A is for Architecture

In this episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, author, curator and currently director of the Farrell Centre at Newcastle University, Owen Hopkins discuss his recent book, The Manifesto House: Buildings that Changed the Future of Architecture, published by Yale University Press two days ago. The Manifesto House explores the history of architecture through the lens of individual houses that have acted as manifestos for new ideas, movements and ways of living. Looking at twenty-one houses from the 16th through to the 21st century, the book presents a compelling narrative of how individual homes can influence architecture's evolution, and perhaps even answer some of the challenges we're faced with in the built environment today.Owen is also currently one fifth of the team who have curated this year's British Pavilion exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia 2025, which can be read about here. Owen can be found on Instagram and LinkedIn and the book is linked above. Listen, think, click, buy, read. Wow!#ArchitecturePodcast #ManifestoHouse #OwenHopkins #FarrellCentre #BuildingsThatMatter #ArchitecturalHistory #RadicalHomes #BiennaleArchitettura2025 #ArchitectureAndSociety #DesigningTheFuture #AisforArchitecturePodcast+Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick Image credit: Mies van der Rohe, Farnsworth House, exterior view towards entrance platform. Library of Congress, USA.

In this episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, Professor of Architectural History and Urban Studies at the University of Basel and urban theorist Kenny Cupers discusses his new book, The Earth That Modernism Built: Empire and the Rise of Planetary Design (University of Texas Press, 2024). Kenny talks about the imperial legacies of modern architecture and infrastructure, examining how colonial and postcolonial systems of planning, construction and environmental control shaped a global vision of design in the 20th century, tracing how modernism's ambitions extended far beyond buildings to encompass a planetary project—one grounded in power, governance and the management of land and life across continents. In this episode, we touch on some of the key themes from the book, including the reciprocal relationship between empire and modernist design, the circulation of architectural knowledge between colony and colonizer, and the entangled histories of development, technology and spatial control.In a way, unsettling stuff, almost scary. But now we know, what do we do?Book, Kenny, all linked above. Kenny is nowhere on my social media, but you can see a bit on koozarch. #KennyCupers #TheEarthThatModernismBuilt #PlanetaryDesign #ModernArchitecture #ArchitecturalHistory #EmpireAndArchitecture #ColonialInfrastructure #UrbanStudies #GlobalModernism #AisforArchitecturePodcast+Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick 

In this episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, architect, scholar and author Tom Spector discusses his book, Architecture and the Public Good, first published by Anthem Press in 2021, and now out in paperback.Tom's critical and philosophical exploration of the ethical foundation of the architecture profession and its role in serving the public, confronts the persistent tension within architecture between artistry and public service, arguing that this dual identity often undermines the profession's ability to clearly articulate and fulfil its moral obligations. Arguing that the discipline holds on to an inaccurate concept of the public, arguing that the term is too often treated as a monolithic, abstract concept, Tom urges a deeper understanding of publicness, one that accounts for pluralism, participation, and the political nature of public space and infrastructure.It is a proper decent book, and whilst fundamentally a critique, Tom's presentation is one of hope and possibility. This is what we need, believe. Linked above is the book. Tom's back catalogue can be found on PhilPapers here.#ArchitectureAndEthics  #TomSpector #ArchitectureAndThePublicGood #DesignPhilosophy  #ArchitecturalEthics  #EthicalDesign  #ArchitecturePodcast #TheEthicalArchitect+Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick 

In this episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, I spoke with Chris L. Smith, Professor of Architectural Theory at the University of Sydney, to discuss his book, Architecture After Deleuze and Guattari (Bloomsbury 2023). We explore how the philosophies of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari have influenced architectural thought and practice, and the possibilities that we're all Deleuzo-Guattarian architects now…Deleuze and Guattari's significance for architectural theory and design practice lies in their radical rethinking of concepts like form, process and relationality, which have profoundly influenced how architects conceptualize and create space in the late 20th and 21st centuries. Their collaborative works offer a philosophical framework that rejects fixed hierarchies, linear causality and static structures, instead emphasizing multiplicity, fluidity, and dynamic systems, shifting architectural discourse away from traditional modernist principles of order and function towards experimental, process-oriented, and politically engaged practices. 

In this episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, I spoke with Associate Professor of Urban Planning at Hunter College, Stefan Al, and Professor at New York Institute of Technology, Tom Verebes, about their recent co-edited book, The Urbanism Reader: Design, Technology, Culture and the Future of Cities, published by Bloomsbury (2025). Orientated towards design in the contemporary city, The Urbanism Reader gathers together key texts that explore urban theory, planning and development pertinent to the city as we find it now – a messy, networked and highly technological state which inflects, if not forms, the modern citizen and their social world . Bringing together influential writings from scholars and practitioners, including greats like Venturi and Scott Brown, Tschumi, Frampton, Kwinter, Eisenman, Koolhaas and  Maas, but also introducing new voices and accents, including Anne Whiston Spirn, Anaya Roy, Walter Hood and Andrea Moneta among many others, the book presents a good overview of key themes, like virtuality, computationality, informality, equity, ecology, density and connectivity. To stand back from all this thinking and just look is thrilling really. Have a listen and find out why you should. Tom and Stefan are great to hear.Stefan also leads his own practice, Stefan Al Architects and Tom is founder and Creative Director of OCEAN CN. Both gentlemen can be found on LinkedIn and Instagram.  The book is linked above.#Urbanism #CityPlanning #UrbanDesign #TheUrbanismReader #SustainableCities #UrbanTheory #SmartCities #StefanAlAndTomVerebes #ArchitetcurePodcast #AisforArchitecturePodcast+Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick 

