218: ‘Where’s My Friggin Hockey Stick’, with Zach Kron
A conversation with Zach Kron about designing systems instead of buildings, the transition from architecture to technology, the trade-offs of shipping imperfect tools, and the evolving role of architects in a tech-driven landscape.
Zach Kron joins the podcast to talk about what it really means to apply architectural thinking to products for AEC from inside a technology company. We explore designing systems, learning by shipping imperfect work, the real tradeoffs that come with pursuing leverage beyond traditional practice, and more.
This is an honest conversation for architects considering a move into tech, or looking to evolve their careers without leaving the discipline behind. It’s about agency, constraints, and redefining what impact and success can look like in architecture today.
Original episode page: https://trxl.co/218
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Connect with the Guest
Books and Philosophies
- Shop Class as Soulcraft – Matthew B. Crawford
- Amazon
- A grounding reflection on craftsmanship, agency, and the dignity of applied skill—highly relevant to architects navigating abstraction, automation, and AI.
- The Shallows – Nicholas Carr
- Amazon
- Explores how constant digital input reshapes cognition, attention, and deep thinking—an undercurrent in discussions about modern knowledge work.
- Thinking, Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman
- Wikipedia Overview
- Amazon
- A foundational text for understanding bias, intuition, and decision-making—critical for leaders navigating emerging technology.
Computational Design & Practice Tools
- Python for Designers
- Python.org
- A gateway language for architects expanding into automation, data, and AI-adjacent workflows.
- Revit + Dynamo
- Autodesk Revit
- Dynamo BIM
- Core tools discussed implicitly through Zach’s background in computational design and parametric thinking.
- Autodesk Forma
- Forma website
- Zach’s current focus.
- Rhino + Grasshopper
- Rhino 3D
- Grasshopper
- Still central to practice, even as conversations shift toward what comes after BIM.
About Zach Kron:
Zach is a Product Manager at Autodesk where he helps research, strategize, and implement parametric, computational, and analytic tools for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industries. Long ago he was an architectural designer working in multiple scales of projects from furniture to landmark bridges.
