Rephonic
Artwork for Scratching the Surface

Scratching the Surface

Jarrett Fuller
Architecture
Graphic Design
Design
Design Education
Climate Change
New York City
Digital Design
Industrial Design
National Academy Of Design
Cranbrook Academy Of Art
Community Engagement
Publishing
Education
Voting
Sustainability
Decolonization
Decarbonization
Art Education
Contemporary Art
Nonprofit Organizations

Scratching the Surface is a podcast about design, theory, and creative practice. Hosted by Jarrett Fuller, each episode features wide-ranging conversations with designers, architects, writers, academics, artists, and theorists about how design shapes culture. Previous guests include architecture critic Paul Goldberger, MoMA design curator Paola Antonelli, architect and OMA partner Reinier de Graaf... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes329Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Arts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Scratching the Surface

Latest Episodes

Asli Altay is the Head of Design, Communication, & Content at the Walker Art Center, where she also serves as the artistic director of the Walker Design Triennial. The first edition, curated by Joseph Grima, just opened with the theme Beyond Material... more

YouTube

Jon Marshall and Piotr Woronkowicz are industrial designers and partners at Pentagram. Jon, who joined in 2018, fuses product design with strategy, packaging, digital, and physical environments. Piotr, who joined in 2025, works across products, packa... more

YouTube

Jarrett’s new book Graphic Designers After Graphic Design was just published by Princeton Architectural Press! The book, which features interviews, profiles, and case studies of emerging and mid-career graphic designers working in non-traditional pra... more

YouTube

Will Hunter is an Adjunct Instructor and Executive in Residence at New York University in the Schack Institute of Real Estate where he is leading the Building Better Cities Collaborative, a two-semester fellowship that brings mid-career professionals... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Asli Altay
Head of Design, Communication, and Content at the Walker Art Center and artistic director of its Design Triennial
Walker Art Center
Episode: 295. Asli Altay
Jon Marshall
Industrial designer working across products, strategy, packaging, digital and physical experiences
Pentagram
Episode: 294. Jon Marshall & Piotr Woronkowicz
Piotr Woronkowicz
Industrial designer working across products, packaging, furniture, interiors and environments
Pentagram
Episode: 294. Jon Marshall & Piotr Woronkowicz
Kathleen Sleboda
Designer, design educator, illustrator, founder of Draw Down Books
Draw Down Books
Episode: 293. Graphic Designers After Graphic Design
Will Hunter
Designer, writer, entrepreneur, and educator; adjunct instructor and executive in residence at NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate; Building Better Cities Collaborative
New York University Schack Institute of Real Estate; Building Better Cities Collaborative
Episode: 292. Will Hunter
Rathna Ramanathan
Provost at Central Saint Martins; Executive Dean of Global Affairs at the University of the Arts, London
Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
Episode: 291. Rathna Ramanathan
Kurt Andersen
Designer, critic, author, and former Time Magazine design and architecture critic
Time Magazine; Spy Magazine; Studio 360
Episode: 115. Kurt Andersen (originally aired 3/20/19)
Nicole Killian
Graphic designer and educator; co-director of the Design Visual Communications MFA at Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Episode: 213. Nicole Killian (originally aired 4/27/22)
Willo Perron
Designer, creative director, and partner at Perron-Roettinger
Perron-Roettinger
Episode: 187. Willo Perron (Originally aired 5/12/21)

Host

Jarrett Fuller
Host of Scratching the Surface. Guides conversations on design theory, pedagogy, and practice across architecture, graphic design, and culture.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 136 ratings
  • A Must-Listen!

    This show is an invaluable treasure trove for the modern creative spirit. Every episode blends wisdom from top-tier creatives with actionable steps for those on the unconventional path. It's more than just inspiration—it's a call to action for every creative soul to follow their dreams and change the world!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Andieo1997
    United States3 years ago
  • Influential

    I have seriously learned so much from this podcast! STS has helped me understand what I want out of my design career. The guests are all always very interesting and their ideas and careers are fascinating.

