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09. The Truth About Three Squared: What It Really Took To Become The Experts In Innovative Design

Pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee, and tune in to this week's episode to find out the mistakes we've made, lessons learned over the years, and where we're looking to go as we flip the design industry on its head. Here's a glimpse at what you'll learn in this episode:​

  • Leslie's life before Three Squared, and how she turned Three Squared into the industry leader it is today.

  • What we lost and what we learned through surviving the year 2007.

  • How a name change... changed everything.

  • Why transparency matters to us as an architecture firm.

  • What makes us a standout choice for those looking to work with a highly skilled (& lovable) design team.

  • Breck's project highlight of the week: The Hygge!

Find the full show notes from today's episode here. For behind the scenes footage, project updates & more, follow @threesquaredinc on Instagram. >> Ask us about your project here. To learn more about designing & building with shipping containers, check out these supplemental episodes: 1) Best Advice for Beginner Developers: How to Start & How Much It Will Cost 2) Cargo Architecture 101: What You NEED to Know About Building with Shipping Containers

“I can honestly say that we are the experts of [cargo architecture]."


-Leslie Horn (CEO of Three Squared, Inc.)

Show Notes:

  • 0:39 - Introduction into Episode 9!

  • 1:19 - Breck's project highlight of the week: The Box Hop Hygge

  • 3:56 - Life before Three Squared.

    • 4:39 - Leslie's background before becoming the CEO of Three Squared, and why she chose Detroit.​

    • 7: 34 - How/why 2007 changed everything.

    • 9:47 - Changes that allowed Three Squared to become what it is today.

    • 11:19 - How the name "Three Squared" allows our company to evolve.

    • 12:51 - Showing proof of what Three Squared could become by building the Model Center.


  • 14:16 - Finding the right people.

  • 14:59 - Working and branding with developers to create innovative housing.

  • 17:28 - How transitioning from a development firm to a design and architecture firm opened the door for many new opportunities.

  • 20:24 - Why being a transparent company matters to us.

  • 22:39 - Importance of being a woman led company in architecture.

  • 24:05 - Conclusion for Episode 9.

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