The Agati Video Podcast

AGATI Director of Design and COO, Joe Agati Jr. visited Madison College where Facilities Designer, Ally Adams, proudly took Joe around campus to see the variety of areas these higher ed study carrels are serving students.After the tour, they sat down in a school-color-scheme inspired geometric-patterned POD Duo for our latest AGATI Video Podcast Episode discussing Ally's background and 26 years of experience furnishing higher ed study spaces. AND to hear her perspective, firsthand, on the problems POD Duos are solving for students on campus!Watch this brief 3-minute Video Short as Ally shares why she’s been a POD Study Carrel repeat customer for the last 7 years & counting! • After testing a few, the student demand for POD Duo Higher Ed Study Carrels was so high, more had to be installed throughout the college.• POD Duos provide flexible, community-building higher ed study carrels for both introverts and extroverts to study, meet, and engage outside the classroom.• Flexible for solo or group use, they take up little extra space than a single user carrel, and are easy for staff to move.• Durable with ZERO reported structural or reupholstery issues EVER.Madison College is the largest owner of the AGATI POD Duo Study Carrel in the nation. AGATI is the leading expert in designing Higher Ed Study Carrels.Check out the POD Duo Product Page here.See more Higher Ed Study Carrels here. Discuss your project with an Agati Furniture expert here:

AGATI’s Director of Design and COO, Joe Agati Jr. visited Madison College where Facilities Designer, Ally Adams, proudly took Joe around the various campus areas with POD Duos, the study booths for two students.After the tour, they sat down in a school-color-scheme inspired geometric-patterned POD Duo for our latest AGATI Video Podcast Episode discussing Ally’s background and 26 years of experience furnishing higher ed study spaces. Watch our on-site Podcast Episode to learn valuable insights from Ally and Joe’s conversation. And to hear her perspective, firsthand, on the problems POD Duos are solving for students on campus!Why is Madison College is the largest owner of the AGATI POD Duo Study Carrel in the nation? • After testing a few POD Duos, the student demand for these study booths for two students was so high, more had to be installed throughout the college.• They provide flexible, community-building for both introverts and extroverts to study, meet, and engage outside the classroom.• Flexible for solo or group use, take up little extra space than a single carrel, and are easy for staff to move.• Durable with ZERO reported structural or reupholstery issues EVER. AGATI is the leading expert in designing study booths for two students.Check out the POD Duo Product Page here: https://www.agati.com/product/pod-duo-study-carrels/ See more Higher Ed Furniture here: https://www.agati.com/product-type/study-carrels/ Discuss your project with an Agati Furniture expert here: https://www.agati.com/contact-us/

As human needs evolve, public spaces such as airports must adapt to meet those needs. Passenger experience is ever so important and must be considered while planning and designing airports. In this AGATI Video Shortcast, Joe Agati Jr., Director of Design at AGATI Furniture, sits down with aviation architecture experts to explore how they’re improving the airport passenger experience journey—one design choice at a time.Watch the short video ON UPGRADING AIRPORT PASSENGER EXPERIENCE AS TOLD BY AIRPORT ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS:John Groves, Senior Interior Designer at AECOM, collaborated with Agati on the Boston Logan International Airport project.Derrick Choi, Aviation Leader at Gensler, brings nearly two decades of aviation architecture expertise, with a portfolio spanning from airport cities to private general aviation hangars.Matt Dubbe, National Design & Market Leader at Mead & Hunt, worked with Agati on Glacier Park Airport, Eastern Iowa Airport, and Grand Island Airport.WANT TO BROWSE AGATI’S AIRPORT EXPERIENCE?Click here to see AGATI’s Airport page.READY TO REQUEST INFORMATION FROM OUR EXPERTS?Click here for personalized assistance with your airport.

