, CSI, and how to grow your professional network.

Sprout Jun 2024

Resources for Architects

A curated collection of friends, allies, and resources for architects who want to keep learning and growing.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Site Visits

What to do when visiting a construction site and conducting a field measurement visit.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Small Firm Basics

The ins and outs of how small architecture firms tick, and getting to know what firm size you prefer.

Evergreen Jun 2024

The Basics

Core skills to get you up and running at any architecture firm.

Sprout Jun 2024

The Business Plan

Sharing the business plan for Urban Colab Architecture, an L3C focused on sustainable and regenerative design.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Time Management

Getting used to a time-sheet and managing your personal work calendar to stay focused and get things done.

Sprout Jun 2024

Trash Panda

How one man's trash becomes another man's frisbee -- connecting recycled disc golf to sustainability in architecture.

Evergreen Jun 2024

What You Should Have Learned in ProPractice

Basics of contract obligations, project delivery, and managing client expectations.

Sprout Jun 2024

Wikihouse

An open-source modular construction system from the UK focused on affordable, carbon-neutral, self-built housing.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Working in Teams

How to collaborate with your team and outside consultants to coordinate the design process.

Evergreen Jun 2024

Zoning Research

Understanding how to start a project by researching municipal websites for zoning and property information.