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Authenticity Speaks Volumes: Graham & Clive Pohl


Graham & Clive Pohl on familial and cultural expectations.

I almost started this sentence with "Y'all" and immediately thought, 'No, my uncles will see this, and so will the rest of my family, and they might think that's too conversational.' Which is to say, family and cultural expectations run deeeeep. I noticed while I edited this interview that I said "um" about 3x more than I did in any of the other interviews I've done so far. I also noticed my laughs were plentiful. So, while I was more nervous interviewing family members, especially my uncles to whom I look up, than I have been for other interviews, I also knew that I would find deep truth and hilarious moments. And THAT's why it was worth working past my nerves to do this interview anyway, for your benefit. (I edited out most of the 'um's). In this conversation, we talk about:

  • Navigating between the worlds of art and commerce

  • Dealing with overbearing and difficult family members

  • Birth order and nature vs nurture

  • Misconceptions that family and/or culture tell us

  • Architecture

  • Nuance

  • Multidisciplinary life as a coping mechanism/strategy

  • A lot of joking

  • Kids as a steadying force

  • Walking or biking to work as a significant life success

  • Doing versus being

  • Finding flow

  • Global warming as an example of changing paradigms

  • Working with others

  • Bringing oneself to bear

  • Safe spaces in which to explore

  • Dealing with difficulty in a forthright way

Graham recently retired from their shared business, Pohl Rosa Pohl Architects, but Clive is still there and you can see both of their work there. They can also be found on Facebook.


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