Asset Arrest

Episode 4 - and the final episode - of ASSET ARREST's mini-series on culture-led housing, made in collaboration with the London Cultural Diversity Lab, takes us to speak to artist Jill Kennedy-McNeill about her experiences living as a property guardian for many years in London. I then speak to artist Sean Roy Parker about his involvement in artist-led co-living project The Field, which is situated on the border between Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire in rural England.

Episode 3 of ASSET ARREST's mini-series on culture-led housing looks at Bow Arts in London and their provision of 'affordable' housing for artists, which operates to a property-guardianship framework. I speak to artist Rab Harling (aka Balfron Social Club), an ex-resident of the flats they managed between 2007-14 at the iconic Balfron Tower - a brutalist tower block designed by Erno Goldfinger - in Poplar. He talks about his experience there and his ongoing fight against the artwashing and social cleansing that took place. I then hear from a current resident of the properties they currently manage in an estate in Thamesmead, which are planned for demolition within the next few years. For more information: https://rabharling.com/ https://balfronsocialclub.org/ https://novaramedia.com/2013/08/20/social-cleansing-in-tower-hamlets-interview-with-balfron-tower-evictee/ https://novaramedia.com/2023/08/04/its-a-scandal-how-property-developers-failed-to-sell-a-single-flat-in-balfron-tower/

In this episode, I speak to Newcastle-based artist Andrew Wilson, previously a resident of Artist House 45 - a housing project for artists by artist-led organisation East Street Arts in Leeds, which ran between 2015 and 2020. Andrew lived and worked there with his collaborator Toby Lloyd (together they are known as Lloyd-Wilson), where they developed relationships with their immediate neighbours and existing community projects. For more information about Andrew's work visit: https://www.iamandrewwilson.co.uk/

What is culture-led housing and can it play a role in tackling the UK's housing crisis? This is the introductory episode to a new ASSET ARREST mini-series on 'culture-led housing', made in collaboration with The London Cultural Diversity Lab at City, University of London. The London Cultural Diversity Lab is one of five cross-Europe “laboratories” that form the Creative Impact Research Centre Europe (CIRCE). Throughout 2023, the five labs are exploring the multiple challenges and opportunities facing the European creative economy in the midst of an unfolding polycrisis. In this episode I introduce the idea of 'culture-led housing' and speak to architectural researcher and practitioner Jonathan Orlek. Clips sampled can be found at: 1. Anthony Gormley's London by Tate (2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=PQVrak66FvM 2. Bow Arts on Home Truths, Channel 4 (2017): https://vimeo.com/224470391 3. An Introduction to London City Island, Ballymore Group (2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZmdta3uL8k 4. Mark Davy and Peter Tullin, Live TV interview with ABC 24 News Weekend (2015): https://vimeo.com/129414015

Investing in social housing is growing in popularity. This is the first of a series of ASSET ARREST shorts - 'SMALL TALK' - that give telephone-based insights to speculative real estate and investor-driven housing. Find out how investors plan to maintain profits in a time of polycrisis.

FRIEZE WEEK SPECIAL #3!!! The Property Investors Show, ExCEL, London. “Why would anyone want to live 15km from the centre of Lagos? Because there's an 18-hole golf course!” “The vast majority of landlords out there are great people.” “You do get professionally bad tenants who will prey on vulnerable landlords.” “Covid has given landlords a big bloody knock.” “Deep inside we're all investors.” “Anomalies and loopholes can be translated into entrepreneurial opportunities!” A contemporary horror story featuring flesh eating creatures called investors and blood sucking monsters called landlords, who are desperate for bodies to take to another dimension they call ‘property'. Finding myself trapped in a hellscape and lost in a word cloud, I begin to realise that Utopia Corporation is not as utopian as the branding would suggest…. What the reviews are saying: "Scariest thing since the Blair Witch Project!" "The unflinching brutality of the ASSET ARREST Frieze Week Special 3 is captivating." "I sure hope I never end up in 'property' - not for the faint of heart!"

