Open City
195 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingOpen City is a charity dedicated to making architecture and built heritage more open, accessible and equitable. This feed includes our weekly show, The Brief which features news and analysis covering the big issues in British architecture, heritage, housing and planning. We also release longer form shows breaking down big issues connecting urbanism and politics with in-depth discussion. Our shows are hosted by a roster of architectural critics and practitioners, featuring guests from across architecture and design, as well as artists, academics, policy makers and journalists.
Open City Friends get early, ad-free access to all Open City podcasts, and help support accessible independent journalism and life-changing education programmes. Sign up as an Open City Friend today.
This show is made possible in part by Bloomberg Connects, a free mobile app featuring guides to over 200 museums, galleries and cultural spaces.
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Episodes
Gender pay gap widening among UK architectures biggest firms
April 18, 2024 05:00 - 37 minutes - 51.6 MBThis week Merlin spoke to the architect, author and columnist Eleanor Jolliffe // Sadiq Khan pledges to end rough sleeping in the capital // The Grenfell Inquiry’s final report delayed yet again // Gender pay gap widening among UK architectures biggest firms // And the AJ and SAVE launch a competition to rethink demolition plans for the M&S on Oxford Street // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief,...
Rent rises set to outpace wage growth for next three years
April 11, 2024 05:00 - 33 minutes - 46.3 MBThis week Merlin spoke to the Chief Executive of Camden Highline, Simon Pitkeathley // Rent rises set to outpace wage growth for next three years // Outrage over King Charles’ ‘ideal town’ proposal in Kent // Contentious Barbican demolition plans tipped for approval // And the fascination with forbidden spaces; how Camden Highline is opening up a whole new part of London // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to get early, ad-free access...
Brutalism and Biodiversity
April 07, 2024 07:00 - 28 minutes - 39 MBIn this episode Paul spoke to the landscape architect, urban designer and Director of Landscape and Placemaking at Peabody, Dr Phil Askew. Their discussion centered around the landscape-led regeneration of Thamesmead; the brutalist post-war townscape in south east London hailed as the ‘town of tomorrow’. You can find an online version of Landscape for free here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Norwich City Council 'disappointed' after sell flagship homes lost to right to buy
March 28, 2024 06:00 - 47 minutes - 65.5 MBThis week Sahiba spoke to Amandeep Singh Kalra. Amandeep is the Associate Director of Be First, the regeneration arm of Barking and Dagenham council. // Norwich City Council 'disappointed' after sell flagship homes lost to right to buy // The UK has the worst value housing of any advanced economy // Stirling Prize winner hits out at flaws in UK built environment procurement // And local heritage found to bring £29 billion pounds in economic benefits linked to wellbeing every year // The Br...
Council housing ratcheting up the political agenda
March 21, 2024 06:00 - 34 minutes - 46.8 MBThis week Merlin speaks to the President of the RIBA, Muyiwa Oki. // Council housing ratcheting up the political agenda ahead of big year of elections // How generative AI is transforming the work of architects and engineers // Heat pump rollout slammed for being too slow // And V&A’s director warns The Palace of Westminster is on the brink of catastophe // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief, ...
Spring budget criticised for failing to boost housing
March 14, 2024 06:00 - 41 minutes - 56.6 MBThis week Merlin spoke to Simon Vickery, the Programme Manager of the Open House Festival. // Spring budget criticised for failing to boost housing // A government report finds Lown Traffic Neighbourhoods are popular and effective // Grimshaw unveils major new redevelopment plans for Waterloo Station // And how simply partying more could help our struggling night time economy // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to get early, ad-free...
Tidal Pools and the Landscape of Swimming
March 09, 2024 07:00 - 28 minutes - 38.6 MBIn this episode Paul spoke to the co-founder of architects Studio Octopi and Future Lidos Group; Chris Romer-Lee. Chris is a outdoor swimming enthusiast and tidal pool advocate, and his practice was behind the ambitious Thames Bath proposals which first caught peoples attention nearly a decade ago. In this episode they discuss the landscape of swimming, with a particular focus on tidal pools and the benefits they can bring to coastal ecosystems and communities. You can find an online ver...
