Once Upon a Project
by SANDOW Design Group and SURROUND
Latest episode
Designing for Preservation and Progress
Designing for Preservation and Progress
About this podcast
As interior designers, we’re accustomed to celebrating the end of a project. But what about the people and process behind those designs? Once Upon a Project delves into the stories of creating the spaces that we inhabit with the designers who dreamed them up. Join AJ Paron, EVP and Design Futurist of SANDOW Design Group, in unraveling what it takes to bring interior design projects to fruition—from the designer’s inspiration to the setbacks, surprises, and serendipitous events along the way.
Once Upon a Project is part of the SURROUND Podcast Network by SANDOW Design Group—the home of design brands you know and love like Interior Design magazine, Metropolis magazine, Luxe Interiors + Design, Thinklab and more.
See our show notes, and discover more design podcasts at surroundpodcasts.com
Episodes
The newest 20 of 43 episodes
- Designing for Preservation and Progress · 36 min · Season 6 Episode 3How do you modernize a historic institution without losing the traditions that give it meaning? AJ Paron speaks with designer Dan Mazzarini of Mazzarini & Co. about rethinking…
- Designing History at TSX Broadway · 32 min · Season 6 Episode 2What happens when you don’t just design a building, but rethink how people experience an entire place? AJ Paron speaks with Bill Mandara of Mancini Duffy about TSX Broadway, the…
- Designing Discovery at The Gunter Hotel · 41 min · Season 6 Episode 1How do you bring a historic hotel back to life without losing the character that made it special in the first place? AJ Paron speaks with Valentina Castellon of DLR Group about…
- Designing Through Disruption · 31 min · Season 5 Episode 6How do you design a workplace that's ready for constant change? AJ Paron speaks with Karen Marie Stonely, founding principal of SPAN Architecture, about how her firm has…
- Designing the Office as a Destination · 29 min · Season 5 Episode 5What makes an office worth coming back to? This episode explores Roivant's first purpose-built New York headquarters at Penn One, designed to foster connection, collaboration and…
- Redesigning the Physician Office Experience · 34 min · Season 5 Episode 4What does it mean to design a workplace that cares for caregivers? This episode explores Northwestern Medicine’s Faculty Office Center in Chicago, a restorative environment…
- Designing an Equitable Workplace for Hybrid Work · 26 min · Season 5 Episode 3What does equity look like in the hybrid workplace? In this episode, AJ Paron speaks with Alivia Stalnaker and Alexis Kim of SmithGroup about reimagining AlixPartners’ Chicago…
- Designing for Belonging · 33 min · Season 5 Episode 2What if the workplace felt more like a hotel, a community hub, or even home? In this episode, we unpack the design strategy behind Sanofi’s headquarters; an environment built on…
- Design for All (Live at NeoCon 2026) · 42 min · Season 5 Episode 1When design begins with the full spectrum of human experience, it has the power to create spaces where everyone can thrive. Recorded live at NeoCon, AJ welcomes Shannon Crider…
- Design Blueprint for Liquid Architecture · 40 minMichael Ford, “The Hip Hop Architect,” explores his collaboration with Momentum, blending influences from music, architecture, and community into expressive textile and…
- Building Hope in Motion · 33 min · Season 4 Episode 6When a space is designed to heal both body and spirit, it becomes more than a building, it becomes a catalyst for change. In the season four finale, AJ welcomes Lily Diego and…
- Biohacking Healthier Workplaces · 35 min · Season 4 Episode 5When a loved one’s health challenge sparks a professional mission, design takes on new meaning. In this episode, AJ welcomes Erin McDannald, CEO of Elevated, to explore how…
- Design Blueprint for Healthy Living in Asia · 34 min · Season 4 Episode 4Is it possible to design cities that actively promote human wellness? Yes, and to find out how, host AJ Paron speaks with Stefano Tronci, Asia Pacific sustainability leader at…
- Design Groundwork for Healing Spaces · 37 min · Season 4 Episode 3How can design fuel healing and transform lives before a single brick is laid? Host AJ Paron explores a groundbreaking wellbeing initiative aimed at curing congestive heart…
- Building a Non-Toxic Hospital · 43 min · Season 4 Episode 2What if hospitals could heal without exposing patients to harmful toxins? In this episode of Once Upon a Project, host AJ Paron sits down with sustainability provocateur (and…
- Unlocking Creative Wellness: The Ongoing Project · 39 min · Season 4 Episode 1How can designers protect their creativity while thriving in a fast-paced, high-pressure industry? Recorded live at NeoCon 2025, host AJ Paron sits down with a panel of experts…
- Building Glass Houses on a Mountainside · 34 minTake a journey to the mountains with architect Michael Upwall and builder Gary Hill. Together, they explore their collaborative process in designing the stunning Pinnacle Sky…
- How to Get Students in the Classroom Through Design · 43 min · Season 3 Episode 6Learn about the transformative power of well-designed educational environments.
- The Power of Multisensory Design · 40 min · Season 3 Episode 5Sensory design expert Russell Jones sits with AJ to explore the fascinating world of multisensory design in the built environment. Learn how Russell and his team transformed the…
- Unveiling the Intersection of Design and Neuroscience · 42 min · Season 3 Episode 4Explore the powerful connection between design and neuroscience with Suchi Reddy an NYC based architect, designer, and artist. Discover how design can influence our emotions…
