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
Apr 5, 2021 • 29min
Slavery and the City | Royal Exchange | Episode 1
In this episode, we speak to Kehinde Andrews, Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University and the author of ‘The new age of empire: how racism and colonialism still rule the world’, and Professor Ola Uduku, research professor at the Manchester school of architecture. Through an analysis of the Royal Exchange, we explore how architecture and the built environment can symbolise and embody the legacies of slavery, empire, and colonialism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 31, 2021 • 33min
The Londown | 1 April | With Ewa Effiom
Parliament launches a major inquiry into whole life carbon, the slavery links of City landmarks explored in a new Open City Podcast, Stirling Prize winner Haworth Tompkins designs an industrial estate, and reflecting on Zaha Hadid’s legacy five years since she died. Merlin Fulcher and special guest Ewa Effiom round up this week’s top London architecture news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 24, 2021 • 36min
The Londown | 25 March | With Ella Jessel
Architectural assistants speak out over poor pay and conditions. Developer rebuilds Maida Vale pub six years after pulling it down'. A parliamentary inquiry launched into permitted development rights. Seven concepts shortlisted for Hackney’s embattled Antepavilion commission. Assemble named among 10 winners in the Festival of Brexit contest. Merlin Fulcher and special guest Ella Jessel round up this week’s top London architecture news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 18, 2021 • 54min
The Londown | 18 Mar | With Oonagh Ryder
New restrictions on protests in public spaces, Sarah Everard’s murder and vigil shines a light on spatial inequality, and France’s anti-demolition architects Lacaton & Vassal win the Pritzker Prize – Merlin Fulcher and special guests Oonagh Ryder and Phineas Harper round up this week’s top London architecture news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 10, 2021 • 42min
The Londown | 11 Mar | With Hettie O'Brien
London Plan finally published after watering down by government, a social housing architect wins the prestigious MJ Long Prize, RIBA unearths ‘lost’ lectures by women architects and London-based design blog Dezeen sold to new owners – Merlin Fulcher and special guest Hettie O’Brien round up this week’s top London architecture news Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 3, 2021 • 39min
The Londown | 4 March | With Jonn Elledge
A budget for rising house prices, London air pollution narrowly misses a new peak, gender neutral toilets targeted in new building regs consultation, a housing historian picked to lead London School of Architecture and Camden vs Hackney: the final of the Borough Logos World Cup – Merlin Fulcher and special guest Jonn Elledge round up this week’s top London architecture news Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 25, 2021 • 22min
Barbican redevelopment and row over ‘poor cores’ in Walthamstow. With Lucy Watson
Barbican Centre heading for major renewal after Centre for Music scrapped, a row over ‘poor cores’ in Walthamstow, the Church of England promises ‘generous’ use of its land for new homes and Boris Johnson’s vision for a huge roundabout under the Isle of Man – Merlin Fulcher and special guest Lucy Watson round up this week’s top London architecture news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 18, 2021 • 30min
MVRDV's Marble Arch Mound. With Catherine Slessor
A competition to rethink National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing, the team behind New York’s Highline chosen for the Camden Highline, a 25-metre tall mound proposed for Marble Arch, and the viral job advert to be Thomas Heatherwick’s new personal assistant – Merlin Fulcher and special guest Catherine Slessor round up and digest this week’s big architecture stories in London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 11, 2021 • 25min
Demolition go-ahead for Cressingham Gardens. With Will Ing.
Demolition go-ahead for Brixton’s iconic Cressingham Gardens, a double blow for planning as trailblazer Finn Williams leaves for Sweden and sensational YouTube video exposes committee shambles, and the looming fire sale of Croydon’s Brick by Brick housebuilding arm – Merlin Fulcher and special guest Will Ing round up and decode this week’s big architecture stories in London. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 3, 2021 • 28min
The Londown | Feb 3 | This week in London's architecture
Protestors tunnelling under Euston Square, enormous British Library extension plans, and warning sounds over jobs in the centre of the capital – Merlin Fulcher and Phineas Harper round up and decode this week’s big architecture stories in London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
