Episode Details

In this conversation, Evan Troxel and Candace Kitchen sit down with Sandra Olave, chair of Interior Design at the College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit. Sandra traces their path from a civil engineering start in Colombia to studying design in Barcelona and ultimately building a career that blends practice, education, and community-centered design.

The discussion explores how culture and travel influence design instincts, why experience design requires attention to the full spectrum of human senses (and the memories and identities attached to them), and how designers can create spaces that feel both fresh and familiar by working with cues that register at an “unconscious” level.

Evan and Sandra also dig into AI in design and education — what it can accelerate, where it can mislead, and why critical thinking, asking better questions, and learning through experimentation (including failure) remains the core skill set for designers.

They then shift to Detroit projects and adaptive reuse, including the challenge of honoring history while creating contemporary value, and the importance of early collaboration between architects and interior designers (especially when budget, intent, and experience are on the line).

Finally, Sandra shares how CCS approaches curriculum — grounding students in “heart skills” and “soft skills,” connecting liberal arts + history through field trips, and creating global exposure through travel and design week participation.

Episode Links

• College for Creative Studies (CCS) — Interior Design program
• First National Building (Detroit)
• Michigan Central Station (Detroit)
• Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA)
• Diego Rivera murals at the DIA
• Tadao Ando
• Jean Nouvel’s “Opera House” adaptive lighting reference
• Milan Design Week / BASE Milano