In this episode, we sit down with architect Michele Grace Hottel, AIA, founder of MGHarchitect, whose work spans California and Arizona—from oceanfront modern redesigns to hillside homes overlooking Camelback Mountain. Michele shares her earliest design inspirations, the evolution of her architectural practice, the challenges and rewards of site-specific projects, and how she tailors each home to the people who live in it.
We also dive into her passion for collaboration, her journey as a female architect, her popular podcast I've Never Met a Woman Architect Before, and her role in the upcoming Arizona Women Architects publication. Whether you're a design lover, architect, builder, or simply curious about how meaningful spaces come to life, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration.
⏱️ Chapter Timings (Estimated)
00:00 – Welcome to Modern Mastermind
00:19 – Introducing architect Michele Hottel
01:00 – Michele’s first memories of design & childhood influences
03:00 – Growing up around museums, skylights & historic architecture
04:30 – Early creativity: dollhouses, Legos & building blocks
06:00 – Moving west & discovering Frank Lloyd Wright sites
07:20 – Designing for geography: California vs. Arizona
09:30 – Inward vs. outward-focused architecture
11:00 – Living in Copenhagen & weather-driven design
12:00 – Michele’s favorite project types & moving into design-build
13:20 – Sunset Cliffs House: opening a home to a 180° ocean view
16:00 – Innovating with glass before modern systems existed
17:30 – Modernizing a hillside home and preserving mid-century elements
19:00 – 911 9th Street House: challenging site + art-driven design
22:00 – Designing around large art collections & custom niches
23:30 – Paradise Valley hillside project overview
25:00 – Michele’s client process: from first call to construction
27:00 – Working with builders, budgets & design-build collaboration
28:30 – Michele’s podcast: “I’ve Never Met a Woman Architect Before”
30:00 – Arizona Women Architects publication
31:00 – Rapid-fire: favorite architecture, inspirations & future dreams
32:00 – Closing & where to find Michele online
🔗 Connect with Michele Grace Hottel
🌐 Website: https://mgharchitect.com
📸 Instagram: @mgharchitect
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