In this – the 150th! - episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, I was joined by cultural theorist Justin O'Connor, Professor of Cultural Economy at the University of South Australia to discuss his 2024 book, Culture is not an Industry: Reclaiming Art and Culture for the Common Good, published by Manchester University Press.Unpacking and critiquing the concept of creative industries, Justin describes the historical transformation of urban space through local cultural initiatives and grassroots movements of makers, doers and thinkers, and contrasts this with the current dominance of large development companies and platform capitalism, re-packaged by governmental sleight of hand. The effects of this is another form of gentrification through which makers of actual culture are sidelined (again). Justin goes beyond this critique, however, advocating for an alternative economy based on an holistic approach to culture viewed as a social good, which might allow us to foster flourishing societies beyond the death-grip of economic metrics.It's a good, sharp episode, and Justin's argument is well worth your time. Have a sticky, find out.Justin can be found on his personal website, on LinkedIn and at his place of work. The book is linked above.#CulturalIndistries #CreativeIndustries #JustinOConnor #CulturalPolicy #UrbanDevelopment #UrbanPolicy #CreativeCommons #ReclaimCulture #PublicGood #CreativityEconomy +Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick 

In this episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, architectural historian at the Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh, Dr Alistair Fair discusses his latest book, Building Modern Scotland: A Social and Architectural History of the New Towns, 1947–1997, which he co-authored with Lynn Abrams, Kat Breen, Miles Glendinning, Diane Watters and Valerie Wright, and published with Bloomsbury in February this year.Scotland's new towns—Glenrothes, Cumbernauld, Livingston, Irvine, and East Kilbride—were bold experiments in urban planning, designed to provide modern, thriving communities in the wake of the Second World War. We discuss the why and how of New Townism, and beyond the concrete and masterplans, reflect on what these places meant and how they shaped the daily life of the people who lived in them. In the end, as always, did they work? And what do they suggest about the contemporary and future of urban growth?Alistair & Co's extensive research and storytelling uncovers the vision, politics, and lived experiences behind these remarkable developments. Have a good listen – Alistair is a wonderful communicator – and find out.Alistair is on Instagram, and above at work. The book is linked above. #ArchitecturePodcast #BuildingModernScotland #newtowns #ScottishNewTowns #UrbanPlanning #ArchitectureHistory #ModernistArchitecture #ScottishHistory #PostWarDesign #AlistairFair+Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

In this episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, I spoke with John Boughton, social historian, writer and blogger. John has written the hugely insightful and important blog, Municipal Dreams since 2013, on which he explores the history, impact, and legacy of social and council housing in Britain, highlighting its architectural, political, and social significance. In 2018, his first major book, Municipal Dreams: The Rise and Fall of Council Housing, was published by Verso, followed in 2022 by A History of Council Housing in 100 Estates, published with RIBA Publishing.John's work traces the history of council housing and council estate architecture in Britain, from its origins in the c19 and early 20th century as a response to poor living conditions, to its peak in the post-war era, when UK social housing policy provided millions with high-quality, state-funded homes. We discuss this and how shifting political and economic priorities, concretized in the Right to Buy policy UK under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, led to the widespread privatization of council housing, reducing public housing stock and contributing to today's housing crisis. Well-planned social housing remains crucial in addressing the global housing permacrisis. John's work is a perfect resource for showing us how it has been, and could be done again. So, listen to John then read his blog and books, Start here. John can be found on his blogs, linked above, as are his books.# ArchitecturePodcast #MunicipalDreams #JohnBoughton #CouncilHousing #SocialHousing #AisforArchitecture+Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

In this episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, architect, urban designer and founder-director of ZCD Architects, Dinah Bornat, discusses her new book, All to Play For: How to Design Child-Friendly Housing (RIBA Books 2025). Drawing on research and real-world case studies, we discuss the crucial role of design in shaping inclusive, playful cities, and sustainable communities.Dinah describes why child-friendly housing that makes spaces for imaginative, creative play – essentially urban design for children - benefits everyone, the impact of car-free communities, and how policymakers, architects, and residents can work together to prioritize children's – and therefore everyone's - needs in housing and public spaces. How can we create cities where children can truly thrive? By making family-friendly architecture, of course. What other option is there?

In this episode of the A is for Architecture Podcast, Shayan Adham - architect, scholar and founder of Layers Studio, a design practice based in Iran, discusses his work and thinking. This is a detour from the podcast's normal mode, but a happy one. Shayan presents work which I read as both deeply cultural and cosmopolitan, rooted in a critical engagement with the space he operates from, and the global context of architectural knowledge and practice. From the shores of the Caspian Sea, Shayan's reflections on architectural theory and education, perspectives on the evolution of architectural forms and thoughts on the intersection of memory and space, seems to me to be a distinct thing, an alternative reading of what it means to be a contemporary architect.It's kinda rare and lovely, and a bit different. Shayan can be found on Instagram.

In this episode of A is for Architecture, architect, historian, and scholar Stylianos Giamarelos, speaks about his recent book, Resisting Postmodern Architecture: Critical Regionalism Before Globalisation, published by UCL press in 2022. Postmodernism reshaped architecture in the late 20th century. Stylianos discusses how in turn, critical regionalism emerged in resistance to postmodernity's eclecticism, and modernism's cultural bulldozer, offering as it did (and perhaps still does) a more culturally rooted approach to architecture. The origin story we are told of critical regionalism though, is squiffy. Stylianos argues instead that its emergence was in fact shaped by overlooked voices in architectural history, particularly from regions considered peripheral to modernist architectural narratives. We talk through Stylianos' proposal for a renewed critical regionalism, one that supports the ongoing project of making place and space that sustains communities in a globalised and rhizomatic world.Stelios is Associate Professor at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL and can be found there and on LinkedIn. 

In this episode of A is for Architecture, urban sociologist Robert G. Hollands discusses some themes of his book, Beyond the Neoliberal Creative City: Critique and Alternatives in the Urban Cultural Economy, published by Bristol University Press (2023). We discuss the nature and problems of the "creative city" model, its impact on gentrification and inequality, and alternative urban strategies that promote grassroots initiatives and cultural sustainability.In the book, Robert exposes the contradictions and injustices of the neoliberal creative city. But per the title, he goes beyond critique and advocates for alternative urban models based on justice, sustainability and participatory governance, proposing new ways cities can foster creativity without fuelling displacement.A good episode for anyone involved in equitable city-making.Robert is Emeritus Professor of Sociology in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology at Newcastle University, and can be found there and on LinkedIn. 

