SHLTR Spotlight: Restoration as Innovation

Acclaimed architect Leo Marmol, FAIA, Managing Partner of Marmol-Radziner, explores how restoration can be a lower-carbon, higher-impact alternative to new construction and how the most sustainable building can be the adaptation of an historic building while respecting the legacy of its original design master. Leo passionately walks us through a series of case studies, including the restoration of Hank Schubart’s Jackson House and Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House.

The presentation is followed by a fascinating conversation with Zahid Sardar, Editor-in-Chief of SHLTR about the consequences of preservation in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, and how the building approval process hinders the development of housing to meet California’s growing demand.

Presenter:
Leo Marmol, FAIA | Marmol Radziner; Zahid Sardar, Editor-in-Chief | SHLTR

SHLTR Spotlight: Stone Works – The Language of Form

Renowned stone mason Edwin Hamilton and master letter carver Christopher Stinehour examine how stone speaks in contemporary architecture and landscape—shaped as much by time and water as by the precision of the human hand—and reveal how ancient stone traditions inform modern art and design through material honesty, restraint, poetry and craft.

Edwin Hamilton shares examples of his work from dry-stack stone walls to eroded field installations and meditative water features, and how he embraces imperfections and unique veining patterns,

Christopher Stinehour mesmerizes us with his precision stone carvings and finely chiseled memorial inscriptions, and illustrates his techniques including V-cutting each letter, stroke modulation, and finishing techniques.

The presentation is followed by a conversation with Zahid Sardar, Editor-in-Chief of SHLTR, about how the historical roles of stone and letter carving in architecture influence how contemporary designers use stone and letter carving across architectural, landscape, and artistic applications.

Presenter:
Edwin Hamilton | Hamilton Stone; Chris Stinehour | Master Letter Carver: Zahid Sardar, Editor-in-Chief | SHLTR

SHLTR Spotlight: West Coast Modernism in Hawaii

SHLTR Talks: Architect Greg Warner, Partner & Founder | Walker Warner, and Interior Designer Nicole Hollis, Creative Director & Principal | NicoleHollis, moderated by SHLTR Editor-in-Chief Zahid Sardar, explore how modern architecture and interiors can feel deeply Hawaiian without resorting to architectural costume, offering a more enduring model for building in the islands.

Grounded in restraint, climate, and place, the conversation examines how West Coast modernism has quietly shaped contemporary work in Hawaii not through grand gestures, but one house at a time. Greg and Nicole present residential projects, alongside a shared hospitality project in Kona that demonstrates how this approach extends beyond the private home.

Together, their work shows how modern design can engage local conditions and culture while resisting familiar tropes, such as thatched roofs and overt island motifs, proposing instead a disciplined, site-responsive modernism that is contemporary, adaptable.

Presenter:
Greg Warner | Walker Warner; Designer Nicole Hollis l | NicoleHollis: Zahid Sardar, Editor-in-Chief | SHLTR