Open City
Open City
Open City is a charity dedicated to making architecture and built heritage more open, accessible and equitable.Providing you with essential listening, inspiring voices and built environment insights – the Open City Podcast covers news and current events as well as in depth studies of landmark buildings, and cities around the UK and world.At the centre of our line-up is our flagship show The Brief – an award-winning review of the big stories in architecture, planning and housing news – hosted by Sahiba Chadha and Fran Williams on a fortnightly basis.Alongside this is Deconstructed – a monthly podcast hosted by Matthew Lloyd Roberts taking apart the architecture of individual buildings and InterCities – a monthly podcast hosted by Owen Hatherley exploring municipal transformation around the world. All three shows profile new, expert and diverse voices from across industry, journalism, academia and beyond. The Open City Podcast is produced by Hunter Charlton and Paige Reynolds. The commissioning editor is Merlin Fulcher. The Open City Podcast is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture platform and produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, London Society, C20 Society and Save Britain's Heritage. The Open City Podcast is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City Friend.Photo credit: Owen Hatherley portrait © Antonio Olmos Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 14, 2021 • 34min
The Stirling Prize and estate demolitions with Siraaj Mitha
Join critic Phin Harper and head of Accelerate Siraaj Mitha to chew through the week's big stories in London's architecture, housing and planning worlds. On the Londown this week, a Cambridge eco-mosque tipped to win the Stirling Prize, the ARB shake-up architectural education, City of London vetoes new skyscraper next to listed synagogue, an alleged ‘unfair’ estate demolition ballot in Tottenham, iconic post-war housing set to be flattened in massive Lambeth redevelopment, and the life and legacy of the late great Owen Luder.Support the Londown and Open City in making London's built environment more open and equitable by donating the equivalent of one flat white a month to the charity so it can keep making the Londown, staging the free Open House Festival and delivering important educational work supporting children and young people from under-represented backgrounds. Go to open-city.org.uk/flatwhite. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 7, 2021 • 36min
Michael Gove, the cladding scandal, and Cosmic House with Edwin Heathcote
This week on the Londown Zoe and FT architecture critic Edwin Heathcote analyse Gove's first public outing as housing secretary, and his comments on 'ugly' concrete and steel buildings. They also discuss why George Clarke is blasting the government over the cladding scandal, the newly opened Cosmic House, the plans for V&A Youth, and the new competition to redesign RIBA HQ... tune in!The Londown is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal. If you enjoyed the show, we recommend you subscribe to the AJ for all the latest news, building studies, expert opinion, cultural analysis, and business intelligence from the UK architecture industry. Listeners can save 15% on a subscription using this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 30, 2021 • 40min
Nine Elms regeneration & retrofit with Cllr Aydin Dikerdem
This week Merlin spoke with Aydin Dikerdem - the councillor for Queenstown Ward in the Battersea and Nine Elms area of Wandsworth, south west London. They discussed the criticism of the Northern Line extension, the very real flooding threat London faces, the pros and cons of retrofit, and the architecture lecturers who are standing up against unfair and discriminatory contracts.The Londown is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal. If you enjoyed the show, we recommend you subscribe to the AJ for all the latest news, building studies, expert opinion, cultural analysis, and business intelligence from the UK architecture industry. Listeners can save 15% on a subscription using this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 23, 2021 • 34min
Londown Live with Cath Slessor and Thomas Aquilina
This week we bring you the first ever Live Londown - direct from the Museum of the Home as part of their Festival of the Home. Merlin is joined by Catherine Slessor; President of the Twentieth Century Society, and architect Thomas Aquilina. Tune into their conversations on legendary bane of architects Michael Gove named housing secretary, the London co-living pioneer teetering on the verge of administration, Kevin McCloud's radical housing reform views, the pedestrianisation of Strand Aldwych, and the explosive planning meeting in Camden that saw furniture fly...The Londown is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal. If you enjoyed the show, we recommend you subscribe to the AJ for all the latest news, building studies, expert opinion, cultural analysis, and business intelligence from the UK architecture industry. Listeners can save 15% on a subscription using this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 16, 2021 • 36min
