Architecture, And: From Mass Timber to Behavioral Health, with Michael Caton

How can architectural thinking, technology, and a shift from outputs to outcomes empower designers to solve complex human challenges beyond the built environment?

In this episode of Practice Disrupted, host Evelyn Lee sits down with Michael Caton, a Pratt-trained architect whose non-traditional career trajectory spans international mega-projects, technology-driven practice, mass timber housing, and pediatric behavioral health. Michael shares how graduating into the 2008 financial crisis launched a global journey, from construction administration on an Abu Dhabi hotel spanning a Formula One track to civic leadership in Brooklyn, that fundamentally reshaped how he views the architect's role in the room.

Michael reflects on his evolution through technology-focused roles at Studio V, enterprise spatial delivery at WeWork, and his five-year tenure as the first design hire at mass timber startup Juno. Along the way, he completed a full-stack engineering bootcamp and navigated the counterintuitive realities of scaling housing innovations. He discusses the critical mindset of falling in love with the problem rather than the solution, and how his personal journey as a parent to a neurodivergent son led him to found Lumi, a pediatric behavioral health startup delivering real-time, multi-player behavioral guidance for families.

The conversation culminates in an inspiring case for the future of architectural agency. Michael challenges firm leaders to look beyond drawing sets and physical artifacts to focus on the true transformations clients are buying. By prioritizing outcomes over outputs, he argues, design thinkers can leverage their problem-solving superpowers to create profound, measurable impact across the built environment and far beyond.

"If we really focus on those outcomes and that impact through the eyes of that client, those users in very deep ways, that makes the work that we create all the more powerful." - Michael Caton

This episode serves as a powerful reminder that an architect's greatest skill is not merely generating drawings, but applying systems thinking and design synthesis to complex human needs. By focusing on outcomes over outputs, design leaders can expand their agency and unlock meaningful transformation in traditional practice and new industries alike.

Guest:

Michael Caton, AIA, is an architect, technologist, and founder of Lumi, a pediatric behavioral health startup dedicated to supporting neurodivergent families with real-time, personalized behavioral guidance. A graduate of Pratt Institute, Michael’s multi-faceted career spans international project delivery in the UAE and Switzerland, civic leadership advocacy with AIA New York, enterprise workplace delivery at WeWork, and mass timber product development as the first design hire at Juno. Combining architectural expertise with full-stack software engineering, he is a passionate advocate for outcome-driven design and leveraging technology to strengthen human connections.

This episode is especially for you if:

You are curious about how architectural training can open doors to non-traditional, high-impact careers outside conventional firm practice.

You want to explore the compelling case for prioritizing outcomes over outputs to increase client value and professional agency.

You are eager to learn about the counterintuitive challenges and supply-chain realities of scaling mass timber housing startups.

You want to understand how personal lived experience and empathy can drive the creation of human-centered tech startups.

You believe that technology should be leveraged to foster deeper human connections and solve sticky societal problems.