Episode 26 and my 2nd Frieze week special!! In this episode I visit two houses on (and just off of) Avenue Road in St Johns Wood – named London's most expensive street in 2020 – with Berlin-based curator and writer Tirdad Zolghadr. We talk about the art-gentrification-real-estate relation; artists' complicity in these processes of social cleansing; the Haus der Statistik in Berlin, and hope. One house is £38 million and the other £55 million

“We really tried to manufacture a sense of life and in some ways, it paid off.” – random developer man in suit who networked me. “Yes, ultimately we have the sinister goal of increasing property prices, but it doesn't mean we don't care about culture.” – John Mulryan, Managing Director of Ballymore who couldn't help but network me too. FRIEZE WEEK SPECIAL!!!!!!!!!! ART + REAL ESTATE = HOUSES EVEN FURTHER OUT OF REACH!!! Episode 25 is bit long and unwieldy but incase anyone is interested, it is a recording of an event I attended this morning called ‘Productive Placemaking, New Opportunities: What does successful regeneration truly look like? Held at the Trinity Art Gallery on London City Island, it featured a bunch of mainly posh men in suits – an array of planners, developers, investors, etc – saying very little of meaning and just rambling on about how successful they and their placemaking strategies are. A chance to hear how those on the other side speak about these things! They left little time for questions, but I did manage to get one in right at the end, which led to me having a long conversation with John Mulryan, Ballymore's managing director, after the event. Sadly the recording of this conversation, and my other networking efforts, was not usable due to the crowds of loud networking people in the space. Apologies for the imperfect audio but I was recording on the sly in a difficult room full of people.

A special episode made for the 'Prospect Us' exhibition at Shieldfield Art Works (SAW) in Newcastle. I visit several private student accommodation blocks in the area and speak to a number of former, current and future students to visit their accommodation or view new accommodation with them and discuss their experiences of searching for and living in this form of housing. Presented in the gallery alongside a video that compiles imagery and footage from the various student accommodation's promotional material in the form of a tour around their various spaces. With thanks to Anna Muddiman, Anna Li, Grace Armstrong, Renee Wong and Anantha Ram Kalepu for their participation. --- 'Prospect Us' explores the social, emotional and political impact of commodification of land, rapid urban development and studentification in Newcastle. Through art, satirical games and discussion we'll examine the power imbalance between landowners, developers, long-term residents and students. What prospects do students have, having been lured by a glossy prospectus into paying high rents to private accommodation providers? With land seen as a commodity to squeeze out the maximum profit, what prospects does this leave the people and communities who inhabit the land, but don't own it? How can we convince developers to serve the communities they produce as well as the communities they displace, and not only prospect for profit? Prospect Us seeks to bring different groups together through an exhibition and events to discuss and share knowledge about the effects of studentification, and the commodification of land, housing and communities. A collaboration between SAW, BxNU institute, Newcastle University, artists and researchers. The project features work by Julia Heslop, Dwellbeing, Mike Jeffries and Lily Arnold. More information: https://www.saw-newcastle.org/prospect-us/

Episode 23 of ASSET ARREST is here and is a viewing of Hale Works by Anthology, in Tottenham Hale, with artist and researcher Alberto Duman who is my first return guest (and was guest in the first episode I published too) and who makes brilliant and important work around issues of culture and art practice within the “world-class” city: its relationship with capital and urban space, and its role within strategies and regimes of opportunistic planning and city-making. We talk about his perspective - as a local resident - on Tottenham Hale's regeneration plans; the personification and personalization of future real estate via individual's stories; and have a meandering conversation in response to the five flats we viewed in this 32-storey block situated on the edge of “Hale Village”, an “eco district” with “sustainability and community at its heart”. Listen on Spotify/SoundCloud/iTunes or whatever platform you prefer. Enjoy, share and follow on Instagram for more updates @assetarrest And check out more on Alberto's work: http://www.albertoduman.me.uk/ https://repeaterbooks.com/product/regeneration-songs-sound-of-investment-and-loss-from-east-london/

A viewing of the Wilberforce Penthouse in Nine Elms Point, Nine Elms, London, with artist and filmmaker Wilf Speller. Wilf's work emerges from a research and writing practice that reflects on future imaginaries and their representation. Their recent work has focused on the ideological and aesthetic dogmas that shape the spatial politics of late capitalism and the Anthropocene. More about Wilf's work: https://wilfspeller.co.uk/ https://vimeo.com/wilfspeller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74SvNcCvb_I Instagram: @wilfspeller

EPISODE 21 is a viewing of another Ballymore development – The Wardian, in Canary Wharf - with Lord Matalas. The mysterious Lord Matalas, is a property tycoon, TikTok royalty, and a Canary Wharf local. We talk about his life in a Canary Wharf penthouse, his job in luxury property, his ongoing battle with washer/dryers, the poor-quality housing that Ballymore continue to peddle, and more. You can follow The Lord on TikTok and Instagram @lordmatalas. https://www.tiktok.com/@lordmatalas?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/lordmatalas/ SPOILER ALERT: Ballymore are criminals and scammers, and we get drunk Canary Wharf style.