In the newest episode of A is for Architecture, Professor Chris Younès – philosopher, professor emerita at the National School of Architecture of Paris-La Villette and the École Spéciale d'Architecture, a Silver Medalist of the Academy of Architecture in 2005 and Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur in 2014 - discusses the 2024 edition of her book, Architectures of Existence: Ethics, Aesthetics, Politics (Routledge), translated by Cozette Griffin. Building around the notion of [an] ecosophy, Chris explores how the spaces we inhabit shape our identities, experiences, and relationships with both human and non-human worlds. In an era of intersecting crises and social fragmentation, driven by the systems we’ve built to sustain our way of life—can architecture help us reimagine how we live together? Genuinely, Chris is amazing to listen to, so please do. Chris can be found professionally here. The book is linked above.

In the latest episode of A is for Architecture,Dr. Cameron McEwan, Associate Professor of Architecture at Northumbria University discusses some few of the ideas behind his book, Analogical City (Punctum Books, 2024), including the relationship between architecture, urban form, and the ways we think about and design cities. Drawing on Aldo Rossi's concept of the analogical city, Cameron challenges us to rethink the role of history, memory and analogy in shaping the built environment. We discuss how cities transcend their functional role, particularly as it was conceptualised in postwar modernism, but are instead  dynamic entities shaped by layers of meaning, history and collective memory and tradition. Reflecting on the ethical and emancipatory imperatives driving Rossi' vision, Cameron also reflects on how analogical thinking can help architects, urbanists, and scholars engage with contemporary urban challenges in new and creative ways.Cameron can be found at his workplacehere, and onX,LinkedIn andInstagram. The book is linked above.

In this episode of A is for Architecture, I was joined by the University of Queensland's Dr Dorina Pojani to discuss her book Trophy Cities: A Feminist Perspective on New Capitals (Edward Elgar Publishing 2021). We explore how new capital cities –Brasilia, Canberra, Abuja, Sejong, Astana and even Washington DC – are conceived of as totalized projects, dominant visions competing for prestige through iconic architecture and mega-projects - often at the expense of local communities.  From gentrification and political power to inequality and urban branding, this conversation uncovers who really benefits from these grand visions. It's a banger, believe. Dorina can be found at her workplace, and on LinkedIn. Trophy Cities is linked above.

In this episode of A is for Architecture, I spoke to Álvaro Sevilla-Buitrago, associate professor of urban planning at the School of Architecture, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, about his book Against the Commons: A Radical History of Urban Planning (University of Minnesota Press 2022). Challenging conventional ideas of shared urban space, Alvaro explores how planning has historically been used as a tool of enclosure, dispossession, and control—shaping cities to serve elite interests rather than fostering true commoning. We discuss the historical and contemporary nature of commons as spaces that represent marginalisation, but its resolution through collective action and solidarity. We discuss how urban development has often restricted collective life, from the privatization of land to the suppression of grassroots alternatives, reflecting on historical and contemporary struggles over public space, offering insights into how radical urbanism can resist enclosure and reclaim the city for all. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the intersection of planning, power, and resistance in the built environment. Alvaro can be found on X, and on his personal website and on Academia. Against the Commons is linked above.

In this episode of A is for Architecture, I spoke with Pablo Meninato, Associate Professor of Architecture at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University, Philadelphia, about Urban Labyrinths: Informal Settlements, Architecture, and Social Change in Latin America (Routledge 2024), co-authored with Gregory Marinic.  Exploring the complexities of informal urbanism, Pablo discusses how self-built settlements shape cities, challenge conventional architectural narratives, and drive social transformation. From favelas to barriadas, we examine resilience, adaptation, and policy implications for equitable urban development. Tune in for insights on architecture, urban design, and Latin America's evolving cityscapes. Pablo is on  can be found on the Temple University website, on X, Instagram and LinkedIn. The book is linked above.

⁠For this episode of A is for Architecture I spoke with Dr Franca Trubiano, Associate Professor of Architecture at the Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania about her book, Building Theories: Architecture as the Art of Building, published by Routledge in 2022. Building Theories presents an historical evolution of architectural theory, tracing how ideas about building have been shaped by cultural, technological, and material advancements. It highlights the interplay between theory and practice, emphasizing that construction is not merely a technical endeavour but a critical component of architectural expression. Franca underscores the importance of materials and their performative qualities, examining how they inform design and enrich architectural meaning. Franca can be found on her personal website, on the UPenn website, on Instagram and LinkedIn. The book is linked above. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

For the first episode of A is for Architecture's 2025 offer, I was very lucky to be joined by the great architect, writer, theorist and educator, Bernard Tschumi.  We discuss, among other things, his most recent book, Event-Cities 5: Poetics (MIT Press 2024). Globally celebrated for his innovative contributions to contemporary architecture and urbanism, Professor Tschumi has gained international acclaim through both his theoretical works, like The Manhattan Transcripts (1976-1981) and Architecture and Disjunction (1994), as well as iconic projects like the Parc de la Villette in Paris (1982-1998). Tschumi's designs challenge traditional notions of form and function, emphasizing the dynamic interplay between space, movement, and event. A former Dean of the GSAPP at Columbia University, he has authored several influential books, including the Event-Cities series (1994-2024), cementing his status as a leading voice in architectural thought. This was a really special recording for me, and a bit of a dream really. Bernard Tschumi! Unreal. Tschumi Architects can be found here are on Instagram here. The book is linked above. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

