Practice of Architecture: Digital Twins, Civic Tech & AI for Communities


2025

Hello Reader,

After testing a variety of send days, it seems Sunday is when most of you prefer to catch up and read. So, thank you for welcoming me into your weekend routine.

I’m admittedly a little behind on sharing recent podcast episodes here (travel has been non-stop lately!), but before I hop back on the road, I wanted to highlight Episode 209 of Practice Disrupted, featuring Nichole Sterling, Mayor Pro Tem of Nederland, Colorado, and founder of MyTown AI.

Nichole’s story sits at the intersection of AI, civic tech, and architecture. Her platform, MyTown AI, helps local governments consolidate fragmented data, run scenario planning, and even build low-cost digital twins, tools that were once only accessible to big cities. We talked about how small towns are using AI to make better, faster decisions and what architects can learn from this shift toward intelligent, data-informed community planning.

🎧 Listen to Episode 209: Digital Twin Cities & MyTown AI

Before I go, I also wanted to share an opportunity from my friend Henry Gao, who’s launching his iPad Mentorship Program this October. If you’ve ever wanted to elevate your hand-drawn sketches or present your ideas more effectively, this six-week program blends live workshops, step-by-step workflows, and direct coaching inside a supportive community.

Henry only opens this mentorship once a year, and spots typically fill fast, so if you’ve been waiting for the right time to level up your digital sketching skills, this is it.

Keep learning and growing,

Evelyn M Lee, FAIA | NOMA

Founder, Practice of Architecture

Host, Practice Disrupted & Fractional COO



/// PoA Podcast - Practice Disrupted ///

Digital Twin Cities, My Town AI

What happens when a public servant becomes a tech founder to solve the problems they face every day?


/// Henry Gao, iPad Mentorship Program ///

Enrollment is limited, and once the seats are filled, they won’t open again until next year. Don’t miss your chance to join Henry's iPad Mentorship Program this year.

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