Courthouse design involves a balance of functionality, aesthetics, and safety. From 10 years of specializing in justice facility design, Michelle Graham, project architect at DLR Group, knows how to meet every requirement.Listen to the short audio for Michelle Graham and Joe Agati Jr.’s quick tips on designing a courtroom facility, including:Collaboration with judges is imperative throughout the design process since they’re the ones who know the most about their courtroom needs.Furniture can set the right tone within the courtroom.Thoughtful design choices can serve as a powerful tool for justice reform, removing the oppressive nature of courtrooms in favor of something more welcoming.Courtroom furniture creates physical separation and a sense of equity in the space.Watch the full length podcast on The Role of Architecture and Design on Effective Justice Facilities.WANT TO BROWSE AGATI’S COURTROOM EXPERIENCE?Click here to see AGATI’s courtroom page.READY TO REQUEST INFORMATION FROM OUR EXPERTS?Click here for personalized assistance with your courtroom.

Joe had the opportunity to talk with several guests about how a library redesign project has gone from ideation to implementation. Each of our guests, including our team here at Agati, have been working together on an incredible redesign of the John C. Hitt Library at the University of Central Florida, which has been in the works since 2003.To help take a deeper look at this redesign is Frank Allen, Senior Associate Director of the John C. Hitt Library; Amanda Rienth, a Principal at Steinberg Hart with extensive expertise in both public and academic libraries; and Delia Nevola, the Principal-in-Charge of the project with Steinberg Hart with expertise in higher education, library spaces, and more.In this conversation, we discussed the history of this library redesign project, what has been working now that they’re utilizing the redesigned space, and what lessons were learned from such a robust project.//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/allen-rienth-nevola-26

Today, Joe is joined by Toni Lombardozzi, who he met at this year’s ALA Annual Conference in San Diego, for a conversation about a ten-year project to update several library facilities in Charleston, SC. Toni is the project manager at Charleston County Public Library in Charleston, SC. Combining fifteen years in the design and construction industry and close to a decade of working specifically with libraries, Toni carries a unique cross-discipline perspective on the realities of translating library needs into physical spaces.In this conversation, we discuss what Toni and her team considered when choosing furniture for their facilities, what they are considering for contextual design for various communities, lessons learned in undertaking a project that has spanned 10 years, common roadblocks they’ve encountered, and more.//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/toni-lombardozzi-25

Today, Joe is joined by Michelle Graham for a conversation about architecture and design in justice facilities. Michelle is a project architect at DLR Group, a firm committed to elevating human experience through design. Michelle holds a Master of Architecture from Tulane University and is a licensed architect and designer with a focus on justice facilities, including corrections facilities and courthouses.In this conversation, we discuss the compelling nature of courthouse architecture, how architecture can play a role in justice reform and bring comfort to people on their most difficult days, the role furniture has in creating feelings of safety between separate parties, and more.//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/michelle-graham-24/

For today’s episode of the podcast, we are exploring the topic of collaboration spaces. Joe is joined once again by John Whitlock and first-time guest Carson Durham, who are both Principals and Higher Education Design Experts at BLDD Architects, a leading architecture firm passionate about the power of design to change the world.In this conversation, we are discussing design considerations for collaboration spaces, how to be intentional with our existing environments, the elements users are often looking for in flexible spaces, considerations for acoustics in open spaces, and much more.//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/john-whitlock-carson-durham-23/

For today’s episode of the podcast, Joe had the opportunity to talk with Michelle Ohnstad, Library Operations Manager at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, California, who has over 20 years of experience in library leadership.In this conversation, Michelle shares what she has seen working for students at MiraCosta College, a behind-the-scenes look at their current library renovations, how they have strived to equitably serve their student body, the interesting way they’ve used smart lockers to support students, shifts and trends in student behavior and needs, and much more.//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode:https://www.agati.com/blog/michelle-ohnstad-22/

For today's episode of the podcast, Joe had the opportunity to talk with John Whitlock and Bruce Maxey, who are both Principals and Higher Education Design Experts at BLDD Architects, a leading architecture firm passionate about the power of design to change the world. Specifically, BLDD does a majority of their work in higher education, senior living, K-12, and religious spaces.In this conversation, we're primarily exploring the topic of community college design. John and Bruce shared trends they're seeing across higher education, the unique challenges of designing community college spaces, behind-the-scenes of effective projects they've recently completed, what flexibility looks like in spaces today, and much more.//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: http://www.agati.com/blog/john-whitlock-bruce-maxey-21/