For Episode 136 of A is for Architecture, I was joined by Guillaume Couche, the co-founder with Richard Shackleton of Oh Hi Tomorrow—a cutting-edge design practice redefining interface and interaction design - and the co-author of the recent book, Interface Design: Creating Interactions that Drive Successful Product Adoption (BIS Publications 2024), which he wrote with Richard. We explore the art and science of designing intuitive interfaces, the principles behind building products people use, want and, well… love, and how Guillaume and Richard's unique approach is paving the way for better, more impactful digital experiences. We turn to architecture too, and what that practice might learn from interface design approaches. If you want to elevate your design game, listen. Buy the book too. Guillaume, who also directs Wolf in Motion, can be found on LinkedIn and Instagram. The book is linked above. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

In Episode 135 of A is for Architecture, Assistant Professor in Architectural History and Theory in the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge, Dr Fiona Smyth, discusses her book, Pistols in St Paul's: Science, music, and architecture in the twentieth century (Manchester University Press, 2024) ‘a ground-breaking account of the scientists and architects who pioneered acoustics in twentieth-century Britain'. As the publisher's blurb elegantly puts it, ‘On a winter's night in 1951, shortly after Evensong, the interior of St Paul's Cathedral echoed with gunfire. This was no act of violence but a scientific demonstration of new techniques in acoustic measurement. It aimed to address a surprising question: could a building be a musical instrument? […] the scientists, architects and musicians who set out to answer this question […] would come to define the field of 'architectural acoustics'.  Fiona can be found on the Cambridge University website, and on her research website too. The book is linked above +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

In A is for Architecture's 134th episode, the writer, publisher, former editor of Country Life and visiting Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge, Clive Aslet, discusses his book, Sir Edwin Lutyens: Britain's Greatest Architect? (Triglyph Books 2024) which describes the life, work and enduring importance of Edwin Lutyens, including the impact of Gertude Jekyll on his design imagination and Lutyens' pivotal role in both illustrating the British imperial project, and memorializing it's fallen.   Lutyens (1869–1944) was a renowned British architect celebrated for his enormous body of work which straddled the Victorian and early modern period, and incorporated country houses, war memorials, and monumental projects like New Delhi's Rashtrapati Bhavan, Castle Drogo in Devon, the Cenotaph in London and the Midland Bank in Manchester. Known for good nature, and his prodigious work rate, there is a case to be made – and Clive makes it well – for Edwin Lutyens to claim the crown of Britain's greatest architect. Lutyens' work exemplifies timeless elegance and architectural ingenuity. Beyond the binary of modern or not, ethical or not, Lutyens work stands alone, more than an emblem of its time. Have a listen and find out why. Clive can be found on his personal website and on Instagram. The book is linked above. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

In Episode 133 of A is for Architecture, I speak with architect, academic, and writer Lorens Holm. We explore the fascinating intersection of architecture, psychoanalysis, and the public realm, themes Lorens addresses in his book, Reading Architecture with Freud and Lacan: Shadowing the Public Realm, (Routledge 2023) where Holm examines how Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic theory can illuminate the way we design, inhabit, and interpret spaces. Reading Architecture with Freud and Lacan presents an argument for how architecture shapes—and is shaped by—our unconscious desires, cultural narratives, and societal structures. Lorens also sheds light on the public realm and how the unconscious both informs it but is in particular ways also part of it. From this, we discuss what it means to read architecture not just as physical space but as a layered text of human experience. Lorens can be found on his University of Dundee website, on LinkedIn and even Instagram. The book is linked above, and you can also find his 2010 book Brunelleschi, Lacan, Le Corbusier: Architecture, Space and the Construction of Subjectivity on the Routledge website. Are you an architect? A psychoanalytic thinker? Or just curious about the deeper meanings of the spaces we live in? This one's for you. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

On Episode 132 of A is for Architecture I spoke with architect and architectural historian John Stewart, to discuss the intersections of art, architecture and society through his recent book, British Architectural Sculpture: 1851–1951, published by Lund Humphries earlier this year.   British Architectural Sculpture: 1851-1951 explores a century of architectural sculpture in the UK, highlighting its role in shaping the visual and cultural identity of British architecture, and providing insights into the aesthetic and functional dialogue between sculpture and architecture. It examines key figures, styles, and the integration of sculptural art into public and private buildings during this transformative era. The book focuses on the collaboration between architects and sculptors, emphasizing how these partnerships influenced architectural innovation and inflected design styles, from the Gothic Revival, Art Deco and interwar and postwar modernism. The book describes how sculptures enriched facades, interiors, and urban spaces, whilst examining the broader social, economic, and artistic contexts that framed the evolution of this unique art form. A lush book, and a podcast episode to match.  John can be found on his personal website and on LinkedIn. The book is linked above. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

For Episode 131 of A is for Architecture I was joined by Professor Sue Brownill, an expert in urban planning and the development of London Docklands to discuss her advocacy, research and writing. As the author of Developing London's Docklands: Another Great Planning Disaster? (1990, SAGE Publications), Sue delves into the complex history of the Docklands' transformation and the socio-economic consequences of one of the UK's most ambitious urban regeneration projects. Professor Brownill provides insightful analysis on the political and economic factors that shaped the area, challenges faced during the regeneration process, and the long-term impact on local communities. She describes how the Docklands evolved from a derelict industrial site into a global financial hub, the triumphs - and failures - of urban regeneration, the role of planning in shaping cities, and the legacy of the London Docklands Development Corporation. Did the LDDC's rhetoric survive reality? And were the promises made in Docklands' planning ever met?  A great episode with a fantastic scholar.  Listen and learn, no doubt. Sue can be found on the OB website above, and is on LinkedIn too. Her book is linked above. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

