Meet Sean Canning

We were lucky to catch up with Sean Canning recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sean, thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?
99% of architecture is about communicating design ideas to someone else.

When we work with our clients we use a variety of tools to explain the design including study diagrams, digital models, physical models, + renderings. When our project is being built we need to be completely clear about what to build + where to build it. The construction drawings we produce are the way we communicate the design intent to a contractor.

I have always been very detail-oriented. Architecture school also teaches you to be diligent with your work. Through the two decades I have been working in this industry I have had the benefit of discussing challenges that contractors incur when dealing with other architects. We have templated our drawings to be as clear as possible for the benefit of the project.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I run a boutique architecture studio where we create custom modern + minimalist designs for residential spaces. We work on projects ranging from small ADUs to large custom homes to giant multifamily projects.

My studio focuses on the exploratory process of architectural design + we strive to guide our clients through that process to the design that fits their needs best. We are very good at going from a vague idea to an engineered design.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I have been artistic since I was a young child. This was something that came naturally to me + my parents really encouraged.

I’ve also like to work with my hands which helps me understand how parts of a building come together. This is a skill many architects do not have.

Lastly, I would say that I have the ability to become fully engulfed in a subject matter. Sometimes to the point of obsession. Learning how to control this + use it as a tool has aided my career, particularly when it comes to designing homes for my clients.

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Permitting projects in the City of San Diego gets more difficult every year. We are currently one of the best at doing this because we have a designated employee on staff who specializes in permitting. That said, each project seems to bring unique challenges that can take weeks to overcome.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
James Brady Photography

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
Beating Burnout

Often the key to having massive impact is the ability to keep going when others

Leadership Development
Finding Your Why

Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly,