#22 - Susan Ingham

In this episode, Angus welcomes Seattle architect and Building Beauty faculty member Susan Ingham for a deep, practical conversation about the living structure at the heart of Christopher Alexander's work. Susan recounts the serendipitous lecture that drew her back to Berkeley to study with Alexander and Hajo Neis, and how those methods now guide her residential practice—from one-to-one site mock-ups to pattern-based design that uncovers clients' real needs. She explains how shared feelings of coherence and calm can be made tangible, starting with hand-made objects, improving a single room, and then unfolding a home by placing the garden first—an approach anchored in Pattern 104: Site Repair. Angus and Susan also explore what surveyors can contribute to site-centered design, the pedagogy of Building Beauty's studio and Nature of Order courses, and why small, well-judged changes to everyday environments measurably improve well-being. It's an inspiring, common-sense tour of Alexandrian practice for designers, builders, and curious citizens alike.