On Episode 130 of A is for Architecture, Tom Morton, architect and principal of Arc Architects, an architecture practice based in Fife, Scotland, discusses his and Becky Little's innovative Earthbound Orkney project, a creative practice which seeks to redefine our connection to the natural world through art, design and community engagement in Orkney. In this episode, Tom shares his vision for Earthbound Orkney, which aims to highlight the rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes of the Orkney Islands, and describes how his and Becky's work can serve as a catalyst for environmental awareness and community connection. Whether you're an architecture or art enthusiast, a nature lover, or simply curious about innovative projects that make a difference, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to explore how Earthbound Orkney is cultivating a deeper appreciation for our planet and the stories that shape it. Tom is on Instagram, as is Becky. Earthbound Orkney features in the forthcoming exhibition, A Fragile Correspondence, taking place at V&A Dundee from 21 Nov 2024, Scotland's submission for the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale 2023. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠On Episode 129 of A is for Architecture, Dr Beth Weinstein, Associate Professor of Architecture and at the University of Arizona, discusses her recent book, Architecture and Choreography: Collaborations in Dance, Space and Time, published by Routledge in March 2024. As Beth says, recounting her awareness of this subject, ‘I think that that encounter as a 20 something year old was the first moment when it became real for me to be able to imagine that one can bring architecture and choreography into really close proximity and have a very fertile exchange of knowledge, exchange of practice; to see how ideas from architecture can then become ideas that manifest in the way bodies move, occupy, interact in space, and to learn as an architect from this live unfolding event, and to begin to see space support event live. Like not “Here I am drawing on my drawing board and fantasizing about people, what people are going to do in my building five years from now, when it eventually gets built.” But I'm seeing this one-to-one prototype, if you will, and seeing how they are pushing the boundaries of what a body can do and be, in relationship to a space.' Eloquently put. Beth is on LinkedIn too. The book is linked above. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick  

In Episode 128 of the A is for Architecture podcast, architect, journalist and scholar Austin Williams discusses his work and practice, and his ongoing Future Cities Project, specifically the Five Critical Essays series.  Austin says ‘the idea behind [The Future Cities Project/ Five Critical Essays] was just to say that [architectural] debates are fairly stagnant, or unidirectional, or one track'. The project has tried, in the face of this, ‘to kind of open up some debates, have, like, live debates, face to face, panel discussions, writings, journalism, or what have you, just to kind of ask some questions effectively.' It's a good intention indeed. Austin is also course leader/senior lecturer, PG Dip Professional Practice in Architecture at Kingston School of Art and an honorary research fellow at XJTLU University in China. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

Dr Tanzil Shafique discusses his forthcoming book, City of Desire: An Urban Biography of the Largest Slum in Bangladesh, on Episode 127 of A is for Architecture.  Published by Bloomsbury, and out in November, City of Desire describes ‘Karail, the largest informal settlement in Bangladesh [and] the production of informal urbanism through a brand-new approach rooted in deep ethnography and spatial mapping.' There's also, in a way a deep reading of a place as something more than just stuff. As Tanzil suggests, ‘following Latour's elegant actor network theory, there has been a lot of talk about how materials matter, but I want to take it up a notch and talk about [matter] at a settlement scale, and how, even within a city, how it [matter/ Korail] actively, you know, is an is an agent by itself.' Now there's an idea. Tanzil is Lecturer of Urban Design and Director of the Postgraduate Programmes at The University of Sheffield School of Architecture. He is there, on X and LinkedIn. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

In Episode 126 of A is for Architecture, Gabriel Esquivel, associate professor and director of AI Advanced Research Lab at Texas A&M University, and director of the T4T Lab, speaks about Design Technology and Digital Production: An Architecture Anthology, which he edited, and was published by Routledge in 2023. The book ‘engages and deploys a variety of discourses, topics, criteria, pedagogies, and technologies, including some of today's most influential architects, practitioners, academics, and critics' to present the story of ‘architecture's disciplinary concerns in the last decade', illustrating ‘the shift to an architectural world where we can learn with and from each other, develop a community of new technologies and embrace a design ecology that is inclusive, open, and visionary.'  That's the blurb's thing, anyway. Have a big wee listen and find out. Gabriel can be found on Instagram, LinkedIn, and via very many online resources, not least his T4T lab website. The book is linked above.   Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

Episode 125 of A is for Architecture is a conversation with historian Dr Jessica Kelly, Reader in Design and Architectural History at London Metropolitan University. We discuss her 2022 book, No More Giants: J.M. Richards, Modernism and The Architectural Review, published by Manchester University Press. It's an interesting story, one that mirrors the development of the profession, and perhaps even produces it to some extent. As Jess says, 'I think Richards, although he would completely align himself, and he writes about being a modernist and seeing that as the future of architecture, he is also quite invested in the figure of the architect and the expertise of the architectural profession as a cultural elite, as a sort of guiding figure within society. And he wants to promote that the magazine is invested in promoting the profession, because as much as the Architectural Review is, as it's been described, a mouthpiece for modernism, and really does feature modernism a lot, it features a lot of other stuff as well. [there is] very much a plurality of conversations happening in [it]. […] I think for Richard and his circle and network of people, there is an overlap between [ideology and business and] the idea of whether someone's a consumer or a citizen blurs together in quite an interesting way. And for Richards and his contemporaries, their main objective is to get a public audience for what they understand to be the future of architecture.' Jessica can be found on the London Met website, and the book is linked above.   Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠On Episode 124 of A is for Architecture Graham Haughton and Iain White tell me about their excellent book, Why Plan? Theory for Practitioners, published by Lund Humphries in 2019. On the reason for theory for planning, Graham suggests: ‘ to a certain extent, theories sometimes can make reality. […] you could argue that some of Patsy Healy's work around collaborative and communicative planning, of new ways of trying to engage with communities in the planning process, by bringing them, giving them the knowledge to be able to debate with planners on an equal footing, really important in remaking planning. […] So at one level, in a way, we inadvertently, I think, have helped change practice by highlighting what was happening, trying to understanding it, not just as a separate theory, but through different theoretical lenses, using neoliberalism, using postpolitics and other kind of theoretical insights, to understand what this phenomenon that we were observing was.'  Iain is Professor of Environmental Planning at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. Graham is Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning at the University of Manchester, UK Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