Competition Probe into the UK’s Biggest Housebuilders
February 29, 2024 06:00 - 38 minutes - 52.3 MBThis week Merlin is joined by Tom Wilkinson. Tom is a writer and historian, and author of the new book ‘Emergency Money: Notgeld in the Image Economy of the German Inflation, 1914–1923' // Competition probe into the UK’s biggest housebuilders // Heatherwick to turn BT Tower into a luxury hotel // Government redirects billions from HS2’s scrapped northern leg // And architects report the longest period of pessimism since 2009 // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts a...
Government warned London house building is grinding to a halt
February 22, 2024 06:00 - 44 minutes - 61.5 MBThis week Producer Poppy spoke to Fran Williams - the architectural journalist and occasional host of The Brief - to discuss the big stories in housing, architecture, and planning news this week. // Government warned London house building is grinding to a halt // A new benchmark for sustainable housing wins planning in East Sussex // Loss of Jewish East End heritage as landmark beigel shop closes its doors // And a 6 million pound rebrand for London's ‘Orange Line’ The Brief is supported ...
RIBA president slams Labour’s £28bn green U-turn
February 15, 2024 06:00 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBThis week Sahiba spoke to Rob Fiehn, the Director of the London Society // RIBA president Muyiwa Oki slams Labour’s £28 billion pound green U-turn // Michael Gove approves controversial South Bank tower plans // The public toilet crisis isolating vulnerable people // And delivery riders stage a Valentine’s Day strike demanding fair wages // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief, and support access...
Landscape-Led Waste Water Infrastructure
February 10, 2024 06:00 - 26 minutes - 37 MBIn this episode Paul spoke to the architect, curator and urbanist, Madeleine Kessler. Together they looked at waste water management in London, and investigated the value of holistic design-led approaches to major infrastructure projects. You can find an online version of Landscape for free here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Housebuilders throw support behind Labour as Conservatives ‘bow to Nimbyism’
February 01, 2024 06:00 - 31 minutes - 42.8 MBThis week Sahiba spoke to Pooja Agrawal. Pooja is an architect, chief executive of Public Practice, and a trustee of Open City. // Housebuilders throw support behind Labour as Conservatives ‘bow to Nimbyism’ // Fresh plans submitted for London tower set to be joint-tallest in Europe // Channel 4 to sell iconic Richard Rogers-designed HQ amid job cuts // And the clifftop project dubbed Grand Designs’ ‘saddest ever’ home, goes back on the market // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connect...
Reestablishing the link between housing and health
January 25, 2024 06:00 - 39 minutes - 53.9 MBThis week Merlin spoke to the architect and co-founder of the Stirling Prize-winning practice Haworth Tompkins, Graham Haworth. // Calls for a Royal Commission into housing and health as 5,000 deaths caused by cold and damp homes // A new wave of multistorey industrial developments transforming urban skylines // South Korean architect Minsuk Cho picked for 2024 Serpentine pavilion // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to get early, ad-f...
Lesley Lokko wins RIBA Gold Medal
January 18, 2024 16:28 - 39 minutes - 89.6 MBFill out our 2 minute listener survey to be in with a chance to win a 6 month subscription to Open City's Pocket London printed guides. This week Merlin spoke to Siraaj Mitha, Head of Open City's Accelerate programme. // Lesley Lokko wins RIBA Gold Medal // The state of Britain’s pavements forces many to stay at home // 2023 named hottest year ever recorded globally by a blistering margin // And the Elizabeth Line station which was nearly never built now faces acute overcrowding // The Br...
Fresh divisions emerge in the debate over greenbelt development
January 11, 2024 06:00 - 48 minutes - 110 MBFill out our 2 minute listener survey to be in with a chance to win a 6 month subscription to Open City's Pocket London printed guides. On the show this week Merlin spoke to Des Fitzgerald. Des is a professor of medical humanities and social sciences, and author of the new book ‘The City of Today is a Dying Thing’ // Fresh divisions emerge in the debate over greenbelt development // Big oil bankrolls a major British Museum overhaul // Public buildings at risk amid a wave of local authority...
Sustainable Urban Drainage systems for a greener future
December 23, 2023 12:09 - 21 minutes - 30.2 MBIn this episode we investigated the importance of Sustainable Urban Drainage systems in building a greener future, with Sue Illman who guest edited this edition of Landscape which is dedicated to the evolving landscape of water. Sue is a landscape architect and past president of the Landscape Institute. Her career has changed the landscape of water management this year was a recipient of an ‘Outstanding Contribution to SuDS’ award by CIRIA - the Construction Industry Research and Informatio...