For today's episode of the podcast, I have the opportunity to talk with the man himself: my dad, founder of Agati Furniture, Joe Agati Sr. I've had the opportunity to host many conversations here on the podcast, and I'm especially excited to share some behind-the-scenes and stories from his decades of experience here at Agati.In our conversation, we explore how Joe moved from creating sculptures and fantasy furniture pieces to developing public space furniture, how human behavior influences furniture design, some interesting behind-the-scenes on the development of our Hampton and POD collections, and more.//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/joe-agati-20

For today's episode of the podcast, I had the opportunity to talk with Joseph Goetz, Operations Manager at Quad Cities International Airport (MLI) in Rock Island County, Illinois. We had the opportunity work with them recently, and you can see the installation here.Since 1935, the Quad Cities International Airport has worked to connect travelers across the country with customer service at the forefront. Serving over 500,000 passengers each year, the airport has become a pivotal connecting point to nine major hubs across the nation.In our conversation, we dove deep into the details of his role at the airport, why aviation has been a lifelong passion for him, how they are working to ensure supply can meet demand, future-focused initiatives the airport is working on to keep interest in aviation training high, and much more.This was an interesting episode. Check it out!//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/josephgoetz

"We want to give every passenger the opportunity to wind down or plug in, whatever they need." - John GrovesFor today's episode of the podcast, I had the opportunity to talk with John Groves, Senior Interior Designer with AECOM, one of the most trusted infrastructure consulting firms, partnering with their clients to solve complex challenges in a variety of industries. John has been in the design industry for multiple decades.In our conversation, we discussed how John got started in transportation design, what a recomposure space is in an airport, why they are designing aviation spaces more like living rooms, what it looks like to meet traveler needs in today's world, and so much more.John had so much great insight. Check it out!//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/johngroves

"We don't know what children are coming into these spaces with. We need to create environments where they feel safe." - Jill SeitzFor today's episode of the podcast, I had the opportunity to talk with Jill Seitz, a Senior Interior Designer at Moody Nolan, the largest African American owned design firm in the country with more than 330 employees and 12 office locations across the U.S. Jill has been there over 30 years and has a wide variety of experience and insight to bring to our conversation today.In our conversation, we discussed how the passion for interior design started when Jill was just ten years old, how her role has changed over the years at Moody Nolan (she now focuses solely on furniture, which we think is pretty great!), trends she's been seeing in K-12 and Higher Education spaces to increase connection, and so much more.//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture design for human behavior through innovative furniture solutions: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/jillseitz

Welcome back to the Agati Video Podcast, a space where Joe Agati, COO & Director of Design here at Agati Furniture, hosts conversations with designers, architects, and difference-makers to bring inspiration and education to your work.“The work we do really does make a difference in the built environment. We get to connect worlds, literally.” – Derrick ChoiFor today’s episode of the podcast, we had the opportunity to talk with Derrick Choi, Regional Aviation Leader at Gensler. Derrick is an award-winning architect and infrastructure planning professional with two decades of experience working on challenging international aviation, transportation, infrastructure, and public assembly projects in Asia, North America, Europe, and the Middle East.In this episode, we discussed Derrick’s lifelong interest in both aviation and architecture, the future of aviation, the predictions for business and leisure travel after COVID-19, the importance of incorporating local culture in airport spaces, how a design project lasting 16-years has kept up with new technology, and so much more.This was a great conversation. Check it out!Show Notes: https://www.agati.com/blog/derrickchoi/

