Artist and designer Dennis Maher has spent decades exploring the life cycles of buildings. After studying architecture at Cornell, he moved to Buffalo, New York—where a job in demolition introduced him to the visceral reality of the built environment constantly breaking down and rebuilding itself.
That experience sparked a practice rooted in salvaged materials, forgotten objects, and the imaginative transformation of ordinary spaces. Maher’s work now spans sculptural installations, living environments, and his most ambitious project: The Assembly House, an evolving artwork housed inside a historic church that also serves as a training ground for the building arts.
Part immersive artwork, part cultural attraction, part educational engine, The Assembly House teaches people to build while reconnecting them to the tactile, communal experience of craft. Through what he calls “architectural dream worlds,” Maher explores how memory, materials, and imagination reshape the way we understand the spaces we inhabit—and the role we play in building them.
Listen now on cleverpodcast.com
Special thanks to our sponsor: Wix Studio
Web designers, Wix Studio lets you deliver your vision with less friction. Built for agencies and enterprises, you get total creative control over every last pixel, with no-code animations, tons of AI tools, reusable design assets, and advanced layout tools.
Head to cleverpodcast.com for a transcript (with links!) of this episode, images, resources, and over 200+ more episodes!
What’s the best advice that you’ve ever gotten?
A few people told me I should move to Buffalo. That was 25 years ago.
What’s your current favorite tool or material to work with?
I am working with a lot of Eastlake Furniture right now. I like the linework and details.
What book is on your nightstand?
Favorite restaurant in your city?
Roost, everything is delicious but the pizza is divine
What are the last five songs you’ve listened to?
The album I’ve been listening to is David Byrne’s Everything that Happens will Happen Today
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.