Episode 123 of A is for Architecture is a discussion with Henrik Schoenefeldt, Professor of Sustainable Architecture at the School of Architecture, Design & Planning, University of Kent, about his research into the work and influence of the Scottish physician David Boswell Reid on the environmental design underpinning Barry and Pugin's Palace of Westminster, London, UK. Initially an AHRC-funded scheme entitled ‘Between Heritage and Sustainability – Restoring the Palace of Westminster's nineteenth-century ventilation system,' and part of the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme, Henrik published Rebuilding the Houses of Parliament: David Boswell Reid and Disruptive Environmentalism with Routledge in 2020. On the significance of Boswell Reid's work at Westminster, Henrik says 'I think what is radical about this idea was, is to integrate different ideas into one holistic strategy [and] integrated ways of climatic controlling the environment as one holistic design, and [then] applied to a building of such enormous scale and complexity. […] But the interesting thing is that […] when the building was completed, you would see it become a common practice for building to have extensive ventilation systems. So even in the buildings built in Whitehall, new public museums built in South Kensington, the Royal Albert Hall -all of those starting to incorporate these ideas, although they were not necessarily direct descendants of Reid's specific solutions in the Palace of Westminster, but they reflect a general shift towards more technologically complex buildings.' All good? Yes, De La Soul, it is. And all curious, too. Henrik can be found on the University of Kent website, the book is linked above and the AHRC project is here. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

In this episode of A is for Architecture, Dell Upton, Professor Emeritus of Architecture, UC Berkeley and Professor and Chair of Art History at UCLA, speaks about his book, American Architecture: A Thematic History, published by Oxford University Press in 2019. To the question, What is American architecture? Dell suggests ‘That is a very long and vexed question, not only with American architecture, but in American culture. And it really starts from at the time of the American Revolution. How are we different from Europe? But how are we also connected to the best aspects of Europe, so can we be refined in a European sense, but also distinctively American? […] Louis Sullivan […] influenced by the poet Walt Whitman, begins to talk about [American] architecture in a kind of rhapsodic way, as somehow tied to the character of democracy, the character of the land, to the … well, he would say spiritual.'  But is it though? Listen to every word of Dell's to see. Dell has a Wikipedia page because he's proper. You can also find him linked above, along with the book. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

The title of this year's Design History Society Annual Conference is Border Control: Excursion, Incursion and Exclusion and for this episode of A is for Architecture, three of the conference's convenors, Dr Jessica Kelly, Professor Victoria Kelley and Professor Cat Rossi, took a bit of time to talk about it with me.  The conference blurb states: ‘Whether geopolitical, human and non-human, or digital and physical, the solidification and liquification of borders raises questions around design's role in creating, undoing and negotiating divides.'  I don't know very much, but I know what I like. And I very like the sound of this. The conference website is linked above. Jessica can be found at her London Met profile here, and Cat and Victoria can be found at UCA here and  here. The Design History Society can be found here. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

Professor Nigel Cross is the podcasts' 120th guest, Emeritus Professor of Design Studies at the Open University, design researcher who played a pivotal role in establishing design as an academic discipline, Editor in Chief of the journal Design Studies between 1984-2017, developing the concept of design thinking along the way. We speak about the second edition of his book, Design Thinking: Understanding How Designers Think and Work, published with Bloomsbury in 2023. On design, Nigel says: ‘the key thing for me is to see it as a […] form of skilled behaviour, not as a talent or a gift, you know, something which you just magically have or you don't have. It's a form of skill. It's a set of cognitive and practical procedures that designers do in the process of designing. So that, I think is the most important thing for me to come out of what I've been researching - is to see it as a skill. And if it's a skill, then it can be enhanced, it can be trained, it can be educated.' This is a refreshing and for some I suspect, rather challenging suggestion. If it can be trained, perhaps we might ask, why isn't it more?  Nigel is so big he has a Wikipedia page. I mentioned Nigel's paper Design thinking: What just happened? published in Design Studies 86 (2023), and his earlier book, Design Participation (1972), which was the Proceedings of the Design Research Society International Conference, 1971: Design Participation. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

Cultural historian Dr Robyne Calvert discusses her recent book, The Mack: Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow School of Art in the 119th episode of A is for Architecture. Published by Yale University Press, the book is a detailed study of The Mackintosh Building, one of the great icons of modern architecture, and its reconstruction, engaging with a whole host of significant - and sometimes paradoxical - issues for design practice: conservation, reconstruction, authenticity, pastiche, social value. These are strange discussions, perhaps. As Robyne puts it: ‘my perspective of buildings is that there's this sense for some folk that they're these, […] fixed monuments. We think of buildings as these iconic things that don't change, and they're, they're symbols of, […] our cities and all of that kind of stuff, but actually, that's completely wrong. Buildings change almost more than anything. They change through our use. They change through our interaction. We damage them. We change, we alter them. We do all kinds of stuff. And they're meant to change. They're not fixed monuments at all. [...] no one would blink an eye at duplicating […] Macintosh chairs […] but you make a copy of a building, and it's like, what are you doing?' A great book, the best subject, and a fantastic writer and speaker. Therefore, a top episode. Robyne was Mackintosh Research Fellow at Glasgow School of Art from 2015 to 2021. She can be found on X, LinkedIn and on her website. The Mack is linked above. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠In Episode 117 of A is for Architecture's landscape architect Richard J Weller, discusses his beautiful book, To the Ends of the Earth: A Grand Tour for the 21st Century, published by Birkhauser this year.  The book develops the historical practice of the Grand Tour – ‘an intellectual, cultural undertaking that was sort of a finishing school and an education for the aristocracy' where, by travelling to the great sites of Antiquity, they would ‘buy art and take ideas and influences back home with them to England and model their gardens and their villas and their follies and their salons on the things that they had purchased and been influenced by'. Richard's selection of 120 places ‘are emblematic of the contemporary global, planetary cultural conditions, [with text and drawings that delivers a ‘clear-eyed account of what these places are as a form of empirical evidence as to what we as a species have become in the Anthropocene.' It's a fascinating book that touches on issues of aestheticization, the touristic gaze, virtuality and, possibly, a revived moral wanderlust. Richard is Professor Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania's Weitzman School of Design and Co-Founder, The Ian L. McHarg Center for Urbanism & Ecology.   Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

