FUTURE OF XYZ

Hosted by Lisa Gralnek | iF Design

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Episodes

170

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

FUTURE OF XYZ is a bi-weekly interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Through candid conversations with international experts, visionary leaders and courageous changemakers- we provoke new thinking about what's coming down the pipeline on matters related to art & design, science & innovation, culture & creativity. Future of XYZ is presented by iF Design, a respected member of the international design community and host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD since 1953. The show is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. For more information, visit ifdesign.com/XYZ.

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60 recent

June 11, 2026Episode 16844 min

Future of Architects | Carole Wedge | S8 E12

S8 E12: Carole Wedge FAIA NOMA LEED AP is the CEO/EVP of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) - the largest design organization in the world with over 101K members across 200 chapters. An accredited architect herself who for 17 years served as CEO of Shepley Bulfinch- one of the nation’s largest architecture & interior firms founded in 1874, there are few better guests to speak about the profession, role, and nature of Architects. From addressing climate change to encouraging diversity, highlighting the rigorous education and licensing requirements to discussing the transformative technological moment happening right now – this episode explores some of the unique qualities of architects, the cross-disciplinary and systems-based nature of the profession, and the skills needed by the next generation. ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

May 28, 2026Episode 16734 min

Future of Man-Made | Karen Korellis Reuther | S8 E11

S8 E11: Women are 73% more likely to be injured in a car crash than men. Across the trades, 90% of women cannot find properly fitting safety gear. In every public space everywhere, the lines for ladies’ restrooms are multitudes longer than for men. These aren't statistical anomalies — they are the predictable consequences of a world designed primarily by and for men. Karen Korellis Reuther is the author of MAN-MADE, a Design Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and a Former Creative Executive at both NIKE & Reebok. A month before the release of her first book, the iF DESIGN AWARD Jury Chairperson and design advocate joins us to surface some uncomfortable design and economic truths that have long been felt but not named, and to present examples of opportunities to make it right so we can all play a part in building a world that fits everyone. ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

May 14, 2026Episode 16633 min

Future of Spatial Strategy | Güray Oskay | S8 E10

S8 E10: When a strategic architecture and experience firm thinks about design in decades-long time horizons and considers culture, community, and climate in their built environment projects – what emerges are deeply human-centered projects that serve all stakeholders well. Spatial Strategy is the architectural equivalent of “thinking before we speak” - the practice of planning designs and builds based on insights, future needs anticipation, and more. Güray Oskay is the Director of Space at ATÖLYE – an award-wining studio and Certified B-Corp based in Dubai and Istanbul. In this truly inspiring episode, Güray shares with us transferable knowledge from his 25-year career working with public and private entities across the Middle East and Europe about the future of Spatial Strategy! Don’t miss. ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

April 30, 2026Episode 16535 min

Future of Foresight | Radha Mistry | S8 E9

S8 E9: Foresight is a practice that predicts or prepares for the future by listening to the “weak signals of possible futures”. Similar to trend tracking and forecasting - it explores how a provocation can blossom into possibility. Tied to the release of the 5th annual iF Design Trend Report (downloadable here: https://ifdesign.com/en/trend-report) – it is a timely moment to explore the future of this practice including how it performs in times of tremendous uncertainty and rapid change. Our guest is Radha Mistry, an expert in foresight who has held senior positions at Autodesk and Steelcase, before joining the global design and engineering consultancy ARUP where she heads up Foresight Thought Leadership. As regular listeners will anticipate, we cover a ton of ground in this episode - from cities to agriculture, media to robots, wellness to global trade, climate change to zero G orbits. Tune in today! ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

April 16, 2026Episode 16436 min

Future of Seating | Todd Bracher | S8 E8

S8 E8: Todd Bracher studied at Pratt, did his Masters in Copenhagen, and spent a decade working across Europe, before returning to New York City where he established his eponymous design studio. Credited with bringing more than 200 products to market and receiving over two dozen patents alongside dozens of accolades and awards – Todd is the first American industrial designer to have Phaidon publish a retrospective of his work. “Observations Research & Design” was released just prior to the recording of this episode. WIth diverse projects undertaken for Herman Miller, Geog Jensen, and now as the Global Creative Director at Humanscale – Todd is also an expert in seating which is what we’re speaking with him about in this tremendously interesting new episode. Tune in today! ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

