You've seen ARCHITECT in print and online, but have you heard us? You can now, loud and clear, with our new podcast, ArchitectChats. Here, our editors talk with the people who are working at the cutting edge of design, technology, and practice in architecture. We'll talk with them about what they're doing, where they're headed, and how you can learn from it.

For our first episode, we sat down with Amelia Baxter and Roald Gundersen, AIA, who are the co-founders of WholeTrees Architecture and Structures in Madison, Wis. They visited our office in Washington, D.C., last month while they were in town to pick up the prize for winning the 2015 Barrett Foundation Business Concept Challenge based on their work using small-diameter round timbers to replace milled wood and even steel in structural applications.

We discussed what makes whole trees (their namesake) so strong, their plans to create a digital library of trees that project teams can pick from when specifying structural materials, and getting past the notion that trees alone aren't strong enough to keep a building standing. We also discuss their latest project, a Festival Foods grocery store location in Madison, which opened earlier this month, supported by nearly 300 parallel chord trusses and 34 columns engineered and supplied by WholeTrees (see images below).

Episode 1: Amelia Baxter and Roald Gundersen of WholeTrees [SoundCloud] + [iTunes]

This episode was produced by Hallie Busta, Austin Heller, and Lauren Honesty. We'll be rolling out new episodes twice a month, so check back here, on SoundCloud, and in the iTunes Podcast Store for the latest.

We're kicking off with a few more episodes, below:

Episode 2: Amanda Williams and Andres Hernandez on the PXSTL Design-Build Competition in St. Louis [SoundCloud] + [iTunes]

Episode 3: Charlie Klecha on Acing the Architect Registration Examination [SoundCloud] + [iTunes]

WholeTrees The new Festival Foods grocery store, in Madison, Wis., under construction earlier this month, as WholeTrees' trusses are installed.
WholeTrees Inside the finished store, trees provide support.
WholeTrees Detail of the connection between the round timber support and the metal truss and ceiling system.
WholeTrees
WholeTrees Roald Gundersen (left) and Amelia Baxter at the opening of the Festival Foods location, in Madison.
The Hanifil Famiy Wild Woods at the Minnesota Zoo, in Apple Valley, Minn., features WholeTrees' products.
Damon Farber The Hanifil Famiy Wild Woods at the Minnesota Zoo, in Apple Valley, Minn., features WholeTrees' products.
WholeTrees The WholeTrees installation at the YWCA, in Dallas.