Episode 20 of ASSET ARREST is here and is a viewing of 10 Fairholt Street – a £12 million house in Kensington, London - with artist Débora Delmar. Listen to hear our review of this monstrous house, and our conversation about Débora’s work; the suburbs of Mexico City; luxury aesthetics and more. More about Débora’s work: http://www.deboradelmar.com/

Episode 19 is a virtual viewing of The Dumont at Albert Embankment in London with the brilliant Budapest based artist Andi Schmied. Andi has a background in both art and architecture and produces installations, videos, performances and printed works that explores the architectural framing of social space. In her own words, she uncovers “unexpected human behaviours and urban anomalies – places that, for one reason or another, do not follow conventional logic, yet remain part of our cityscape”. I was delighted to discover that Andi had similarly been posing for several years as a fake billionaire in order to view high end properties in New York, and so I took the opportunity of lockdown to meet with her for a Zoom viewing. Check out her new publication PRIVATE VIEWS that has been published as a result of her property viewing project! *photo by Andi Schmied for PRIVATE VIEWS* More about Andi's work: http://andischmied.com/ https://www.curbed.com/2020/12/nyc-luxury-penthouse-artist-andi-schmied.html Andi also mentioned the book 'Uneasy Street' by Rachel Sherman: https://www.waterstones.com/book/uneasy-street/rachel-sherman/9780691191904

Episode 18 features a viewing of Ballymore’s development Embassy Gardens, in Nine Elms, London, with brilliant artist Avril Corroon, who I had a super time talking to! We get a sneak preview of the world’s first “sky pool” from the inside; hear how the security measures for the U.S. Embassy have become a selling point for property here; and talk about Avril’s work that addresses the exploitative conditions of neoliberalism including the precarity of service industry work, and the housing crisis in London and Dublin. More on Avril's work: https://avrilcorroon.com/

Episode 17 of ASSET ARREST is here, lockdown style! This time I speak to a number of disgruntled owner/occupiers of Ballymore properties in various developments. Listen for an inside view on how property developers like this are conning people, selling off huge swathes of London to overseas investors whilst destroying existing communities, and even building balconies that set on fire due to the use of flammable materials. The reality of the lifestyles depicted on the hoardings and in the brochures are far from the luxury and convenience they promise, and the owner/occupiers are not happy… Follow Ballymore Hell on social media for more about their ongoing problems and the fight to get Ballymore to do something about them: https://twitter.com/Ballymorehell https://www.instagram.com/ballymorehell/

Episode 16 features a viewing of 3 penthouses at the Television Centre development in White City, West London, with community organiser and trade unionist Shiri Shalmy. Television Centre was home to the BBC from 1960 to 2013 and is now a development of luxury apartments, commercial space, and exclusive members club Soho House. Hear what we thought, and learn more about Shiri's work! Links: https://cooperation.town/ http://www.antiuniversity.org/ https://www.uvwunion.org.uk/

After an extended break, ASSET ARREST is back with EPISODE 15, recorded in Hong Kong in December, when the world was a very different place. I speak to architect and theorist Wallace P. Chang about the city’s aging population, how the unaffordability of housing is impacting the way that young people live, and Hong Kong as a battleground where a conflict between the two systems – the socialist and the capitalist; Chinese and American values – is played out. Wallace P. Chang is both an architectural practitioner and theorist on urban design, cultural conservation and community participation. His award-winning designs range from urban washroom to university academic building. Also, he is a social activist to promote a civil consciousness on urban environment, community conservation and sustainable planning, including his recent advocacy on the redevelopment planning and architecture of Shek Tsai Leng [Dills Corner Garden] Elderly Caring District. He is a fellow of HKIA; Registered Architect in Hong Kong and China; Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, HKU; Chairman of 1a Space; Director of the Urban Place Research Unit; Visiting Scholar in Harvard-Yenching Institute, Harvard University; Advisory Committee Member on Revitalization of Historic Buildings. Photo Creator: Vincent Thian

