Luxury residential projects are shaped long before construction begins. Every decision, from site strategy and architecture to positioning and buyer experience, requires close collaboration between the developer, architect, and marketing team. Using two current Related coastal California condo developments, in Newport Beach and Santa Ana, as case studies, this fireside conversation explores how those perspectives came together, where priorities aligned (and conflicted), how East Coast and West Coast sensibilities converged or diverged, and the decisions that ultimately shaped the projects.