Words on Wood: A Trillion Trees with Fred Pearce
December 14, 2023 06:30 - 46 minutes - 39.2 MBSpecial episode of award-winning podcast series examining forest restoration. Open City is delighted to present this special episode of Words on Wood, a fantastic podcast created by the American Hardwood Export Council in conjunction with Disegno journal exploring how the world’s forests can be restored. We’ve been fans of Words on Wood for for some time. It’s a very well produced show combining interviews with some of the best brains in the timber industry with leading creative practition...
UK rents up by more than a quarter since 2020
December 07, 2023 07:00 - 42 minutes - 58 MBThis week Merlin spoke to Rowan Moore - the architecture critic of The Observer and author of several books including ‘Property: The myth that built the world’ // UK rents up by more than a quarter since 2020 // MPs still deliberating over Parliament’s restoration // Stratford Sphere given one last chance by Michael Gove // And how the richest 1% account for more carbon emissions than poorest 66% // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to...
Pioneering Parks of the Past and Future
December 02, 2023 07:01 - 37 minutes - 51 MBIn this episode, Paul spoke to Karen Fitzsimon, Colleen D’Souza and Rajan Dewan. Karen is a chartered landscape architect, historian, and horticulturist. Colleen is Director and Head of Cracknell’s Integrated Horticulture Team. She has been instrumental in expanding the plant typologies used in the Middle East and North Africa regions of the last three decades, challenging local standards and adding ecological and resilience value. And Rajan – Group Design Director at Cracknell– is a special...
Walking the Walk: A Sustainable Urbanism Themed Tour of Marylebone
November 28, 2023 11:34 - 35 minutes - 49.3 MBGiven the climate and biodiversity crises we currently face, there is an urgent need to make urban environments more sustainable. This walking tour has been produced to raise awareness of key issues, and to highlight ways that cities can be redesigned to prioritise sustainability principles. In line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 11, there is a particular focus on inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability. Following this route through central London will encourage you to reflect on ...
Extreme weather labelled ‘greatest threat’ to UK built heritage
November 23, 2023 06:00 - 38 minutes - 53.1 MBThis week Merlin spoke to Director of the C20 Society, Catherine Croft. // Extreme weather labelled ‘greatest threat’ to UK built heritage // Concrete concerns back in the spotlight as Bristol tower block evacuated // Climate questions over Labour’s 1.5 million homes pledge // And the London Mayor refuses Sphere venue plans for Stratford // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief, and support accessi...
Uncertainty rages over the future of HS2’s Euston terminus
November 16, 2023 06:00 - 35 minutes - 49 MBThis week Phin spoke to Gareth Dennis, the railway engineer, writer, and sustainable transport advocate. // Uncertainty rages over the future of HS2’s Euston terminus // Dramatic cabinet reshuffle brings sixth change of housing minister within a year // UK accused of violating international law over poverty levels // And WeWork’s bankruptcy calls into question the future of urban regeneration // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to get...
Two pioneering new public green space projects in London
November 11, 2023 07:00 - 28 minutes - 39.7 MBIn this episode, Paul spoke to Neil Manthorpe, and Kate Digney. Neil leads the Atkins London Landscape and Urban Design Studio, which has just won planning permission from the City of London Corporation to upgrade and introduce biodiversity gains to the second part of the high walkway which runs around the Barbican Centre and the Barbican Estate. Kate is Head of Landscape at Levitt Bernstein where she leads sustainable design across a range of projects. Recently, she has been masterplanning ...
Transforming London golf courses into housing
November 02, 2023 06:00 - 36 minutes - 50.5 MBThis week Merlin spoke to Matthew Lloyd Roberts -- the architectural historian, writer, and editor of the About Buildings podcast // New images of Liverpool Street’s contentious redevelopment revealed // The debate over transforming London golf courses into housing heats up // Could the acclaimed Venice Biennale be about to fall victim to the culture wars? // And the large-scale peaceful protests being dubbed ‘hate marches’ by the government // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connect...
Housing crisis takes centre stage in UK media and politics
October 26, 2023 05:00 - 44 minutes - 61.8 MBThis week Sahiba spoke to Charlie Edmonds - a project-lead at Civic Square and co-founder of campaign group Future Architects Front. // Housing crisis takes centre stage in UK media and politics // 10 billion pounds a year extra needed for UK infrastructure amid the climate crisis // Thomas Heatherwick launches a new national conversation around boring buildings // And the online traditional architecture movement is placed under the microscope // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Conn...