In episode 14 I meet cultural geographer Oli Mould and go on a viewing tour in East London, incorporating Blackwall Reach in Poplar, One and Ten Park Drive in Canary Wharf, and the Canary Wharf branch of trendy “co-living” chain The Collective. Oli’s most recent book, Against Creativity (Verso, 2018) explores the reality of creativity as a form of neoliberal appropriation that priorities individual success over collective flourishing. We discuss ideas of gateless gated communities, “user friendly” communities, the selling of “vibes” and atmosphere, and hotel-style living for grown up adult-babies. Enjoy, share, and support us at patreon.com/assetarrest! Oli's work: https://tacity.co.uk/ https://www.versobooks.com/books/2852-against-creativity https://www.amazon.co.uk/Subversion-Creative-Routledge-Critical-Urbanism/dp/1138797049 More on developments / properties visited and mentioned: https://republic.london/ https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/robin-hood-gardens?gclid=CjwKCAjwnIr1BRAWEiwA6GpwNdaf5ete7y5QQeovM9HHX2DX4bxBPsUXGBe5fOGESf9h5BuvQ5LO_xoCP0kQAvD_BwE https://blackwallreach.co.uk/ https://residential.canarywharf.com/one-park-drive/ https://residential.canarywharf.com/10-park-drive/ https://www.thecollective.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwnIr1BRAWEiwA6GpwNQyQmqH21GlhzJyLeK34yb5vghhnbO9Ud8O69Yb1FKcus2BuHWx0hBoCOaQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This episode takes us to Hong Kong where I meet with Wing Shing Tang, a professor at the Department of Geography at Hong Kong Baptist University. His research interest is to comprehend the nature of cities and urban development, with a focus on Chinese cities, including Hong Kong. We speak about the hyperdensity of Hong Kong as a result of the three stages of colonization; his argument to conceive of urban redevelopment in Hong Kong through hegemony-cum-alientation, which differs from gentrification and is a more complicated process than displacement of the working class; and the Hong Kong Government’s attempt to blame the recent and ongoing unrest on the fact that young people can’t afford apartments.

This episode features a viewing of a £27 million house on Stratford Place in Marylebone as well as a new development at Regent’s Crescent with the amazing Feminist Economics Department, aka artist and activist Cassie Thornton. We talk about various projects of Cassie’s which address important and complex issues such as bad credit as a virus; land in relation to bodies and real estate; and collective practices of social health. Cassie gives an insight into acting as auditor or janitor for institutions and the FED’s financial witchcraft. This is one of my favourite episodes so far! And, of course, you get a glimpse into some of the most exclusive spaces in London. To quote from the brochure of Regent’s Crescent: “London goes beyond any boundary or convention, it contains every wish or word ever spoken, every action or gesture ever made, every harsh or noble statement ever expressed”. http://feministeconomicsdepartment.com/

EPISODE 11, and the first in Series 2, takes us to Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province in the South of China and part of the Pearl River Delta Region. In this episode I visit the Zhujiang New Town area of the city and the remnants of the city center’s last remaining urban village – Xian Cun - with architect Hu Jianyu who works as an architect for the Hong Kong office of international architecture firm KPF. We talk about the erasure of history, memory and identity for residents in the city; the relentless drive for progression and discipline; the importance of decay and aging; and the homogenization and eradication of urban informality and imagination. References: Lin, Y., Meulder, B. & Wang, S. (2011) ‘Understanding the ‘Village in the City’ in Guangzhou’ in Urban Studies, Volume 48. (Dec 1. 2011). Murayama, Y., Zacharius, J., Hu, Y., Huang, Q. (2013) ‘Morphology and Spatial Dynamics of Urban Villages in Guangzhou’s CBD’ in Urban Studies Research, Volume 2013. (March 19. 2013). Wong, S., Tang, B. & Liu, J. (2018) ‘Village Redevelopment and Desegregation as a Strategy for Metropolitan Development: Some Lessons from Guangzhou City’ in International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Volume 42, Issue 6 (August 5. 2018). http://www.thatsmags.com/guangzhou/post/10405/photos-inside-zhujiangs-forgotten-urban-village https://www.kpf.com/projects/location/asia-pacific

Some information about ASSET ARREST Season 2, which will launch in March! Starting with a visit to the Pearl River Delta Region cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong before travelling back to London to look at the trend of corporate "Co-Living" complexes, and how the abundance of luxury investment opportunity developments are faring now that Brexit is underway...

