Alanna Brehm

Architect & developer-in-training at @Build_Culture in Oklahoma City. Noticing what makes a place worth staying: hospitality, restaurants, streets & community.

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

Hi X! I’m an architect @Build_Culture in Oklahoma City, learning to be a developer and builder. I’ll be sharing what I notice about places that make you want to stay: hotels, restaurants, streets, and what I’m learning on the job.

📸 First day at Townsend

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

One thing I notice in every restaurant: can I hear the person across from me? Piedra in Indianapolis gets it right—and the room is beautiful, too. What restaurant in your city gets both the design and the noise level right?

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@OutworkJobs Great tip! Thank you

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

Being an architect taught me to create construction drawings. Moving to the GC side, I'm now learning which trade owns each piece of scope, construction sequencing, and how to make decisions faster. Architects who've crossed over: what do you wish you'd learned sooner?

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@_curiousben @MrBlanketFace I added it after seeing how often plants sit directly on hardwood. A drip tray is cheap insurance, and a lot of people just don't know to use one, especially if they're new to renting.

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@SustainableTall @not_tbonzalez Anyone know if the hempcrete is heavily sanded or does the lime wash smooth it all out? Looks beautiful.

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@orthodoxmason Frequent conversation between @matt_hayes4 and me: Will “normal” people notice this?

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

Anybody else walk past an empty lot and immediately start designing it? There's one in OKC between single-family homes, a duplex court, and shops/restaurants one street over. I keep picturing fourplexes, rowhouses, or a cottage court with a shared dog run. What would you build?

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@PlanToPrice Exactly!

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

I've started using AI to level bids. It catches exclusions, quantity mismatches, and even errors in my own takeoffs, then drafts follow-up questions for bidders. Still learning the process, but I'm curious: will it mean fewer scope gaps during construction? Ask me in two years.

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@Nic_Goodridge Wow! Makes our elevation drop seem silly. Very few contractors around here are used to it though which makes it challenging to bid.

Walk out basement seems like it’d be a great solution!

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

Our next project has ~15’ elevation drop across the site (crazy for Oklahoma). We had the idea to create elevations of the stem walls & footings to: 1) better explain the scope to potential bidders, and 2) generate takeoffs & cost estimating with more accuracy.

[Matt Hayes @matt_hayes4]

@_Alanna_B after what you put together for our next Edmond project, I'm putting stem wall elevations (for complex projects) on the list! And those axons are great too!

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@khalilbenali Agreed. Catching gaps on paper won’t solve everything, but having these clarifications before awarding the bid will hopefully mean fewer $$$ surprises in the field.

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@BrandonCoatesAI Another example is on one of my window bids: it caught a clause in the manufacturer’s terms and conditions that voided it’s warranty for my project (project being build-to-rent triggered this, even though it’s a single family home).

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@BrandonCoatesAI Yes I have so many examples. It caught one bidder applying an incorrect sales tax. Made a few hundred $ difference but little mistakes like that can add up and skew the ranks.

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@DamonZumbroegel It’s definitely one of a kind for our city and the “one meal only” creates the exclusivity that donors rush at. Great fundraising strategy.

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

20 Oklahoma chefs + 20 design teams. Each team turns an empty 20x20 ft square into a one-night dining room in about 20 hours. That's Design Appétit, Focus on Home's fundraiser to furnish homes for local families in need. Really look forward to this unique fundraiser each year!

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@matt_hayes4 Ah how did I forget! Great example I wouldn’t have thought of in my past life

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

I've drawn plenty of wall sections, but being on the GC side has opened my eyes to how they're actually built. I’ve learned that a simple coursing schedule is often more helpful than an elevation or section detail.

What drawing do you wish more architects would make (or skip)?

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@BryanO_Donoghue Absolutely. Dimension strings that relay design INTENT (ex: using an “equal/equal” note instead of specific measurements), connecting intentionally aligned elements with a centerline, and dimensioning to same side of wall every time gives clarity (and flexibility!) in the field.

[Alanna Brehm @_Alanna_B]

@MrBlanketFace Yeah maybe not but it’s extra backup when you keep their deposit 🤪