Architecture Beyond
I am Brandon Aaron Gibbs, AIA, NOMA—a licensed architect, researcher, educator, media producer, and advocate working across architecture, technology, and public engagement.
My story begins with my parents, who met while attending Howard University. My mother came from Mississippi, and my father came from the U.S. Virgin Islands. They raised me in Memphis, Tennessee, where I developed an early love for music, creativity, architecture, and design.
As a youth member of several orchestras including the Memphis Youth Symphony, I traveled nationally and internationally and experienced cities, cultures, and remarkable spaces beyond my hometown. Those experiences showed me how buildings and public places can express identity, history, and possibility. They helped inspire my decision to pursue architecture.
I studied architecture at Pratt Institute as a recipient of the Pratt Institute Presidential Scholarship. I later earned my Master of Architecture from the Architectural Association Design Research Laboratory in London. Over more than 15 years, I have contributed to sports and entertainment venues, healthcare facilities, churches, community spaces, commercial developments, and residential projects across Tennessee, New York, the American South, and beyond.
My work has expanded into research, education, entrepreneurship, and media. Through MotionFORM, I explore design, sustainability, computational methods, and emerging technology. I also founded Iamthestudio to help architects and designers strengthen their creative and technical skills.
Selected accomplishments include:
- LICENSED ARCHITECT IN TENNESSEE
- CO-CHAIR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NOMA NASHVILLE
- PRATT INSTITUTE PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
- BISHOP G. E. PATTERSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
- AUDIENCE AWARD RECIPIENT, QUICKFLICK LONDON
- WORK FEATURED BY PRATT INSTITUTE AND AIGA MOBILE
- PANEL SPEAKER WITH MUSIC CITY NSBE
- SPEAKER AT PODCAMP NASHVILLE AND BARCAMP NASHVILLE
- SHORTLISTED AS A PROSPECTIVE TEDX MOBILE SPEAKER
- ENTREPRENEURIAL TRAINING THROUGH THE NASHVILLE ENTREPRENEUR CENTER AND NASHVILLE BUSINESS INCUBATION CENTER
Through Architecture Beyond, I bring together professional experience, independent research, and storytelling to make architecture more accessible and relevant. As “The Architect in Your Corner,” I explore how design affects our communities, industries, opportunities, and everyday lives.
Architecture Beyond
Zaha Hadid: The Architect Who Redefined Form and Possibility For All Designers // Saturday Studio AB Ep 40
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Welcome to Saturday Studio, a series from Architecture Beyond where we study architectural pioneers and connect their thinking to how we design today.
In this episode, we explore the life and impact of Zaha Hadid — an architect known for redefining form through fluid geometry, advancing computational design, and building a global practice rooted in research and experimentation.
🎙 What This Episode Covers
- Zaha Hadid’s early life, education, and career trajectory
- Her role in advancing parametric and computational design
- Challenges as a woman and outsider in the profession
- The evolution from conceptual drawings to built work
- The importance of collaboration across teams and clients
We examine three defining projects:
- Vitra Fire Station (1993) — concept to built form
- MAXXI Museum (2009) — spatial flow and circulation
- Heydar Aliyev Center (2012) — integrated parametric design
🧠 Design Research & Practice
A key theme is the role of research in shaping practice.
Zaha Hadid maintained strong ties to the Architectural Association School of Architecture, particularly the Design Research Lab. These ideas were further developed within Zaha Hadid Architects alongside collaborators like Patrik Schumacher and engineers such as Arup.
🛠 Featured Design Exercise
We explore a parametric tower study inspired by Galaxy Soho using Rhino 8 and Grasshopper, highlighting how computational tools support form exploration and control.
📚 Learning Resources
Books
- Zaha Hadid: Complete Works
- Zaha Hadid Architects: Evolution
- Zaha Hadid and Suprematism
Video & Research
- Lectures and interviews with Zaha Hadid
- Project features from Zaha Hadid Architects
- ThinkParametric for advanced workflows
🧭 Key Takeaways
- Exploration drives innovation
- Collaboration makes ideas real
- Persistence defines impact
Watch Video Episode & Tutorial Here:
https://www.iamthestudio.com/saturdaystudio_zahahadid/
Architecture Beyond is where architects, designers, and creative thinkers share the stories shaping life and impact beyond the studio. Since launching, we’ve released dozens of inspiring episodes and grown into a global community of listeners who care about architecture’s role in the world.
We’d love to hear from you—what topics inspire you most, or who you’d like to see as a guest. If you’re interested in sharing your own story on the show, visit Iamthestudio.com and click ArchBeyond in the menu. Join the conversation and help us continue building a platform that elevates architects everywhere.
Sponsored by iamthestudio architecture software courses (site here).
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