A is for Architecture's 116th episode features the architect, writer, public speaker, TED-talker and all round polymath, Michael Pawlyn, discussing Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency, which he co-wrote with urbanist, curator and writer, Sarah Ichioka and published with Triarchy Press in 2021. It's a challenge, what Michael articulates: ‘What we suggest is that we - all of us - need to get better at distinguishing the maladapted frames and stories and metaphors, and articulate new, more regenerative ones. And I just want to caveat that ‘new' in many cases, are newly appreciated worldviews, or mindsets, because many of these are examples of indigenous thinking that have endured for many 1000s of years, but were overlooked during the Industrial Age. And sometimes this is really quite uncomfortable, realizing that our existing worldviews are pretty seriously flawed.'  But it's also an invitation, so have a listen and find out what. You can find Michael at his practice, Exploration and on Instagram. You can find the book at flourish-book.com, linked above.   Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠Episode 115 of A is for Architecture is a conversation with Sofia Singler, Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow and College Lecturer in Architecture at St John's College, Cambridge. We discuss parts of her book, The Religious Architecture of Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto, which she published with Lund Humphries in 2023. Sofia says “my sense is that [Alvar Aalto] really valued religion and not just Lutheranism, and Finland, […] and specifically Christianity, as part of an unchanging European cultural tradition. And the attraction, the appeal, the value, the beauty of religion, and Christianity, in particular for him was that the message was always the same. And I suppose for that reason, the idea of renewing things and shaking things up and coming up with a new liturgy and a new building type felt a bit too radical for him, which is really interesting, given that, of course, he was quite radical himself as a designer. […] when it comes to religious projects, I think there was a degree of perhaps nervousness […] Out of a fear that perhaps these changes were too much and that they risked losing some of the cultural value of religion'. You can find Sofia on the Cambridge University website here, and the book is linked above.   Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠In Episode 114 of A is for Architecture Jane Rendell discusses some aspects of her recently republished book, The Architecture of Psychoanalysis: Spaces of Transition, which came out with Bloomsbury in the spring. Jane says ‘I think what I'm more interested in is how architecture can allow us to think psychoanalysis differently, as well as allow us to look for things in psychoanalytic theory. For example, the spatial drawings of different psychic concepts like conscious, pre-conscious, unconscious or ego, Id, super ego. Freud uses these incredible drawings of these phenomena. So there are all sorts of spatial diagrams that by thinking architecturally one looks at in a different way […]. Architecture helps you think about psychoanalytic drawings, about spatial metaphors. […] But I think also, what becomes interesting is how one can start to think about the […] most architectural part of psychoanalysis [which] is probably the setting, the physical place in which that psychoanalytic relationship takes place.' You can find Jane at her website here, and on the UCL website here. She is multi-located across the internet through her various activities.   Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠Episode 113 of A is for Architecture's is a conversation with Cécile Brisac, founder of Atelier Brisac, a practice based in London and Paris, with a body of work that includes housing, cultural buildings and sports facilities, produced since Atelier Brisac's founding, and previously with Brisac Gonzalez. Describing her practice's work, Cécile says ‘we're doing buildings that are uplifting, that have a certain amount of clarity, that are, you know, welcoming, and based around the users [and] designed with a sense of care. […]  But then, in parallel to that, is obviously working at the scale of the city […] If you think of the word elegance in the engineering field […]the definition is something like ‘finding a solution to a range of problems that may not be connected to begin with'. […] I feel like that's what we're doing in a way.' An elegant expression of complex things. You can find Atelier Brisac on Instagram, and at atelierbrisac.com.   Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠A is for Architecture's 112th episode is with the British architect, Tony Fretton. Previously founder and principal of Tony Fretton Architects, and more recently acting as a design consultant, and previously Chair of Architecture and Interiors at TU Delft, Tony's work includes Westkaai, Residential Towers, Antwerp, The British Embassy, Warsaw, Art Museum, Fuglsang, Denmark, and the The Red House and the Camden Arts Centre, London. Speaking of his work on galleries, Tony says:  ‘I think it's much more subtle and much more interesting to make buildings which sometimes are impressive and visible, and sometimes […] very low visibility. That's much more interesting, much more intellectually satisfying. And how can you make somebody feel comfortable, without [them] even seeing you do it? That's the measure of a good host, a good person, that you let people see the work. […] In Furslang we made a series of rooms which are different in character: one is for temporary exhibitions, and the other for small scale works in gold frames, and then there was section on Danish Impressionism. But each of them shares a vocabulary but it's treated in slightly different ways so that as you go through the room, you see the art but in the periphery of your vision the room stimulates you'. Sums it up rather neatly. You can find Tony on Instagram, on at tonyfretton.com, too.   Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠Episode 111 of A is for Architecture⁠ is a conversation with Des Fitzgerald, Professor of Medical Humanities and Social Sciences at University College Cork, about his fairly recent and quite well-covered book, The City of Today is a Dying Thing: In Search of the Cities of Tomorrow, which he published this year with Faber & Faber. Green urbanism is undergirded by an expectation – a belief? - that it will deliver on modernism's promises of emancipated, healthful lives. The City of Today contests this. As Des explains, ‘the book is really an attempt to start […] thinking critically about the growing trend towards green, traditional, small, human scale - I would even say 15 minute - cities [and] that kind of vision of the city is something we need to develop critical language for. […] there's a pretty close mapping between 19th century discourse of the cities effect on character or its capacity to degenerate particular sorts of character in a heritable way [...] and our own discourse about the relationship between particular shapes of buildings and mental health disorders.' A little bit saucy and rather funny, man, book and podcast. You can find Des professionally at UCC and on X. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠In Episode 110 of A is for Architecture⁠ Victoria Jane Marshall, senior lecturer in the Department of Architecture at the National University of , discusses themes and methods underpinning her recent book, Periurban Cartographies: Kolkata's Ecologies and Settled Ruralities, which she published with Oro Editions in spring this year. As Victoria notes, an increasingly public concept, the periurban describe those parts of urban peripheries that are ‘generally imagined […] as “becoming urban” and generally, in doing so, it sort of erases the rural in the imagination - of it just being a zone which is on its way to becoming urban, like a transition zone'. Instead, Victoria proposes, thorough the lens of a deep mapping in Kolkata, Bengal, we might instead ‘look more flat, and more even, at everything that's going on, and, and not bifurcate, not separate urban and rural, and not separate society and nature, but look at how they're all entangled together.' It's a beautiful book, and Victoria's a great talker, the mapping is wonderful, so listen to her, see the book, and get freshness. You can find Victoria professionally at her work and on LinkedIn. The book is linked above. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠Episode 109 of A is for Architecture⁠ has architect, professor and writer, Charles Holland, discussing his new book, How to Enjoy Architecture: A Guide for Everyone, published by Yale University Press this year. As Charles says, How to Enjoy Architecture is ‘not a history of architecture, and it's definitely not a kind of polemic'. Rather, it ‘tries to open up architecture outside of a sort of standard linear history' and is instead ‘a plea for more tolerance and pluralism, and for less condemnation […] it tries to say, there might be buildings that you don't like, but they might still be good. They might still be interesting. Just because they don't fit your tastes, that doesn't mean that they should be condemned in some way. So it tries to sort of make a plea for more interest and less condemning of things.'  A noble ideal. Have a listen and feel something. You can find Charles on his practice's website, on Instagram and X. The book is linked above. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠A is for Architecture's⁠ 108th episode is a conversation with urban designer and President of the Congress for the New Urbanism, Mallory B.E. Baches.  With roots in the works of Jane Jacobs and Lewis Mumford, and later through Leon Krier and Christopher Alexander, the CNU was founded in 1993 as a ‘planning and development approach based on the principles of how cities and towns had been built for the last several centuries: walkable blocks and streets, housing and shopping in close proximity, and accessible public spaces. In other words: New Urbanism focuses on human-scaled urban design.'  The movement's influence has been very wide, underpinning new classical and traditional developments, such as at Brandevoort in Holland, Harbor Town, USA and Poundbury in England. Arguably, recent movements like 15 Minute Cities have their roots in New Urbanist logics too. As such, might New Urbanism best be understood as other modern? You can find Mallory on her personal website, on Instagram, LinkedIn and X too. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

