Other Than Expected: Fabian Bircher on Combining Art, Architecture, and Code

Other Than Expected: Fabian Bircher on Combining Art, Architecture, and Code

Author: Liam Spradlin October 14, 2025 Duration: 38:19

In this episode, Liam speaks with Zürich-based architect and artist Fabian Bircher, whose work spans buildings, custom lighting, and interactive installations. Fabian discusses his unique creative process, where inspiration flows from both artistic concepts and the discovery of new technological possibilities. The conversation explores the materiality of light through his Buoy lamps and dichroic foil installations, the process of revealing hidden digital systems with his "Reporting Device," and the unexpected role of randomness in creating kinetic art.

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Episode Chapters:

01:16 Intro and Background

03:52 The Exchange Between Tech and Creativity

06:04 Breaking Into the Unknown

07:52 Buoy Lamps and the Vermicelleria

12:58 The Materiality of Light

16:12 Bringing Light to a Brutalist Schoolhouse 

19:15 The Reporting Device

24:02 Revealing the Unseen

25:49 Anthropomorphic Architecture

29:54 The Role of Randomness

31:54 Does it All Make Sense?

34:34 What Should We Be Focused On?

37:40 Outro


Liam Spradlin hosts Design Notes, a podcast that digs into the realities of creative work from a distinct perspective. As a Senior UX Designer at Google who thinks deeply about interface philosophy, Liam brings a particular curiosity to each conversation. He doesn't just interview designers in the traditional sense; instead, he seeks out voices from a wide array of unique creative fields, from illustrators and architects to ceramicists and type designers. The core of each episode lies in uncovering the shared threads-the inspirations, challenges, and fundamental principles-that connect these diverse practices. Listening feels like sitting in on a thoughtful dialogue between practitioners, where the lessons learned in one discipline often shed surprising light on another. You'll hear how problem-solving in UX resonates with the constraints of a physical craft, or how narrative thinking in writing informs a visual project. This isn't about technical tutorials or portfolio reviews. It's about the human experience behind the work and the broader understanding we gain from it. Through these genuine exchanges, the Design Notes podcast builds a compelling case for how creative thinking bridges disciplines and cultures, offering listeners a richer sense of their own creative journey, whatever form it may take.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 65

Design Notes
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Duration: 2:16
Design Notes is a show about creative work and what it teaches us. Each episode, host Liam Spradlin talks with people from unique creative fields to discover what inspires and unites us in our practice.