V Owen Bush welcomed Dmitrii Shishov, an architect at OCV Architects, to the Practice Forward podcast to discuss how technology, tools, and ideas are reshaping architecture and how tenants can become co-designers in affordable housing. Dmitrii Shishov shared their background, emphasizing the importance of individuality in housing, and discussed their architectural influences, principles, and the challenges of renovating affordable housing in New York. The main talking points included the critique of "Soviet aesthetic" in housing, the importance of accurate existing conditions data, communication with tenants through 3D visuals, construction process and contractor selection, non-negotiable performance standards, and the tension between tech adoption and compensation in the architectural industry.

This episode is brought to you by Scan2Plan — the measure of excellence for architects and engineers.From adaptive reuse to MEPF modeling, Scan2Plan delivers high-fidelity BIM and CAD documentation grounded in LiDAR precision and project-ready accuracy. Whether you're preserving heritage, coordinating across disciplines, or modeling for a net-zero future, their tailored workflows and rapid delivery help you focus on what matters most: design.Certainty lies in good data. Scan2Plan gives you both.

Scan2Plan Website

⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇

https://www.scan2plan.io/

Today we’re joined by Dmitrii Shishov—the OCV architect who refuses to make residents “read” drawings. From Passive-House hybrids to tenant-in-place RAD rehabs, Dmitrii swaps flat plans for 3-D models, window mock-ups, and site demos so people can *see—and change—*what they’re getting. In Harlem he threads Renaissance-era culture into building names, lobbies, and public realms to break the “Soviet” look that haunts too much affordable housing. Candid about compensation-driven tech inertia, he’s here to talk dignity, daylight, and the nuts-and-bolts of practicing forward.

OCV Architects website

⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ ⬇

https://www.ocvarch.com/