# 226: From the Inside Out: Larry Sass on Digital Fabrication, AI, and Architecture's Next Chapter

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/practice-disrupted-by-practice-of-architecture-804792/226-from-the-inside-out-larry-sass-on-digital-fabrication-ai-and-architecture-s-next-chapter
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/practice-disrupted-by-practice-of-architecture-804792/226-from-the-inside-out-larry-sass-on-digital-fabrication-ai-and-architecture-s-next-chapter.md
Podcast: [Practice Disrupted by Practice of Architecture](https://stenobird.com/podcast/practice-disrupted-by-practice-of-architecture-804792)
Published: 2026-03-12T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://practiceofarchitecture.com/podcast/
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/9b29e5c8-fca6-422c-9fb2-84b71ad00678.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/practice-disrupted-by-practice-of-architecture-804792/episodes/226-from-the-inside-out-larry-sass-on-digital-fabrication-ai-and-architecture-s-next-chapter
Duration seconds: 3187

## Resource

How can architects move beyond the traditional service model and embrace a future where they build products instead of just selling hours? In this episode of Practice Disrupted, Evelyn Lee is joined by Larry Sass , a Professor of Architecture at MIT and lead of the Design Fabrication Group. Larry reflects on a 30-year journey that began with a desire to remain in traditional practice but shifted when he realized the industry’s initial resistance to digital tools. Today, he is a leading voice in digital fabrication and 3D printing, advocating for a radical shift in how architects are trained and how they operate in a world increasingly defined by technology, automation, and the need for new business models. The conversation explores Larry’s conviction that the architecture profession is at a crossroads. He discusses the friction between the slow-moving "service" model of architecture and the fast-paced world of digital innovation. Larry introduces the concept of the "third practice", a path where architects use their design expertise to create software, products, or new fabrication methods rather than simply billing for time. He shares insights from his work at MIT, including the DesignX program, which encourages students to approach architecture with an entrepreneurial mindset to solve industry-wide problems. "Try and figure out how to teach people how to start new businesses around the industry of architecture. Reinvent it and rethink it." - Larry Sass This episode is a masterclass in rethinking the value of an architectural education. Larry breaks down why the industry has struggled to fully adopt digital fabrication and what it will take for the next generation to reclaim their role as innovators. From the limitations of current BIM tools to the potential for 3D pri…

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