The Architect Goes Back to the Stone Age

In this episode of PlotLines, Britni sits down with Peter Choi, Principal-Design at HOK, for a wide-ranging conversation about the forces reshaping architecture, cities, and the way designers work. With a career spanning Boston, New York, nearly two decades in Seoul, South Korea, and now San Francisco, Peter brings a global perspective to questions of recovery, resilience, technology, and long-term value.Peter explores how different sectors are responding to today’s market realities, from aviation and healthcare to sports stadiums and mixed-use development. He explains which areas are gaining momentum, which remain challenged, and why the most successful buildings are those designed to adapt over time.The conversation also dives into the role of AI in architectural practice. Using HOK’s real-time stadium design tool as an example, Peter describes how decisions that once took weeks can now happen in minutes, shifting the architect’s role and placing even greater importance on creativity, judgment, and human insight.Britni and Peter also discuss sustainability, neurodiverse design, adaptive reuse, and the importance of social infrastructure in revitalizing urban cores. Drawing on his experience across the U.S. and East Asia, Peter highlights how client expectations, cultural context, and market conditions shape design priorities.Peter closes with a memorable headline: “The architect goes back to the Stone Age.” His point is that AI may be pushing architecture back to its most essential purpose: creating meaningful places for people, while helping designers imagine, test, and deliver buildings that can serve communities well for generations to come with purpose.