The Stirling Prize shortlist with Ellis Woodman
Two London landmarks vye for architecture’s highest accolade, the Stirling Prize // Government looks set to water down its contentious planning reforms // New Northern Line stations open at Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms // A leading London architecture studio becomes employee owned // And a major international competition to renew the Barbican Centre...Ellis Woodman - director of the Architecture Foundation, joins Merlin on the Londown this week.The Londown is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal. If you enjoyed the show, we recommend you subscribe to the AJ for all the latest news, building studies, expert opinion, cultural analysis, and business intelligence from the UK architecture industry. Listeners can save 15% on a subscription using this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 9, 2021 • 30min
Peter Barber and ABBA with Shawn Adams
Rushed Grenfell demolition-plans spark fury over lack of consultation // Architect of London’s new-wave of social housing - Peter Barber - feted for lifetime achievement // Heated debates ignited over fresh wave of iconic London demolitions and retrofits // And why ABBA’s virtual comeback could be big news for architecture.This week Zoe speaks to writer, architectural designer, and cofounder of POoR Collective - Shawn Adams.The Londown is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal. If you enjoyed the show, we recommend you subscribe to the AJ for all the latest news, building studies, expert opinion, cultural analysis, and business intelligence from the UK architecture industry. Listeners can save 15% on a subscription using this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 2, 2021 • 49min
Transport: cycling and walking with Ruth Lang
Soho ditches al fresco dining as Brick Lane turns car free; A tragic road death sparks new protests over cycling safety; Battle lines drawn over social homes on green spaces; Chloe Phelps leaves Croydon’s Common Ground Architecture; And we ask what this year’s RIBA awards say about architecture in the capital This week Merlin catches up with Ruth Lang: architect, writer, historian, and head of critical practice at the London School of Architecture Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 26, 2021 • 29min
London's 'golf belt', Trellick Tower, and XR with Robin Hutchinson
The staggering scale of London’s ‘golf belt’ revealed, a redevelopment row erupts next to Ernö Goldfinger’s iconic Trellick Tower, a fortnight of Extinction Rebellion climate protests target the City, and Croydon Council abandons its Westfield dream after a decade of disputes.Merlin gets the community perspective from Robin Hutchinson; activist and director of The Community Brain.As ever, listen, like, share, subscribe and this week complete our survey and tell us what you think.The Londown is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal. If you enjoyed the show, we recommend you subscribe to the AJ for all the latest news, building studies, expert opinion, cultural analysis, and business intelligence from the UK architecture industry. Listeners can save 15% on a subscription using this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 19, 2021 • 33min
Pubs, trains, and grassroots culture with Tim Dunn
New research suggests community-owned pubs help temper extreme political views | Why planning deregulation could be to blame for 800,000 new unsustainable homes | A London council picks infill over estate demolition | And why trains and rail architecture could be Britain’s most overlooked grassroots culture.This week Merlin is joined by Tim Dunn; presenter of Secrets of the London Underground, and The Architecture the Railways BuiltAs ever, listen, like, share, subscribe and this week complete our survey and tell us what you think. The Londown is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal. If you enjoyed the show, we recommend you subscribe to the AJ for all the latest news, building studies, expert opinion, cultural analysis, and business intelligence from the UK architecture industry. Listeners can save 15% on a subscription using this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 12, 2021 • 39min
Devastating climate report, and this years Open House Festival with Phin Harper
Damning climate change report warns of unprecedented devastation in our cities; victory for Save-Latin-Village after fifteen years of campaigning by dedicated community; central London unable to lift footfall as return-to-office-push lacks enthusiastic uptake; and Greenwich Royal Observatory seeks architect for historic upgrade. This week Zoe Cave is joined by none other than Phineas Harper: director of Open City who talks us through some of the highlights of the 2021 Open House London Festival programme.The Londown is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal. If you enjoyed the show, we recommend you subscribe to the AJ for all the latest news, building studies, expert opinion, cultural analysis, and business intelligence from the UK architecture industry. Listeners can save 15% on a subscription using this link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