April 2, 2026Episode 16342 min

Future of The Intelligent Home | Yves Behar | S8 E7

S8 E7: Within the industrial design community, our guest is known as an innovative, global leader who has created hundreds of products and services for major brands, launched over 100 early-stage ventures including Uber and TELO Trucks, received over 300 awards, was named one of TIME Magazine’s Top 25 Visionaries and recognized by Forbes as the “Most Influential Industrial Designer in the World”, and has works included in the permanent collections of museums worldwide incl. MOMA and SFMOMA. The Founder and CEO of Fuseproject- a design and innovation studio based in San Francisco and Lisbon since 1999- Yves Behar has turned his attention to our homes in recent years, most notably the ways in which user friendly ecosystems are created and how “intelligent home” products can “hide in plain sight”. Tune in to learn way more than IoT jargon. Not to miss. ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

March 19, 2026Episode 16232 min

Future of What's Real | Annabelle Schneider | S8 E6

S8 E6: “Embodied presence.” “Intelligent gestures.” “Vulnerability is the real humanity inside us.” This week, we host Artist & Experience Designer, Annabelle Schneider, for a seemingly esoteric, abstract conversation about ‘What’s Real’. However, Annabelle quickly shows the topic to be anything other than nebulous. Based on her long-time interiors practice and now multiple award-winning installations that have traveled the globe – we learn how ‘what’s real’ is ultimately fully grounded in the physical, emotional, and spiritual experience all human beings share. In the face of accelerating digitalization and collective overstimulation, Annabelle says: “Discernment- the ability to feel what is authentic, to slow down enough to notice, and to consciously choose depth over distraction- becomes essential!” ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

March 5, 2026Episode 16137 min

Future of Shoes | Charles Johnson | S8 E5

S8 E5: Humans have been covering our feet with shoes to protect from injury and disease for over 5000 years. Sportsmen have been harnessing shoe innovation to maximize performance since the 1800s. The global footwear industry today produces millions of SKUs every year tailored to the unique demands of every imaginable sport, demographic, and style preference. Once a highly valued handcraft, technology has increasingly taken over. And yet, nearly 12% of the world’s population remain “unshod”. This week’s guest is Charles Johnson who has spent nearly four decades in the footwear business- developing products for Puma, Converse, adidas, and others. He is now an academic at Carnegie Mellon University and social entrepreneur working to deliver change at scale. ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

February 19, 2026Episode 16035 min

Future of (Hu)man-Machine Collaboration | Matt McElvogue | S8 E4

S8 E4: “It’s about the orchestration of human judgment and machine capability towards a shared outcome.” This week’s episode is about (Hu)man-Machine Collaboration, and our guest is Matt McElvogue, the Vice President of Design at Teague - a century-old Seattle-based design firm renowned for solving complex challenges at the forefront of technology. Whether we’re looking to space or deep into the internet, the fact is that when people and automated technology work together, leveraging each other's strengths to achieve goals better and faster – the collaboration enhances efficiency and innovation. This is a fascinating conversation with a design leader at the forefront of what’s next in the universe literally, not only of design! ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.

February 5, 2026Episode 15940 min

Future of Third Places | Robert Hammond | S8 E3

S8 E3: Of all the spaces in the world that people flock to, admire, and emulate in recent decades – few are as iconic as NYC’s The High Line- the old, elevated railroad tracks on Manhattan’s West Side, turned native garden and cultural space. In this episode, we speak with the project’s co-Founder, Robert Hammond, about 'Third Places'- what they are, why they matter, and how they’re evolving. From their sometimes-grandiose role in urban renewal (such as the High Line) to their essential everyday purpose as a space for connection – third places include parks, libraries, cafes, bars, gyms, and other community gathering spots. Tune in to learn more. You’ll also hear about Robert’s newest vision – bringing public bathhouses to the US after their millennia of importance as third places in Europe, Asia, and throughout human history. ABOUT THE SERIES: FUTURE OF XYZ is an award-winning interview series that explores big questions about where we are as a world and where we’re going. Presented by iF Design- host of the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD- FUTURE OF XYZ is also a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. New episodes every other Thursday. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Follow @futureofxyz and @ifdesign on Instagram, listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts, watch on YouTube, or visit ifdesign.com/XYZ for show links and more.