The FreeThinking Podcast

Today on the FreeThinking Podcast, we speak with James Boyce - Founder and CEO of Grumpy Sailor - Creators of adventurous, innovative and unforgettable experiences!   James speaks of the 'Immersive Experience Industry' - and using powerful examples from their work with organisations-brands-and-cities - we dig into the opportunity for more creative collaborations across the whole ecosystem of policy-funding-design-delivery... Big stuff!   Tune in for Episode 31 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours.     FEATURING Adam Scott, Founder, FreeState James Boyce, Founder, Grumpy Sailor

Today on the FreeThinking Podcast we have architect, designer, artist, teacher and conductor of urban narratives - Nigel Coates!   We discuss the power of drawings and how they are tools for catalysing experiences. We “mesh and weave” the components of his many projects, from design influences to mythology to raw materials. We talk about giants – a magical allegory for the spirit of cities.   And we discuss his new book ‘Lives in Architecture'! We've added the link in the comments if you want to take a look.   A joyous conversation that flows like one of his x-ray drawings!   Tune in for Episode 30 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours.

Today on the FreeThinking Podcast we have Roger Black, Creative Director for Ballymore Property Group. Roger is a visionary leader across the board; Strategy, Design, Communications & Experience... all our favourite things!   With great care he talks about the conception and delivery of some iconic mixed-use London projects; City Island, Goodluck Hope, Embassy Gardens - and critically, how to flip the model and bake in social infrastructure from the very beginning, ensuring every step is optimised to inspire deep participation.   Listen in for Episode 29 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours!

Today's guest on the FreeThinking Podcast is James Parkinson - Senior Programme Manager for Regeneration & Economic Development for The Greater London Authority - and a great champion for innovation, participation, and design quality across London's 600 High Streets!   We talk about building social resilience at a local level - crowdsourcing city-making innovation - and what the real enablers of sustainable regeneration look like.   Join us for Episode 28 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours!

Today on the FreeThinking Podcast, we speak with Suzana Bishop, Chief Experience Officer for Federation Square in Melbourne.   We hear about the public being the true owners of the space - how the community rose up against the giants that compromised the spirit of the square - and how a more experimental approach is forging a more energetic cultural dialogue between place and people.   Tune in for Episode 27 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours!

Today on the podcast it's our pleasure to speak with Beth Hise, Project Director for Sydney Living Museums - and a wonderful storyteller.   Beth shows us the importance of social infrastructure to hold the space for community and connection and discusses how the immersive experience creates meaning in place. We are then transported to Paramatta's Female Factory in Sydney, Australia; an upcoming project honouring the deeply emotional and complex history it emerges from.   Settle in for Episode 26 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours!

In May, Adam was in Melbourne and fortunate enough to visit a major new 'contemporary arts incubator' called Collingwood Yards... A veritable melting pot of community creativity, a place that exudes openness and dynamism with every step!   We are overjoyed to be joined by Sophie Travers - CEO of Collingwood Yards - who is going to tell us all about it. She speaks with us about how Collingwood Yards is led by their tenants, artists and community and how that creates a unique space with a rich overlap of activities and people. We learn about the beginnings of Collingwood Yards and glimpse in to its future, understanding their function and desire to be a space that is full of life and open for all.   Join us for Episode 25 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours!

'Bulldoze the high street and build a giant park - Is Stockton the future of Britain?' So ran the headline in The Guardian last February... But why?   Let's ask a real hero of ours; Neil Schneider - former Chief Executive at Stockton upon Tees Borough Council and someone who real knows how to inspire change at a city scale!   Neil tells us the story of how Stockton-on-Tees came to be the canary in the mine of High Street revival, in the face of a burgeoning large-scale mall culture. He leans in to the town's history and people, and in doing so, creates a mixed bag of unforgettable festival moments and a community that fell back in love with its town.   Tune in for Episode 24 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours!

Today on the FreeThinking Podcast we have stellar connector Will Chamberlain; founder of Creative Wick and the Cultural Interest Group in London, UK.   We spoke with Will about how he and a growing network are establishing a permanent sustainable creative community in East London's Hackney Wick and Fish Island - and particularly how creative activism and the sharing economy can advance the arts and culture in the face of rabid commercialism.   Will speaks to us ahead of the School of Activism Forum; a day of presentations, workshops, talks and debate about youth-centred neighbourhood activism, run by Creative Wick. He is a key figure in the development of Hackney Wick and Fish Island and a catalyst for art and culture for future generations of East London communities.   Catch Episode 23 of the FreeThinking Podcast & subscribe wherever you get yours!