⁠A is for Architecture's⁠ 108th episode is a conversation with the architect Sam Jacob, principal of Sam Jacob Studio and Professor and head of Architectural Design Studio 3 in the Institute of Architecture (I oA) at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. Formerly founding director of FAT with Charles Holland and Sean Griffiths, Sam's work includes exceptional buildings and adaptations, exhibitions, interiors and things which, liberally distributed over the years of his practice[s], are to be found all over the internet.  Sam puts it thus in the recording, ‘normally when we make architecture […] you start with a sketch, and then you make it a little bit more accurate, and you get it into Vectorworks, maybe. And then you might make a model, and then you do, you know, detailed design and the tender etc, etc. And that's the kind of process and then you end up with a building. […] But if we think about like, architecture itself, maybe there's not really a point where it becomes real and different, you know, becomes part of the real world and different from all those other forms of representation, which you were using, as you went through the design process. Maybe we could understand architecture itself as a form of representation'.  You can find Sam on Instagram. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

Episode 107 of ⁠A is for Architecture⁠ is a discussion with Tim Ingold, Emeritus Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Aberdeen about Making: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art and Architecture, published by Routledge in 2013.  Acts of making, as the blurb puts it, ‘creates knowledge, builds environments and transforms lives.' The book reflects ‘on what it means to create things, on materials and form, the meaning of design, landscape perception, animate life, personal knowledge and the work of the hand'. It's a beautiful subject, and a great conversation. Tim is a fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was awarded a CBE in 2022 for services to anthropology. His scholarship be found in all good libraries. He has a website, timingold.com, and his professional profile can be found on the University of Aberdeen website. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

In Episode 106 of ⁠A is for Architecture⁠ Sabina Andron talks about her book Urban Surfaces, Graffiti, and the Right to the City, which she published with Routledge this year.  The book discusses ‘the surfacescapes of our cities […] as material, visual, and legal territories [and] includes a critical history of graffiti and street art as contested surface discourses' arguing for ‘surfaces as sites of resistance against private property, neoliberal creativity, and the imposition of urban order.'  Sabina is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Cities and Urbanism at the University of Melbourne and can be found on her personal website, as well as on social media, including  X and Instagram. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick

Episode 105 of ⁠A is for Architecture⁠ is with Pier Vittorio Aureli, writer and educator, and founder and principal of Dogma, the much-acclaimed architecture and research group founded in 2002 by Pier Vittorio and Martino Tattara. We talk about Pier Vittorio's 2023 book, Architecture and Abstraction, published by MIT Press. Architecture and Abstraction, so the gloss has it, ‘argues for a reconsideration of abstraction, its meanings, and its sources. Although architects have typically interpreted abstraction in formal terms—the purposeful reduction of the complexities of design to its essentials, [this book] presents abstraction in architecture not as an aesthetic tendency but as a movement that arises from modern divisions of labor and consequent social asymmetries', and the outcome of emergent socio-technical, economic and political realities. In the face of the AI-ification of the public imagination and, increasingly, material culture itself, this argument has great pertinence for design in and of the contemporary commonwealth.  Pier Vittorio Aureli teaches at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), and can be found on through Dogma on Instagram. Thanks for listening. +  Music credits: ⁠Bruno Gillick