EPISODE 10 of ASSET ARREST is the last in season 1! This episode continues my tour of private student housing brandlords in Newcastle, with a focus on the area of Shieldfield. I attend a viewing of Barker House with Alison Merritt Smith and Hannah Marsden who, along with Julia Heslop, lead the ongoing project ‘Dwellbeing’, which is based at Shieldfield Art Works (SAW) and revolves around a group of co-researchers who live or work in Shieldfield and meet regularly to explore and address the effects of urban redevelopment in the area. I also attended a viewing of The Shield with Dwellbeing participants Ken and Val who live in the area and caught up with some students who actually live in these blocks. Listen for discussion around ideas of studentification, disinvestment in long standing communities, wasted space and architectures of convenience.

EPISODE 9 begins an exploration of the proliferation of private student housing – and resulting studentification – in Newcastle. I view a student apartment at Liberty Quay (from Liberty Living Limited) with Roger Burrows, who is Professor of Cities at Newcastle University. We discuss Roger’s research into the re-placement of the “just rich” by the super-rich in West London; and London City Island as built using ground that was dug up to make way for multi-storey basement extensions in Kensington homes; education as a means of property investment; and post-Brexit dystopias.

Episode 8 features a viewing of the ÜBerlin tower in Steglitz with the excellent Semâ Bekirović, an artist based in Amsterdam who I met whilst she was in residence at ZK/U in Berlin. We talk about her new book 'Reading by Osmosis: Nature Interprets Man', which is the most recent outcome of an ongoing project that explores the idea of non-human art production; as well as taking trees on international flights, and the depressing new life of Berlin’s famous Tacheles squat (which I will be re-visiting in detail in the new year). COOL. Semâ studied at the Rietveld Academie and the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. Her work has been exhibited at De Appel (Amsterdam), Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam), Hayward Gallery Project Space (London), Dutch Culture Institute (Shanghai) and on Times Square (NYC). Find out more about Sema's work: https://www.semabekirovic.nl/

Episode 7 is a viewing of a nearly-finished penthouse at BAUWEN'S Gleis Park development, by Gleisdreieck Park in Kreuzberg, with researcher Helge Peters. We talk about community empowerment, green gentrification and the "typical Berlin mix". Helge Peters is a geographer at Oxford University currently working on public participation in green infrastructure planning. He lives in Berlin where he supports the campaign to expropriate corporate landlords. Find out more about this campaign from 'Deutsche Wohnen & Co Enteignen' here: https://www.dwenteignen.de/

Episode 6 is a viewing of the last remaining (penthouse) apartment at Winsstraße No. 59 in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, with architect and researcher Ana Filipovic. Ana is an architect and researcher interested in spatial transformations and their relationship to the notions of private, public and common property, especially in the sphere of collective housing and the city periphery. We talk about new property developments in Berlin, sex for rent on Craigslist, and the definition of “luxury”. Read Ana’s essay on sex for rent, ‘Craigslust’ here: https://failedarchitecture.com/craigslust-well-have-sex-and-you-dont-need-to-pay-much-for-the-flat/ Read a recent interview with Ana here: https://schloss-post.com/the-power-structures-of-built-reality/

Episode 5 is a viewing of a 2.13 million euro two bedroom apartment in Berlin Mitte owned by some "very famous art dealers" from the US. My guest this time is artist Jan Van Esch who was in residence at ZK/U where he was working on a project exploring the idea of a remedy for the toxicity of gifts.

Episode 4 is a viewing of a 3.6 million euro two bedroom apartment in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin, overlooking the Lietzensee Lake. My guest this time is researcher Pablo Arboleda. Pablo is currently a Research Fellow at Glasgow University's School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, where he is exploring how modern ruins are reoccupied creatively and collaboratively, within a contemporary European context.

Episode 3 is a viewing of a 1.4 million euro one bedroom apartment in the controversial Living Levels development at Berlin's East Gallery. My guest this time is architect Rosario Talevi. Through her work on spatial, editorial and curatorial projects, she develops possibilities for collective involvement, emancipatory learning and social interaction as they relate to contemporary architecture and urbanism discourse. http://rosariotalevi.com/ https://raumlabor.net/ https://www.floatinguniversity.org/en/climate-care-2019/

Episode 2 of the Asset Arrest podcast features a visit to an apartment at Schönhauser Allee 55 in Berlin, with architectural theorist Tatjana Schneider.

Episode 1 of Asset Arrest centres around a viewing of property on London City Island in East London, with artist and researcher Alberto Duman.