PAUL COURNET
Founder CLOUD / Deputy Editor at CAPSULE / Architect
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On Cultivating Communities, Trusting the Process, and Creating Space for Others
After more than a decade at Rem Koolhaas’s OMA, Paul Cournet chose not to climb higher—but to build sideways. Today, he runs CLOUD, an independent design studio in Rotterdam focused on community, research, and cultural transformation. He also serves as Deputy Editor of CAPSULE, redefining how we talk about architecture in times of uncertainty.
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In this episode, Paul opens up about his evolution—from tagging walls with graffiti to founding a practice rooted in radical transparency, refusal, and trust. We talk about why he rejects unpaid competitions, how fatherhood redefined his sense of time, and what it means to design systems that work for people, not portfolios. If you’ve ever questioned the system you work in, this episode is your permission slip to start over.
WHY I INVITED THIS GUEST
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Piet Oudolf is one of the most influential landscape designers of our time. Known for his groundbreaking work on the High Line in New York and the Lurie Garden in Chicago, his naturalistic planting style has redefined public and private landscapes worldwide.
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WHY I INVITED THIS GUEST
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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
Founder CLOUD / Deputy Editor at CAPSULE / Architect
EP TITLE
EP TITLE
On Cultivating Communities, Trusting the Process, and Creating Space for Others
After more than a decade at Rem Koolhaas’s OMA, Paul Cournet chose not to climb higher—but to build sideways. Today, he runs CLOUD, an independent design studio in Rotterdam focused on community, research, and cultural transformation. He also serves as Deputy Editor of CAPSULE, redefining how we talk about architecture in times of uncertainty.
EP TITLE
In this episode, Paul opens up about his evolution—from tagging walls with graffiti to founding a practice rooted in radical transparency, refusal, and trust. We talk about why he rejects unpaid competitions, how fatherhood redefined his sense of time, and what it means to design systems that work for people, not portfolios. If you’ve ever questioned the system you work in, this episode is your permission slip to start over.
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