Every week, Tony Chapman chats with ordinary people doing extraordinary things. In his inspiring Chatter That Matters podcast series, Chapman uncovers tales of astonishing grit and resilience, stories of strength and impact, and valuable lessons that can help see the possibilities of life — even during challenging times.
Up until the age of seven, Benjamin Saxe lived with his drug-addicted mother in the slums of San Jose, Costa Rica. From an incredibly young age he took on the role of parent in their relationship, figuring out how they would eat and ultimately get through each day.
When he was taken in by one of the wealthiest families in the country (his adopted father had known his mother in their youth), Saxe went from the streets to having security, comfort and opportunities that filled him with gratitude.
The experiences of Saxe’s youth shaped his priorities. As he shares with Chapman during the podcast: “I’ve had many things happen to me. We all have our stories, but it’s about how you take those and react in those moments. How do they shape our lives?”
Saxe made the most of both the good and the bad moments of his life.
Following his father’s path, Saxe studied architecture in both Costa Rica and at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. While he feels many architects try to bring order and organization to the chaos of the world, his approach is different — he aims to blend human living space with the natural environment. Inspired by his free-spirited mother who felt a tremendous connection to nature, Saxe designed the house “Forest For Moon Dazzler,” which has a cone-shaped roof that opens up to the moon. The house, which he self-built for his mother, won the award for “Best Private House in the World” at the World Architecture Festival held in Barcelona, as well as a prestigious Design Museum of the Year prize.
Today, Saxe is testing the boundaries of human habitat from his studio in Costa Rica, with an aim of blending living spaces with the natural landscape, ultimately elevating the human experience and deepening connections to the planet.
To listen to this show go to chatterthatmatters.ca, or download Chatter that Matters wherever you get your podcasts, or on these stations:
- Newstalk 1010, Toronto
- CFRA 580 Ottawa
- CJAD 800 Montreal
- CJBK 1290 London
- Newstalk 610 St. Catharine’s
- CKLW 800 Windsor
- CKFR 1150 Kelowna
- Fridays at 1 p.m.
- CFAX 1070 AM Victoria
- Fridays at 8 p.m.
- BNN Bloomberg, CFTE 1410 Vancouver
To listen to Tony Chapman’s CHATTER THAT MATTERS Podcast, download Chatter that Matters on I HEART Radio, wherever you get your podcasts, or at: https://chatterthatmatters.ca
This article is intended as general information only and is not to be relied upon as constituting legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its affiliates.
