195: ‘The Freedom to Break the Rules’, with Jesper Wallgren
A conversation with Jesper Wallgren exploring his transition from architecture to software development, focusing on early-stage space planning, and the importance of narrowing scope to better serve architects in multifamily residential design.
Jesper Wallgren joins the podcast to talk about his journey from running a design studio in Sweden to building a focused software platform for multifamily residential planning called Finch. We explore the lessons learned from trying to do too much, the power of narrowing scope, how Finch integrates with tools like Rhino and Revit, and why letting architects break the rules is a feature—not a bug.
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Connect with the Guest
Books and Philosophies
- Cal Newport’s Deep Work
- Amazon Link
- On focus and craftsmanship in the age of distraction. Relevant to software UX and architectural practice.
- Stewart Brand’s How Buildings Learn
- Amazon Link
- Explores how architecture adapts over time. Akin to how software must evolve through iteration and user feedback.
- Eric Ries’ The Lean Startup
- Amazon Link
- The methodology behind iterative product development. Mirrored in Finch’s architectural software journey.
AI Tools and Emerging Technologies
- Finch 3D
- Finch3D
- AI-powered tool for generating and editing floor plans, especially for multifamily residential projects.
- Graph Neural Networks (GNNs)
- Graph Neural Networks Explained
- Learn how Finch uses GNNs to predict space classification and circulation paths.
- Autodesk Forma
- Forma Official Website
- Finch integrates with Forma for massing input and Revit for documentation.
- Rhino + Grasshopper
- Rhino 3D
- Grasshopper 3D
- Rhino and Grasshopper serve as front-end tools for massing and scripting.
Psychology and Personal Development
- Adam Grant’s Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World
- Amazon Link
- Explores creative problem-solving and how innovators navigate resistance. Relevant to Finch’s journey.
- David Bayles and Ted Orland’s Art & Fear
- Amazon Link
- Reflects on the vulnerability of presenting early-stage ideas. Parallels to Jesper’s story of sharing unfinished tools.
About Jesper Wallgren:
Jesper Wallgren is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer (CPO) of Finch, an innovative AI-powered platform designed for architects. He leads product development and is responsible for the advanced algorithms that underpin Finch’s generative design capabilities.
Before founding Finch, Jesper worked as an architect and computational designer, where he developed custom algorithms in Grasshopper to streamline workflows at the architecture firm he co-founded with Pamela Nunez Wallgren. His early experiments and short videos demonstrating new computational design techniques gained widespread attention on social media, sparking industry interest and ultimately leading to the creation of Finch.
Jesper is also the creator of the graph technology that powers many of Finch’s core features, enabling architects to generate and adapt floor plans rapidly using a combination of rule-based logic and AI. His work focuses on making architectural design more efficient, allowing professionals to move seamlessly from early massing models to detailed, AI-generated plans.