    Although I really enjoy every topic that Jarret covers, I get particularly interested in the episodes that discuss alternative higher ed programs and the economics of design school education. Thank you for an incredible podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kaleb P.
    United States7 years ago
  • Fantastic Variety

    I enjoy the variety of speakers Jarrett invites to his show. Especially the ones who talk about inclusivity and diversity in design and about how important it is to bring different perspectives to the table. A memorable one for me is #18 Andy Chen + Waqas Jawaid, it felt like listening to friends I’ve yet met. The intro music is cheesy but it grew on me. :-)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    connyc23
    United States9 years ago
  • Very inspirational

    Some of the best podcasts I’ve listen to in a long time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    roig.fiol
    United Kingdom9 years ago
  • I always learn something new.

    I've found my way back to this podcast several times. The audio has been clear in all of the interviews I've listened to. Episodes wander through the ideas of both young design writers as well as some of the most influencial people in design. Highly recommend. :)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    James McBennett
    United States9 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-caliber guests spanning architecture, graphic design, and criticism.
Audio quality and pacing are generally strong, though a few episodes spark lively debate.
The conversations consistently connect theory with practical impact in design.
Thoughtful and inspirational insights from leading designers and educators.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#132
South Korea/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#228
Singapore/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

295. Asli Altay
Q: What does Beyond Materialism mean to you?
Altay says design's usefulness can extend beyond obvious physical function. Making an object can be meaningful to its creator, and sharing it may inspire others; the exhibition's designers also respond materially to current crises.
295. Asli Altay
Q: Why does the Walker want to do a Design Triennial, and why now?
Altay says the Walker has a substantial design history, but design exhibitions had become sporadic. A triennial can track changing ideas about design and designers, allow time for reflection, and support new commissions that can influence the field.
294. Jon Marshall & Piotr Woronkowicz
Q: What does the industrial designer bring to Pentagram and to products, and where do you see the discipline going?
Marshall emphasizes observation, listening and problem-solving as skills that help designers respond to complex changes, including AI. Woronkowicz adds that designers must consider users, clients and sustainability while adapting to new tools and cultural expectations.
294. Jon Marshall & Piotr Woronkowicz
Q: How do you define industrial design today? What does that term mean to you?
Woronkowicz describes it as a way of thinking and solving problems that considers user experience, psychology, form, color and context across varied scales. Marshall says his work includes product design and related fields, while the industrial aspect involves designing for manufacture at scale.
292. Will Hunter
Q: What is Building Better Cities Collaborative and how does it relate to the LSA's ideas?
The Collaborative expands the LSA concept to include mid-career professionals across built-environment disciplines, combining think-tank style collaborations with fellowship studios, and creating cross-disciplinary synergies among design, real estate, finance, policy, and technology to address systemic urban challenges.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Scratching the Surface

What is Scratching the Surface about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Design-focused interviews that probe how design shapes culture, education, and practice across architecture, graphic design, data visualization, and beyond. Conversations typically center on design pedagogy, interdisciplinary collaboration, critical theory, and the social role of design, often pairing practitioners with educators and writers who examine how systems, media, and institutions influence creative work. Noteworthy for bringing a broad, cross-disciplinary set of guests together with a persistent eye toward critique, context, and real-world impact, making it helpful for listeners who want ideas that translate into teaching, practice, or strategic storytelling in design-focused fields.

Where can I find podcast stats for Scratching the Surface?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Scratching the Surface. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Scratching the Surface and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Scratching the Surface get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Scratching the Surface, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Scratching the Surface?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Scratching the Surface, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Scratching the Surface have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Scratching the Surface has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Scratching the Surface?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Scratching the Surface:

1. Time Sensitive
2. Dialogues: The David Zwirner Podcast
3. Doomscroll with Joshua Citarella
4. Design Matters with Debbie Millman
5. Middlebrow

How many episodes of Scratching the Surface are there?

Scratching the Surface launched 10 years ago and published 329 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Scratching the Surface?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Scratching the Surface?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Scratching the Surface from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Scratching the Surface?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Scratching the Surface. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Scratching the Surface?

Recent guests on Scratching the Surface include:

1. Asli Altay
2. Jon Marshall
3. Piotr Woronkowicz
4. Kathleen Sleboda
5. Will Hunter
6. Rathna Ramanathan
7. Kurt Andersen
8. Nicole Killian

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days