Today on The FreeThinking Podcast we have Ben Gattie. Ben is the Founder and CEO of The Triple P Group, a neighbourhood building platform in Singapore, which began with a trailblazing community hub called The Working Capitol.   From humble beginnings, The Working Capitol emerged (figuratively and literally) from the concept of shop houses; professional spaces on the ground floor, living spaces above. This blend of working environments with lifestyle elements reflects Ben's “neighbourhood-approach to real estate”, working in to the identity, nuances and existing community framework. Ben shares his ideas on programming a neighbourhood and how their success is his success – a participatory approach that speaks to true cocreation and enhances people, place and purpose beyond the walls of any property and in to the community.   Come together for Episode 22 of the FreeThinking Podcast & subscribe wherever you get yours!

Today on The FreeThinking Podcast we have Simon Pitkeathley; CEO of The Camden Collective - The Business Improvement District for Camden Town - Facilitator of all manner of good works, most notably The Camden Highline.   The Camden Highline is London's newest park in the sky, running between Camden Town and King's Cross. Repurposing disused railways, linking the east and west region while providing green space to over 20,000 people, Simon highlights how the ‘Highline is a connector and generator of community. It does this not only for people, but for local business as well – expanding the use, value and purpose of public space. A wonderful project not to be missed.   All aboard for Episode 21 of the FreeThinking Podcast & do make sure you subscribe wherever you get yours!

Today on The FreeThinking Podcast, we have Kate Willard OBE - Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board and the Thames Estuary Envoy - spearheading action at an extra-ordinary scale.   Kate has extensive experience as a consultant, working on a diverse portfolio of infrastructure and growth projects. She has also worked across Europe as a Regeneration Expert with the European Commission and established the first UK-Hungarian cultural partnership trust, so she understands the strength in connection. She talks to us about the power of the Thames Estuary as an activator and innovator in transport, sustainability, exports, tech... the list goes on! Spoken from the heart, Kate shows us how being in a good place isn't just a matter of location - but of growth, too.   Connect with Kate Willard on Episode 20 of the FreeThinking podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

Today on The FreeThinking Podcast we have Penny Cameron - Development Director at Stanhope plc - and a key player in the Visioning, Designing and Activating of their far-reaching White City Campus in West London.   White City Place is a new frontier in development that took a people-first approach, amplifying what already existed. Penny talks with us about creating a village – blending the established global brands with the emerging voices - and how “you can see yourself living in it” has both literal and figurative importance. She proves that bringing life to a space requires more than just building apartments; you must design with time and ensure relevance, building something that lasts.   Don't miss Penny Cameron on Episode 19 of the FreeThinking podcast and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

Today on the podcast we have Christy Traore and James Scroggs - Founders of New Working Class - the worker/learner college that both transforms lives AND re-ignites high streets. Christy and James talk us through how NWC works hand-in-hand with the community to blend educational and professional spaces, transforming learner-to-worker and worker-to-learner. They're embarking on a ground-breaking idea that will redefine the High St and ‘festivalise' the student campus for generations to come.

The FreeThinking Podcast is back for 2022 and today we have Rumi Bose from the London Borough of Southwark – a facilitator for the Low Line; The Overall Winner of this year's New London Architecture Awards. Rumi tells us about the power in local and the beauty of collective impact. She shows us how one initiative can quickly become many, growing a rich mix of community projects across different scales that – critically - involves everybody.

Kat is a Masterplan Strategist on Lendlease's big Euston Project in Central London. She talks about the virtuous circle of how the right diverse questions propel more inclusive strategies - of how to best walk the talk of that vision with always meanwhile initiatives - and how we might ensure those valuable cultural and social uses are not just 3D marketing but baked in to a perpetually relevant piece of city. And we also get massively distracted by a very energetic puppy!

Tara urges us to push beyond the rhetoric of re-ignition, to how we might better nurture the flame with long-term support for the micro-enterprises, creative start-ups and community-partnerships... And all spinning around a transformed shopping street - Bridge Mall - a powerful precedent for how public and private interests can unite around a shared vision. Become an honorary Balla-fornian in Episode 15 with Tara Poole and subscribe to FreeThinking wherever you get your podcasts!

This week we chat with Chris Levine – acclaimed light artist, best known for his holographic artworks of the Queen and Grace Jones and his large & immersive laser and LED installations, including Houghton Hall (UK), The Museum of Arts and Design (New York, USA) and Dark Mofo (Australia). A renowned artist and a wonderful story-teller, Chris speaks with us about his experiential work, the powerful energy at play in the universe and the meta-nature of the importance in a moment – nay, THE moment. Chris shows us how art can bring us to a place, not just geographically, but a place in time and spirit. Immerse yourself in this Episode 14 with Chris Levine and subscribe to FreeThinking wherever you get your podcasts!