"It got to the point that we needed not just a renovated library, but a reconstructed library." - Frank AllenFor today's episode of the podcast, we have the opportunity to talk with Frank Allen, Senior Associate Director of the John C Hitt Library at the University of Central Florida. Frank has been at UCF since 1998 and has involvement with the CORE division of the American Library Association. He also previously served as co-editor for a resource guide on planning library buildings and learning spaces. He's an expert and we're honored to have him here on the podcast!In this episode, we talk about the decades-long rebuilding process of the John C Hitt Library, creating a 21st-century library, what trends Frank has noticed from students in recent years, what they've learned about the importance of durability, and so much more.//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture designs furniture that solves problems: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/frankallen/

"We don't want to solve problems in the same way for every project. There would be no excitement in that." - Tiffany NashFor today's episode of the podcast, we have a really fun conversation with Tiffany Nash and Dan Pohrte. Tiffany is Owner & Principal of Product Architecture + Design, and is a licensed architect with over 20 years of experience in the industry and an expertise in library design. Dan is a fellow Owner & Principal at Product, who is a registered LEED Accredited Professional with over 15 years of experience in the industry.In this episode, we dive deep into their design philosophy, how their time abroad influenced their perspective of architecture, trends in library design, how to measure success, and some highlights from a few of their favorite projects.This was such a fun episode. Check it out!//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture designs furniture that solves problems: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/tiffany-nash-dan-pohrte/

"The quiet library environment of the past has given way to a library that is bustling with activity." - Elisabeth MartinFor today's episode of the podcast, we have a great conversation to share with both Elisabeth Martin and Denelle Wrightson, each architects who have focused on library design for over 2 decades. Elisabeth Martin, principal of MDA designgroup, leads a firm that focuses on innovative library planning, architecture and interior design. Denelle Wrightson is an expert in architectural planning and design with extensive experience with libraries.In this episode, we dive deep into library trends. What are Elisabeth and Denelle seeing? What trends do they agree on? Where do their perspectives differ? Are the impacts of COVID-19 still impacting design decisions in a major way? What's on the horizon?This was a fascinating conversation. Check it out!//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture designs furniture that solves problems: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/elisabeth-martin-denelle-wrightson/

"[Designing a library] is really a gift you're giving the community." - Maureen ArndtFor today's episode of the podcast, we have a great conversation to share with Maureen Arndt, Founding Principal of 720 Design. From a fourth grader who discovered passion for architecture at a summer camp to the leader of a design firm that has completed over 300 library projects, Maureen has a really unique story.720 Design is a boutique planning, architecture, and interior design firm devoted to the development of modern library spaces where communities can gather to learn, play, dream, and explore.In today's conversation, we are exploring how to bring a unique community together for a library design project, what lasting design trends Maureen has seen as a result of the pandemic in both outdoor and indoor spaces, some behind-the-scenes from a rocket manufacturing plant being turned into a library in Tucson, questions she's been asking at the start of new design projects, and so much more.This was a great conversation. Check it out!//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture designs furniture that solves problems: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/maureen-arndt/

"We're always looking to refresh and maintain the incredible details while bringing in modern details in a cohesive way, creating harmony between the new and old." - Stephanie ShookFor today's episode of the podcast, we're welcome two more top-tier guests! Joe is talking with Peter Bolek, President and Director of Design at HBM Architects, as well as Stephanie Shook, Associate and Interior Designer at HBM Architects.The passion for the whole team at HBM lies in the belief that, in addition to solving the complex needs for clients, design has the transformative power to enhance our everyday life experiences.In today's conversation, we are exploring how to restore and preserve existing library spaces, why understanding the unique dynamics of a community impacts design decisions (plus examples from HBM's work!), how libraries can prioritize long-term flexibility, and much more.This one was a lot of fun. Listen in!//🎧 Prefer to watch? You can catch every podcast conversation on our YouTube channel!👉 You don’t have to sacrifice design for durability. Learn how Agati Furniture designs furniture that solves problems: https://www.agati.com/👍 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss any future conversations we share on the Agati Video Podcast!👉 Check out the show notes for this episode: https://www.agati.com/blog/peter-bolek-stephanie-shook/