Feminist Cities, and Inclusive Green Design
October 21, 2023 07:00 - 40 minutes - 55.2 MBThis episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow. Host, Laura Schofield, spoke to Kirstin Taylor, Rachel Smith and Jon Rowe. Kirstin is a director at LDA Design and joint lead of LDA’s Glasgow studio. She is a chartered landscape architect who has led on the regeneration of the Sighthill estate in Glasgow; the rethinking of George Street in Edinburgh; and the restoration of the historic Union Terrace Gardens in central Aberdeen...
The Brief - Housing Special
October 12, 2023 05:00 - 39 minutes - 53.9 MBThis week we revisit some of the top housing stories we've covered over the past few months on The Brief Episodes Featured: London faces a crisis of dullness with Nabil Al-Kinani New analysis shows how race and income affect the quality of air you breathe with Merlin Fulcher Labour group proposes nationalising 500,000 private homes with George Kafka Low income renters left with nowhere to live amid unaffordability crisis with Prudence Ivey How UK homes are becoming ‘lethal furnaces’ in...
‘Mutant’ housing block facing demolition just one year after completion
October 05, 2023 05:00 - 45 minutes - 63 MBThis week Phin catches up with Joe Giddings: architect, UK lead at Built by Nature, and co- founding member of Architects Climate Action Network. // ‘Mutant’ housing block facing demolition just one year after completion // As party conference season begins, Rishi Sunak U-turns on key net zero policies // Outrage over the felling of Northumberland’s iconic Sycamore Gap tree // And is Britain really a ‘nation of drivers’? // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and ...
Cursed Objects: The Glass & Steel Totems of Canary Wharf
September 28, 2023 05:01 - 1 hour - 89.7 MBIn lieu of a regular episode of The Brief, we are bringing you an episode of one of our favorite podcasts Cursed Objects. We highly recommend you check out their other episodes via this link, and whilst you're at it why not give them a follow on X and instagram. The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief, and support accessible independent journalism from Open City. The Brief is recorded and produced a...
Government takes over bankrupt Birmingham City Council
September 21, 2023 05:00 - 34 minutes - 48 MBThis week Fran spoke to Barbara Speed, the Deputy Opinion Editor at the Guardian. // Government takes over Birmingham City Council amid threats of further local authority bankruptcies // HS2’s Manchester leg and Euston terminal both facing the axe // Outrage after benches and ping pong tables removed in Southwark to curb anti-social behaviour // And experts warn banning XL Bully dogs could fail to prevent more fatal attacks // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts a...
Crisis in concrete: the school estate shutdown and how we got here
September 14, 2023 10:48 - 37 minutes - 50.9 MBThe schools estate is crumbling and new revelations over the risks of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) have forced closures across the country, stoking alarm among parents and forcing the government into crisis. Remediation could cost billions of pounds and meanwhile a whole raft of under-maintained post-war buildings could now face demolition. Is decades of under-investment about to come crashing down? To help us unpack this complex story is Dr Ruth Lang. Ruth is a lecturer in...
Concrete safety concerns in schools spark a crisis in government
September 07, 2023 05:00 - 39 minutes - 53.5 MBThis week Merlin spoke to the new director of The London Society, Rob Fiehn. //156 schools to close over concrete safety concerns, sparking a crisis in government // Acclaimed social housing architect Peter Barber calls for a mass homes building program // The rising support among Londoners for the Ultra-Low Emission Zone // And Marks & Spencer launches an appeal to resurrect its Oxford Street redevelopment // The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Cl...
London faces a crisis of dullness
August 31, 2023 05:00 - 36 minutes - 50.6 MBThis week Phin spoke to Nabil Al-Kinani. Nabil is a built-environment professional, cultural producer, and guest curator for the Open House Festival 2023 // London faces a crisis of dullness as eccentrics and creatives driven out of the capital // ‘Loo deserts’ across swathes of the capital exclude people and cause surge in public urination // UK’s first anti-apartheid centre to open next year // And just one week to go until the largest celebration of architecture and neighborhoods in the ...
