Monthly Recap :: February 2025

Peace Everyone,

Thanks for allowing me the space to share how my practice is evolving as an architect & artist.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about who builds the future—who controls land, food, and culture, and what it takes to create alternatives outside existing systems. This has been most prevalent in my food systems work. This month, I’ve been mapping a landscape of investment opportunities and specifically who/what controls participation, realizing the most significant barriers aren’t always financial but structural—i.e. who decides what’s viable, valuable, or even possible in our food system?

At the same time, I’ve been exploring ideas of true decentralization how exactly that might work. The ideas of The Network State and blockchain economies are exciting—but decentralization isn’t inherently liberatory. Who sets the rules, and how do we prevent tools for freedom from simply being co-opted by the same “powers that be” (read: USDC).

In my art practice, my explorations are quite different. I’ve become fascinated with quilting as a way of storytelling through slow, deliberate design. And with Ramadan approaching, I’ve been reflecting on the discipline required for this medium, and what it means to design with intention—not just in the built world, but in thought, practice, and community.

In short, this month seems to revolve around the theme of "The Honest Day’s Work." In other words, I’ve been questioning what meaningful work looks like, how value is assigned to labor, and what it means to design a practice that aligns with both intuition and impact. Whether in food, land, or creative work, this month has been about redefining productivity and success beyond contemporary terms and anticipating the future.

1) Moments I Was Proud Of This Month:

• I’ve been leading a highly anticipated exhibition for the future of food at the South Shore cultural center in Chicago—translating complex supply chain data into accessible, visually compelling tools that help people see where power sits and how change happens.

• I’ve enjoyed working on my quilts—not just as a craft but as a study of patience and storytelling. The process has given me a deeper understanding of how slow, intentional work can invite new modes of seeing.

2) Questions I Returned To This Month:

• How do you design infrastructure for futures you can’t fully predict? Whether in cities, economies, or creative practices, how do you build flexible systems that evolve with unexpected changes?

• What are the hidden costs of scale? In food systems, investment, and creative work, scale is often treated as the default goal—but what is lost in the process?

• What is the role of ritual in future economies? As work, culture, and value systems shift, what structures replace traditional routines, and how do rituals shape participation in new systems?

• Can economic models be designed to incentivize long-term thinking? If financial systems reward short-term gains, how do we create investment structures that prioritize resilience and slow value creation?

• What does it mean to create permanence in an ephemeral culture? If most media, design, and digital content is made to be temporary, what does it take to create work that holds weight beyond the moment?

3) Mind-Expanding Reads from This Month:

📖 The Anthology of Balaji – A deep dive into decentralization, governance, and the future of networked economies, pushing me to rethink how power and participation evolve outside of legacy institutions.

📖 The Network State – Expanding on Balaji’s ideas, this book made me question how new forms of governance and citizenship could emerge in a digital-first world.

📖 The Alchemy of Happiness – Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali – A spiritual and philosophical reflection on what it means to live a fulfilled life, deepening my thinking on intentionality, ethics, and the architecture of inner discipline.

📖 Harvard Design Magazine: "Instruments of Service" – A critical look at the role of architecture beyond buildings, questioning how design serves power, labor, and the public.

🎥 Chris Sacca & Tim Ferriss Interview – A deep dive into venture capital, risk-taking, and long-term thinking, with insights on investing in world-changing ideas while staying true to your vision.

4) Projects I’d Be Interested in Taking On Next:

• Brand strategy in hospitality, food, and beverage (strategy)

• Resilience planning for civic innovation offices (strategy)

• Art direction & movement design for live performance (design)

• Interior design for hospitality and luxury retail (design)

• Sound design & music direction for luxury retail (design)

• Impact investment evaluation and measurement (foresight)

• Report for the future of currency and agriculture (foresight)

5) Priorities in My Practice for Next Month:

• Reviving my skillset and expertise in 3D design for mixed reality experiences

• Deepening my quantitative skillset to critique and realize proposals for the future

• Refreshing my expertise in sound design, live performance, & set design

• Continuing to build relationships with galleries & curatorial committees locally and abroad

• Refining my brand infrastructure for upcoming product launches

• Exploring printed matter & zine-making as a reflexive practice

• Seeking fabrication partnerships locally and abroad with reasonably low MOQs

Thanks again for your attention, and if any of this resonates, the most helpful thing you can do for me is to share it with a friend. 🙂 ‘Til next time.

Blessings,

JCM