On the pod this week is the American architect Michael Meredith, who founded the practice MOS together with Hilary Sample in 2003.
MOS is an acronym derived from Meredith and Sample, with the "O" serving as an abstract, connective element. The name, much like the practice itself and the cultural moment it emerged from in the early 2000s, captures a playful tension between irony and sincerity. It's a subtle nod toward global architectural giants like SOM or OMA, while genuinely embodying Michael and Hilary's playful and collaborative spirit.
A hallmark of Meredith and Sample’s work is their ability to balance intentional imperfection with technical precision. They've described their practice as embracing a philosophy that's "horizontal and fuzzy," deliberately moving away from the conventional "tall and shiny" image typically associated with architecture firms. It's a metaphor reflecting their preference for an architecture that's smaller, less bureaucratic, more experimental, and ultimately more alive.
In this wide-ranging interview Meredith reflects on the the art and literary scenes that catalysed MOS's early work, including his time spent with David Foster Wallace during a residency in Marfa Texas in the early 2000s; his new podcast series "Building with Writing" on the work of Stan Allan; his current teaching at Princeton University, and an essay he's currently developing in praise of smaller architecture, in response to the growing beurocracy of contemporary practice.
Scaffold is a podcast series featuring interviews with architects, artists and designers. Hosted by Matthew Blunderfield and produced by the Architecture Foundation, it is available on Apple Pocasts, Spotify, and most major podcast streaming platforms.
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