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Building Dreams: The Art of Collaborative Architecture with Kevin Kennon

Kevin Kennon · November 26, 2025

Entrepreneur · Wellness · Leadershipin

Interview with Kevin Kennon

Building Dreams: The Art of Collaborative Architecture with Kevin Kennon

Podcast: Invest in You

November 26, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min

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Building Dreams: The Art of Collaborative Architecture with Kevin Kennon

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Key topicsGood Bones — Why the Best Return Is in the Building Already StandingKevin Kennon has spent 40 years putting buildings up and taking old ones apart, including the conversion of the American Express Building in Tribeca and the rebuild of Macy's Herald Square. Most developers price a site as if the structure on it were a cost to clear, when the frame, floors and shell are often the most valuable thing in the deal. He walks through how he reads an existing building for what it can carry, where reuse beats new construction on cost and timeline, and where it does not. Listeners leave able to look at an older property and tell whether the return sits in the land or in what is already standing.Own Worst Client — Why the Best Projects Start When You Stop Taking CommissionsAfter 40 years taking commissions from other people, Kevin Kennon founded Beyond Zero DDC and became the client he used to work for. He argues that the work practitioners are proudest of only happens when they carry the risk themselves, and that waiting to be hired quietly caps what a firm can ever build. He covers what changed once he was raising the money, picking the sites and answering to investors: slower decisions, harder trade-offs, and far fewer compromises written into someone else's brief. Listeners leave with a clear view of what a practice gives up by staying on the commission model, and what it takes to fund a first project of their own.How to Build Zero-Carbon Where There Is No Power GridKevin Kennon builds at zero carbon on sites with no power line, no water main and no road, as founder of Beyond Zero DDC and after 40 years on projects as large as the 1.5 million square foot Barclays North American headquarters. A remote site removes the usual escape route: there is no grid to buy clean power from, so the building has to make and store its own. He explains what that forces, from off-grid generation and local materials to the trade-offs between what gets shipped in and what gets built on site. Listeners leave knowing which of those choices transfer to ordinary projects on the grid, and which only work when there is nowhere to plug in.View all topics →

About Kevin Kennon

Award-Winning Architect and Sustainable Design Visionary

40+ Years of architectural practice40+ Design awards20+ Iconic buildings1.5M sq ft Barclays North American Headquarters

Kevin Kennon is an internationally renowned architect with more than 40 years of experience designing landmark cultural, commercial, and hospitality projects around the world. Known for combining design ambition with deep human insight, he brings a humanity-first philosophy to architecture — creating spaces that do more than impress visually; they shape how people feel, connect, recover, and remember an experience.

As Founder and CEO of Beyond Zero DDC Inc., Kevin is leading the development of a new model of luxury hospitality: zero-carbon wilderness resorts designed around intimacy, wellbeing, adventure, and safety. Rather than treating sustainability as a marketing layer, Kevin approaches it as a natural consequence of building responsibly in remote environments — while placing the guest experience at the center of every design decision.

His portfolio includes the 1.5 million square foot Barclays North American Headquarters, the Rodin Museum in Seoul, multiple award-winning Bloomingdale’s stores, and leadership of United Architects, a finalist in the World Trade Center design competition. His work has been featured in the permanent collection of MoMA, New York, and he has received more than 40 international design awards.

Kevin’s expertise spans architecture, adaptive reuse, urban development, hospitality design, and high-level real estate advisory.

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About this episode

In this episode, Fredrik interviews award-winning architectKevin Kennon, who shares insights on the architectural process and the importance of collaboration. Kevin emphasizes that every project begins with a blank slate, encouraging architects to lead with curiosity and adapt to unique challenges. Kevin discusses the significance of instilling pride in stakeholders, fostering a sense of ownership in projects, and the role of sustainability in architecture.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Ownership and Collaboration: Successful projects thrive when all stakeholders feel a sense of ownership in the outcome. This collaborative spirit fosters pride and motivation among everyone involved, from architects to construction workers.

Curiosity in Design: Approaching each project with a blank slate and a mindset of curiosity is essential. Each building is unique, and understanding the specific context, community, and needs of the client is crucial for creating meaningful architecture.

Sustainability as a Responsibility: Architects have a responsibility to advocate for humanity and create environments that are healthy and regenerative. This includes being sensitive to the impact of buildings on communities and ensuring they do not displace or harm residents.

The Role of Technology and AI: While AI can enhance the design process by generating multiple options, the true value of architects lies in their ability to curate information and create a vision for the future.

Travel and Experience: Traveling is vital for architects to gain inspiration and understand the emotional impact of architecture. Engaging with different cultures and environments enriches their perspective and informs their design philosophy.

BEST MOMENTS

"The best projects succeed when everyone feels like they have an ownership stake in the outcome."

"You have to be able to rely on their ability to get the thing done."

"Pride speaks to a kind of inner fire, motivation, a feeling of belonging to something greater than yourself."

"You're buying the people. At the end of the day, you're kind of like they're all pretty good, but who do I want to spend time with for the next two years?"

"Stay curious. If you're trying to lead, you have to be open to learning and understanding."

TO CONNECT WITH THE GUEST

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkennonarchitect/

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Serial entrepreneurs Fredrik, Charlie and Ivan Sandvall love sharing ideas and interviewing world-class entrepreneurs and influences. Invest In You is about investments, entrepreneurs, personal development and doing fun things. They hope to ensure you to take action, helping others and yourself, plus enjoying the journey we call life.

https://www.skool.com/invest-in-you-podcast-tribe-8617/about?ref=b436cf4ec1004048a6be80c1b1b27d60

CONTACT METHOD

Fredrik Sandvall

www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/

https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/

Charlie Sandvall

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/csandvall/

YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/c/Sandvall

Ivan Sandvall

Instagram @ivansandvall

Guest: Kevin Kennon