In this interview, Antoine Picon reflected on his architectural career, particularly his years in France before moving to the United States. Raised in a cultured but not wealthy household, he studied engineering at the École Polytechnique and nearly pursued architecture alongside it. He found design studios especially influential in shaping his understanding of constraints, materiality, and the relationship between ideas and the real world. Picon discussed how moving to the United States affected his writing and led him to examine digital culture, ornament, and smart cities. He also recalled encountering the work of Michel Foucault, Bruno Latour, Gilbert Simondon, and André Leroi-Gourhan. Reflecting on changes in U.S. architectural history, Picon contrasted the field’s turn toward science and technology studies and institutions with his own growing interest in intellectual history and contemporary design discourse. Across more than 500 essays and books in French and English, his work has continued to connect history, theory, and contemporary architectural practice.