The next episode of the FreeThinking podcast has arrived and today we're speaking with Sally Curtain; board member, leader and current CEO of Bendigo Kangan Institute. Sally has an impressive background in enacting innovation and major reforms in public arenas – such as City of Casey and VicRoads – making her an expert in strategy development and implementation. Sitting smack bang in the middle of one of the most successful innovation districts on the planet – Sally tells us about the neighbourly unicorns and principled policy-makers that have forged this highly creative and democratic education campus. Listen to Episode 13 with Sally Curtain below, and subscribe to FreeThinking wherever you get your podcasts!

Today we spoke with Historian, Writer, Broadcaster and Educator Tom Dyckhoff about the rise and fall of the late capitalist city - the rub of super-gentrification versus creative-anarchism as an engine for innovation - and building communities where we can all find our 'ledge'. Tom is a master in the architecture space and has a CV overflowing with experience in top design institutions, including writing for The Architects Journal, teaching at University College London and being a committee member for The Twentieth Century Society, just to scratch the surface. We can't wait to share his innovative ideas with you. Listen to Episode 12 with Tom Dyckhoff below, and subscribe to FreeThinking wherever you get your podcasts!

Today on the FreeThinking Podcast, we have Bill Grimsey, legendary retailer with 45 years experience - from butcher's boy to CEO of Wickes and Iceland. In 2012 he wrote 'Sold Out: Who really killed the High Street', and since then through his highly influential ' The Grimsey Reviews' he has been leading the debate on the future of the high street. Bill talks about localism on steroids, practical steps to creating magnetic high streets, and his new review 'Against All Odds' on the importance of nurturing independent businesses which came out last week!

We are excited to have Emma Beverley - Executive Producer of LEEDS 2023 as a special guest to Episode 10 of FreeThinking podcast! LEEDS 2023 is an exciting year-long programme where the city is 'Letting Culture Loose' - and as they said at the launch last month: 'They're gonna create, make, perform, run, bake, eat, share, sing, speak, play' ... Because culture is everywhere in this city! Let's hear all about it!

Our next special guest of the FreeThinking podcast is Hugo Warner, who co-founded hospitality group Benugo - with brother Ben - and last year launched a purpose-built co-working space called The Fisheries, near Broadway Market in London. He talks about how great hospitality means taking care of every part of the experience, at every scale, whether you are building a community hub or a stakeholder brand or even a post-pandemic high street. We hope you enjoy Episode 9!

Our special guest to Episode 8 of FreeState's FreeThinking podcast is Mark Bourgeois - Managing Director, UK and Ireland, of Hammerson. Mark talks about creating City Quarters, how far the rich mix of mixed-use might take the future City Centre, and the importance of Return on Experience. We hope you enjoy!

We are excited to have Kim Cook - Director, Creative Initiatives for Burning Man as a special guest to our second series of the FreeThinking podcast!

We are thrilled to have Natalie Slessor - Head of Customer Futures for Lendlease - as a special guest to Episode 7 of our FreeThinking podcast. Natalie is one of Australia's few social psychologists specialising in the built environment - with a razor sharp focus on the future of living, leisure and work. She talks about how great place-making should start with the ending, the value of a cultural risk assessment, and how Silicon Valley offers inspiration to the city as the ultimate perpetual field test! 

Our special guest to Episode 5 of our FreeThinking podcast is Ross Bailey, founder of Appear Here, who has helped more than 200,000 brands find short-term spaces in London, Paris, and now, New York. He talks about how we will build back the delight-inducing, memory-making theatre of the high street... and how this is NOT about property, this is about entertainment and experience!

Our special guest to Episode 4 of our FreeThinking podcast is Amy Lamè - performer, creative leader, activist - Radio 6 DJ, Past Mayoress of Camden and now London's first Night Czar! From night-time myth busting and inequality, to the great post-pandemic opportunity for a better world for all - Amy and Adam have a lot to say in this engaging conversation.

Our special guest to Episode 3 of our FreetThinking podcast is Lloyd Lee, Managing Partner of Yoo Capital and driving force behind Olympia London. He talks about the value of thinking of the development as dynamic co-authored platform.

The second guest on The Freethinking Podcast is Amahl Hazelton at Moment Factory - from a Super Bowl show to a storytelling airport - he is a pioneer of the programmable place at a super-scale! He talks about the 'festivalisation' of our cities and the importance of the 'high street as a venue' as we seek to re-ignite our post-pandemic cities.

First guest on FreeState's The Freethinking Podcast, Roger Madelin is hosted by Adam Scott, and backs a reignited post-pandemic city via the always meanwhile state, facilitation not over-curation, and a post-war type of super confidence.