LivLive Ep. 0000028 - Christopher Lawton & Micah Stanley (Lawton/Stanley Architects)

In this episode of LivLive, Dave sits down with Christopher Lawton and Micah Stanley, co-founders of Lawton Stanley Architects, for a deep conversation about architectural authorship, restraint, and building a practice rooted in clarity rather than noise.Based in Chicago, Lawton Stanley is known for highly refined hospitality and residential work, including landmark restaurant projects like Ever and Grace. Throughout the conversation, Christopher and Micah reflect on how restaurant design fundamentally shaped their approach to architecture — teaching them to think about sequence, pacing, light, materiality, and experience as inseparable from form.Rather than chasing trends or signature gestures, they discuss the discipline of editing, the value of restraint, and the importance of trust — both between partners and with clients. The episode also explores how their partnership functions in practice, how design intent survives real-world constraints, and why smaller, more intentional studios can produce deeply meaningful work.This is a thoughtful, practice-level discussion for architects, designers, builders, and anyone interested in how great spaces are actually made — from concept through experience.How hospitality projects influence architectural thinking at every scaleWhat restaurant design teaches about sequence, mood, and human experienceHow Christopher and Micah navigate partnership, authorship, and trustWhy restraint and editing are often the hardest — and most important — design movesHow design intent can survive budgets, construction realities, and real-world constraintsWhy staying intentionally small can be a strategic advantage for design studios00:00 – Introduction & backgroundDave introduces Christopher Lawton and Micah Stanley and their Chicago-based practice.04:30 – Founding Lawton Stanley ArchitectsHow the firm began and the shared values that shaped its direction.11:45 – Partnership & authorshipHow collaboration works without ego and how responsibilities evolve.20:10 – Designing restaurants as architectureLessons learned from hospitality projects and why experience drives form.34:40 – Restraint, editing, and clarityWhy doing less often creates more powerful spaces.49:15 – Translating hospitality thinking to residential workApplying sequencing, materiality, and mood to homes.1:03:30 – Growth, focus, and staying intentionalWhy Lawton Stanley resists scale for scale’s sake.1:15:50 – Closing reflectionsWhat continues to motivate them as architects today.