Charles Renfro: Person Place Thing with Randy Cohen

Person Place Thing is an interview show hosted by Randy Cohen based on the idea that people are particularly engaging when they speak, not directly about themselves, but about something they care about. Cohen’s guests talk about one person, one place, and one thing that is important to them. The result: surprising stories from great speakers. This installment of Person Place Thing will be a conversation with Charles Renfro, Partner at Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

For more information and to hear past episodes, visit PersonPlaceThing.org.

Speaker:
Charles Renfro, Partner, Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Moderator:
Randy Cohen, Host, Person Place Thing

About the Speakers:
Charles Renfro joined Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) in 1997 and became a Partner in 2004. He led the design and construction of the studio’s first concert hall outside of the US - The Tianjin Juilliard School in China - as well as the studio's first public park outside of the US - Zaryadye Park in Moscow. Charles has also led the design of much of DS+R's academic portfolio, with projects completed at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Brown University, the University of Chicago, and the recently completed Columbia Business School. Charles Renfro is leading the design of multiple interdisciplinary arts centers, including the new home for the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance in Harlem, New York and Sarofim Hall, a new home for Rice University’s Visual Arts department in Houston. Charles has been recognized twice with the Out100 list, and since 2012, has been deeply involved with BOFFO, a non profit organization that supports the work of queer LGBTQ+ BIPOC artists and designers. Charles has taught at Columbia University and Parsons School of Design at The New School. He is a recurring instructor at Rice University and is on the faculty at the School of Visual Arts.

Randy Cohen is an American writer and humorist who began his professional career writing for newspapers and magazines such as The New Yorker, Harpers, The Atlantic, and Young Love Comics. While Cohen is a writer of humor pieces, essays, and stories he is best known for “The Ethicist,” a weekly column for The New York Times Magazine between 1999 and 2011. His most recent book is entitled Be Good: How to Navigate the Ethics of Everything.