London's largest architecture event - Open House - launches 2023 program
August 24, 2023 05:12 - 38 minutes - 52.4 MBThis week Sahiba spoke to Jim Stephenson and Sofia Smith. Jim is an award-winning architectural photographer and filmmaker. Sofia is a writer and photographic artist, and together they run a small film studio called Stephenson& London's largest architecture event, Open House Festival launches 2023 program // More media culture wars break out over Low Traffic Neighborhoods // Extraordinary 1960s synagogue and holocaust memorial under threat of demolition in Brighton // And it's architecture ...
What's next for the Museum of London
August 17, 2023 05:00 - 37 minutes - 50.9 MBThis week Merlin spoke to Sharon Ament, director of the Museum of London. Museum of London announces strategic objectives for the next five years // The banks of the river Thames experience a flurry of activity as thousands take up mudlarking // Recent poll results raise questions over the importance of cultural capital during the cost of living crisis // And the knitting renaissance among millennials and Gen Z Click here to get early, ad-free access to the Londown, and support accessible ...
The Londown Climate Change Special
August 10, 2023 05:00 - 39 minutes - 53.8 MBThis week we revisit some of our favorite climate related stories we've covered over the past year Episodes featured: Scientists deliver ‘final warning’ on climate crisis: act now or it’s too late with Merlin Fulcher UK insulation scheme set to take 300 years to meet government targets with Clare Bennie Micahel Gove rejects M&S Oxford Street demolition in ‘watershed’ moment for retrofit with Merlin Fulcher Global heating will push billions outside ‘human climate niche’ with Peter Apps ...
Eric Parry's tour of the City of London
August 05, 2023 06:00 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MBThis is the second audio tour of a two-part series led by architect and Royal Academician Eric Parry visiting London’s two historic cities: Westminster and the City of London Eric Parry Architects (EPA) is responsible for the designing of some of the most significant projects in London today with many of its most important architectural works clustered in the City of London and Westminster. Open City has worked with EPA to create a two-part series of print and audio tours celebrating this c...
Rishi Sunak vows Low Traffic Neighborhoods review
August 03, 2023 05:04 - 40 minutes - 56.2 MBThis week Merlin takes to the hot-seat with producer Poppy Waring // Rishi Sunak vows Low Traffic Neighborhoods review // Micahel Gove rejects M&S Oxford Street demolition in ‘watershed’ moment for retrofit // HS2 rated unachievable by the government’s infrastructure watchdog // And new analysis shows how race and income affect the quality of air you breathe // Click here to get early, ad-free access to the Londown, and support accessible independent journalism from Open City. The Londow...
Innovative Signage Strategies and Sustainable Urban Development
July 29, 2023 06:55 - 32 minutes - 44.7 MBIn this episode Paul speaks to Abukokkar Siddiki and Patricia Brown. Abu is a British Bangladeshi architect who for the past 3 years has been guiding Birmingham City University students through a sustainable development co-lab project in the village of Kazir Gaon in Northeast Bangladesh. Pat is Director of Central – a consultancy centred on the dynamics of cities and the process of achieving change. In 1999, she played a pivotal role in the pioneering Legible London project which has now bee...
Lives at risk as blistering heat scorches southern Europe
July 20, 2023 05:01 - 32 minutes - 44.4 MBThis week Sahiba spoke to the writer and Design Museum curator, George Kafka. // Lives at risk as blistering heat scorches southern Europe // Government adviser calls for a major rethink on new road building // Labour group proposes nationalising 500,000 private homes // And the government promises a crack down on ‘rip-off’ university degrees // Click here to get early, ad-free access to the Londown, and support accessible independent journalism from Open City. The Londown is recorded an...
The housing policy reforms local authorities are calling for
July 13, 2023 05:01 - 44 minutes - 61.7 MBThis week Phin spoke to Leo Pollak, who is Councillor for South Bermondsey Ward in the London Borough of Southwark. // An SUV crash at a primary school in Wimbledon kills two children // The Architect Sir David Adjaye steps away from major projects after sexual assault allegations published in the Financial Times // Local authorities call for new raft of policies to transform council housing delivery // And the Jamaican metallurgists rediscovered at the centre of modern architectural and in...
Eric Parry's tour of Westminster
July 12, 2023 13:52 - 1 hour - 89.4 MBThis is the first audio tour of a two-part series led by architect and Royal Academician Eric Parry visiting London’s two historic cities: Westminster and the City of London Eric Parry Architects (EPA) is responsible for the designing of some of the most significant projects in London today with many of its most important architectural works clustered in the City of London and Westminster. Open City has worked with EPA to create a two-part series of print and audio tours celebrating this co...
