Skift Take
In episode six of the Skift Ideas Podcast, host Colin Nagy is joined by designer Bill Bensley to discuss the remarkable journey that has shaped his unique perspective on the world of design.
In episode six of the Skift Ideas Podcast, Colin Nagy is joined by Bill Bensley, Founder of Bensley, a globally renowned designer celebrated for his award-winning contributions to the fields of architecture, landscape, and interior design.
Bill, who is affectionately known as the “Willy Wonka of Design”, founded Bensley in 1990, which today is today a small atelier of youthful, energetic architects, interior designers, artists and landscape architects that know no limits.
Join us as we explore the remarkable journey that has shaped Bill's unique perspective and approach to design - from his upbringing on a self-sustaining farm in California to his deep-rooted commitment to sustainability - and gather insights into how Bill blends his two passions of design and conservation, to ensure his projects have a positive impact on the environments in which his projects come to life.
Listen Now Episode NotesColin Nagy: Hey Everyone, welcome back to this Skift Ideas podcast. Thanks for tuning in. I'm delighted to have Bill Bensley with us, founder of Bensley, and he is affectionately known as the Willy Wonka of Design. He founded Bensley in 1990 and which is a small ateliers of youthful, energetic architects, interior designers, artists and landscape architects that know no limits.
He's widely celebrated for his hotel landscape and interior designs alongside his passions for conservation and philanthropy. And throughout his years, he's seamlessly and brilliantly combined his work with these two passions to benefit the environment and the communities in which he's created these projects.
So, Bill, I've been a longtime fan, and it's really nice to have you here. Good morning to Bangkok. It's Sunday evening in Los Angeles, but it looks like a nice morning over there.
Bill Bensley: Yes. Good morning. Yes. Good morning. It is a very nice morning here. Thank you for having me on the show.
Nagy: It's a pleasure. Now, I want to understand a little bit of your earlier life. You know, you grew up in California before the world, before kind of traveling the world and landing where you are now in Southeast Asia. Give us a little bit of the back story. Your education and early sort of intellectual history and interests and things like that.
Bensley: Well, that's… How many days do you have to discuss that? Yeah, I grew up in Anaheim and amongst the walnut groves and the ora