185 episodes

Open City is a charity dedicated to making architecture and built heritage more open, accessible and equitable. This feed includes our weekly show, The Brief which features news and analysis covering the big issues in British architecture, heritage, housing and planning. We also release longer form shows breaking down big issues connecting urbanism and politics with in-depth discussion. Our shows are hosted by a roster of architectural critics and practitioners, featuring guests from across architecture and design, as well as artists, academics, policy makers and journalists.
Open City Friends get early, ad-free access to all Open City podcasts, and help support accessible independent journalism and life-changing education programmes. Sign up as an Open City Friend today.
This show is made possible in part by Bloomberg Connects, a free mobile app featuring guides to over 200 museums, galleries and cultural spaces.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Open City Open City

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.7 • 51 Ratings

Open City is a charity dedicated to making architecture and built heritage more open, accessible and equitable. This feed includes our weekly show, The Brief which features news and analysis covering the big issues in British architecture, heritage, housing and planning. We also release longer form shows breaking down big issues connecting urbanism and politics with in-depth discussion. Our shows are hosted by a roster of architectural critics and practitioners, featuring guests from across architecture and design, as well as artists, academics, policy makers and journalists.
Open City Friends get early, ad-free access to all Open City podcasts, and help support accessible independent journalism and life-changing education programmes. Sign up as an Open City Friend today.
This show is made possible in part by Bloomberg Connects, a free mobile app featuring guides to over 200 museums, galleries and cultural spaces.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Norwich City Council 'disappointed' after sell flagship homes lost to right to buy

    Norwich City Council 'disappointed' after sell flagship homes lost to right to buy

    This week Sahiba spoke to Amandeep Singh Kalra. Amandeep is the Associate Director of Be First, the regeneration arm of Barking and Dagenham council.
    // Norwich City Council 'disappointed' after sell flagship homes lost to right to buy // The UK has the worst value housing of any advanced economy // Stirling Prize winner hits out at flaws in UK built environment procurement // And local heritage found to bring £29 billion pounds in economic benefits linked to wellbeing every year //

    The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.
    Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief, and support accessible independent journalism from Open City.
    The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.
    The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.
    The C20 Society are offering The Brief supporters 20% off membership, just follow this link and use the code C20THEBRIEF at the checkout.
    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.

    • 47 min
    Council housing ratcheting up the political agenda

    Council housing ratcheting up the political agenda

    This week Merlin speaks to the President of the RIBA, Muyiwa Oki.
    // Council housing ratcheting up the political agenda ahead of big year of elections // How generative AI is transforming the work of architects and engineers // Heat pump rollout slammed for being too slow // And V&A’s director warns The Palace of Westminster is on the brink of catastophe //
     The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.
    Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief, and support accessible independent journalism from Open City.
    The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.
    The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.
    The C20 Society are offering The Brief supporters 20% off membership, just follow this link and use the code C20THEBRIEF at the checkout.
    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.

    • 34 min
    Spring budget criticised for failing to boost housing

    Spring budget criticised for failing to boost housing

    This week Merlin spoke to Simon Vickery, the Programme Manager of the Open House Festival.
    // Spring budget criticised for failing to boost housing // A government report finds Lown Traffic Neighbourhoods are popular and effective // Grimshaw unveils major new redevelopment plans for Waterloo Station // And how simply partying more could help our struggling night time economy //
    The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.
    Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief, and support accessible independent journalism from Open City.
    The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.
    The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.
    The C20 Society are offering The Brief supporters 20% off membership, just follow this link and use the code C20THEBRIEF at the checkout.
    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.

    • 41 min
    Tidal Pools and the Landscape of Swimming

    Tidal Pools and the Landscape of Swimming

    In this episode Paul spoke to the co-founder of architects Studio Octopi and Future Lidos Group; Chris Romer-Lee. Chris is a outdoor swimming enthusiast and tidal pool advocate, and his practice was behind the ambitious Thames Bath proposals which first caught peoples attention nearly a decade ago.
    In this episode they discuss the landscape of swimming, with a particular focus on tidal pools and the benefits they can bring to coastal ecosystems and communities.
    You can find an online version of Landscape for free here

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 28 min
    Competition Probe into the UK’s Biggest Housebuilders

    Competition Probe into the UK’s Biggest Housebuilders

    This week Merlin is joined by Tom Wilkinson. Tom is a writer and historian, and author of the new book ‘Emergency Money: Notgeld in the Image Economy of the German Inflation, 1914–1923'
    // Competition probe into the UK’s biggest housebuilders // Heatherwick to turn BT Tower into a luxury hotel // Government redirects billions from HS2’s scrapped northern leg // And architects report the longest period of pessimism since 2009 //
    The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.
    Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief, and support accessible independent journalism from Open City.
    The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.
    The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.
    The C20 Society are offering The Brief supporters 20% off membership, just follow this link and use the code C20THEBRIEF at the checkout.
    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.

    • 38 min
    Government warned London house building is grinding to a halt

    Government warned London house building is grinding to a halt

    This week Producer Poppy spoke to Fran Williams - the architectural journalist and occasional host of The Brief - to discuss the big stories in housing, architecture, and planning news this week.
    // Government warned London house building is grinding to a halt // A new benchmark for sustainable housing wins planning in East Sussex // Loss of Jewish East End heritage as landmark beigel shop closes its doors // And a 6 million pound rebrand for London's ‘Orange Line’
    The Brief is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.
    Click here to get early, ad-free access to The Brief, and support accessible independent journalism from Open City.
    The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.
    The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.
    The C20 Society are offering The Brief supporters 20% off membership, just follow this link and use the code C20THEBRIEF at the checkout.
    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.

    • 44 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
51 Ratings

51 Ratings

Daria00007 ,

One of the best London podcasts

I love how it is talking about the history of different places across London, how the politics tie into what’s going on and covering recent news. But what I appreciate the most is that it’s covering all Boroughs of London but just ‘oh here’s what’s happening in London Bridge’

TP¥ ,

Good in parts

This podcast is sometimes good.
However sometimes it is just like listening to some left wing drunk in a pub making weak and naive and oversimplified and one sided arguments about why the tories are bad. Yawn. Please edit the naive bits out or get some guests who are capable of presenting two sides of an argument

KCruns ,

Mix of interesting architecture news and simplistic, naive opinions.

The principal presenters Merlin and Phin generally present interesting London based architecture news stories but co-presenters and guests increasingly are clearly reading from scripts which hugely detracts from their credibility. Also there is a consistent undercurrent of simplistic and naive opinions and critique given without suggesting any viable alternatives. Oh and seemingly there has to be at least one naive anti-police ‘story’ per episode.

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