Thames Water sinking under more than £14 billion pounds of debt
July 06, 2023 05:04 - 32 minutes - 45.1 MBThis week Merlin speaks to Prudence Ivey, Editor of Homes and Property at the Evening Standard, and guest curator of the Open House Festival. // Thames Water sinking under more than £14 billion pounds of debt // HSBC to vacate iconic Canary Wharf skyscraper // Low income renters left with nowhere to live amid unaffordability crisis // And most UK rail ticket offices set to close within weeks // Click here to get early, ad-free access to the Londown, and support accessible independent journ...
Designing cities to cope with heatwaves and combat loneliness
July 01, 2023 06:00 - 37 minutes - 51.4 MBIn this episode Marsha speaks to Professor Debbie Bartlett from The Cool Towns Project, and Clare Penny who is course leader for Landscape Architecture at the University of East London. Through conversations around two big 21st century issues: loneliness and heatwaves, they explore how landscape architecture can play a vital role in making cities more hospitable on every scale. To read their articles and all the others in this edition, you can find an online version of Landscape for free ...
Prince William vows to build social housing and end homelessness
June 22, 2023 05:00 - 38 minutes - 53.3 MBThis week Merlin speaks to the architectural critic and the blogger behind McMansion Hell - Kate Wagner. // Prince William vows to build social housing and end homelessness // Acclaimed London housing activist Kwajo refuses an MBE // Backlash over the closure of communal barbecue pits in Burgess Park // And how UK homes are becoming ‘lethal furnaces’ in heatwaves // Click here to get early, ad-free access to the Londown, and support accessible independent journalism from Open City. The Lo...
The battle to save 20th century buildings from the bulldozer
June 15, 2023 05:00 - 40 minutes - 56.1 MBOn this week's show Phin speaks to the architecture critic, incoming chair of heritage campaign group Twentieth Century Society, and author of the new book ‘About Architecture: An Essential Guide in 55 Buildings’ - Hugh Pearman. // Architects issue an open letter to design journalists over the climate crisis // Conservationists' listing bid for Peckham Library rebuffed // Residents with communal heating see energy bills soar by 350 percent // And big changes approved for two iconic 1980s Lo...
Six years on from Grenfell – we ask why housing is still in crisis
June 08, 2023 13:50 - 42 minutes - 59 MBThis week Merlin speaks to the journalist and author of the powerful account of the Grenfell disaster ‘Show Me the Bodies’, Peter Apps. // Six years on from Grenfell – we ask why housing is still in crisis // Labour pledges discount land sales for local authority housebuilders // RIBA calls for urgent government action on crumbling hospitals // And how climate crisis could force a billion from their homes worldwide Click here to get early, ad-free access to the Londown, and support accessi...
Shaping spaces to be inclusive to all
June 03, 2023 06:00 - 45 minutes - 62.8 MBIn this episode the Landscape Institute's Neelam Sheemar speaks to Glen Macfarlane and Pierre Chin-Dickey from Macfarlane + Associates, and the writer and landscape architect Jill White. They discuss the power of design in making spaces feel welcoming, safe, and ultimately inclusive to all. Through conversations around signs and a new piece of child-friendly public realm on the site of the former Ilford photographic factory in Redbridge, they cover how designing for one group can risk alien...
The millions of adults living with parents amid the housing crisis
May 25, 2023 05:20 - 28 minutes - 39.2 MBThis week Fran speaks to the architect, writer and producer Ewa Effiom. // Close to five million adults living with parents amid the housing crisis // A row over nightime closures of London’s finest skyline viewing point – Primrose Hill // Road safety campaigners call out politicians for normalising dangerous driving // And the world’s largest architecture festival opens in Venice // Click here to get early, ad-free access to the Londown, and support accessible independent journalism from...
The British Pavilion at this years Venice Biennale
May 18, 2023 05:04 - 39 minutes - 54 MBThis week Merlin travels to Venice to catch up with Jayden Ali, one of the curators for the British Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale. // The British Pavilion shines a light on everyday urban customs at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale // Resident accuses a south London estate regeneration of ‘social cleansing’ in high court battle // BikeStormz under threat due to moral panic and unfair policing // And campaigners fight back over council bid to remove their plant po...