Diverse Dialogues The Podcast

Kuljeet Sibia
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Diverse Dialogues The Podcast puts people at the centre of conversations about place, power, and who really gets to shape our cities. Through honest dialogue and bold perspectives, the podcast explores how we can build better, fairer futures. Rooted in real-world practice and grounded in lived experience, the podcast responds to a continued lack of physical spaces and platforms that truly centre diverse voices. Each episode brings together changemakers from across the built environment, designers, developers, policymakers, and community leaders, to reflect on inclusive practice, systemic change, and the future of our cities. This podcast is for anyone invested in the challenge of creating inclusive, sustainable, and socially just places. Whether you're a developer, commissioner, architect, student, or activist, you'll find real insight and tangible takeaways. Hosted by Kuljeet Sibia, an architect and urban strategist with deep experience across sectors, the podcast explores how design quality, equity, and lived experience intersect in the way we shape and deliver the built environment. If you care about people, place, and power, and want to rethink how development can serve the many, not just the few, Diverse Dialogues is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. Beyond Solutions: Safety Through Participation and Co-Design

    12/09/2025

    Beyond Solutions: Safety Through Participation and Co-Design

    In the final episode of our mini-series, Whose Safety? Rethinking Public Space for Women and Girls, Kuljeet is joined by Daisy Froud, strategist in participatory design, Mayoral Design Advocate, and member of the steering group behind the GLA’s guidance on Safety in Public Space, Women, Girls and Gender Diverse People. This conversation explores what safety really means when we move beyond solutions and into belonging, power, and the cultures that shape public space. Daisy reflects on how safety is formed long before any design reaches the site, through briefs, systems, politics and institutional attitudes that determine whose voices are heard and whose knowledge is valued. Together, we discuss why safety must be built with people; how co-writing briefs can create influence; the risks of performative engagement; and the links between safety, gentrification and belonging. As the series concludes, the conversation returns to a key insight: there is no single story of safety, it is lived, intersectional and constantly negotiated. Find out more or reach out to Diverse Dialogues here: Website | Instagram Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at the London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong.   Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m
  2. Lived Realities: Navigating Safety, Identity & Urban Life

    12/02/2025

    Lived Realities: Navigating Safety, Identity & Urban Life

    In this second episode of our mini-series Whose Safety? Rethinking Public Space for Women and Girls, Kuljeet is joined by Bhav Ghedia, an East Londoner with a background in architecture, an advocate for inclusive cities, and a member of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s youth-led Elevate Board. Together, we unpack what safety looks and feels like in everyday life. Moving beyond design checklists or surveillance-led fixes, this conversation explores the quiet work many women, girls, and gender-diverse people do to stay safe: from route-planning, outfit considerations, and wayfinding strategies, to managing sensory overload, navigating seasonal restrictions, and the emotional and financial “tax” of simply getting home. Bhav speaks candidly about the intersectional realities that shape her experiences, revealing how identity fundamentally influences freedom of movement, confidence, and comfort in public space. Reach out to our guest, Bhav Ghedia, here: LinkedIn Find out more or reach out to Diverse Dialogues here: Website | Instagram Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at the London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong.   Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  3. Safety Beyond Surveillance: Feminist Urbanism in Practice

    11/25/2025

    Safety Beyond Surveillance: Feminist Urbanism in Practice

    In the first episode of this three-part mini-series, Kuljeet speaks with Dr Ellie Cosgrave and Gaia Crocella from Publica CIC to explore what safety in public spaces really means for women and girls. Moving beyond assumptions, surveillance-led fixes, and design “quick wins,” this conversation unpacks the structural inequalities that shape how public space is experienced differently across gender, age, identity, and context. Ellie and Gaia bring forward a powerful combination of research, data, and lived experience, drawing on feminist urbanism and evidence-based methodologies. Together, they explore the gap between design intent and lived reality, and why meaningful participation is essential for reimagining safer, more equitable spaces. This episode sets the foundation for the series, highlighting that safety is not merely the absence of harm; it is about freedom, usability, belonging, and visibility. Find out more about the work Publica CIC does here: Website | Instagram Find out more or reach out to Diverse Dialogues here: Website | Instagram Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at the London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong.   Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 14m
  4. More Than Murals: Art as Provocation

    09/30/2025

    More Than Murals: Art as Provocation

    Have you ever considered art as a powerful tool to readdress equity in public spaces? In this episode, we’re joined by Hanna Benihoud, an architect-turned-artist whose joyful, intentional public art is reshaping the way we experience our cities. Hanna shares her journey from architecture to establishing her own studio, and how her practice challenges tokenism in co-creation, reframes public art as a fundamental part of regeneration, and sparks dialogue around safety, belonging, and ownership in public spaces. From transforming tunnels and alleyways to spotlighting both the hidden and illuminating lived experiences of women, Hanna’s work sits at the intersection of art, activism, and social value. pushing the boundaries of where architecture ends and art begins. Find out more about Hanna’s work and practice here: Website | Instagram Find out more or reach out to Diverse Dialogues here: Website | Instagram Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at the London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong.   Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 3m
  5. Rethinking Our Relationship with Land and Landscapes

    07/01/2025

    Rethinking Our Relationship with Land and Landscapes

    Closing our mini-series on Waterden Green: Power, Place and Participation, I’m joined by Fenella Griffin, landscape architect, educator, and founding partner at Untitled Practice. This episode dives into what it takes to design spaces that genuinely reflect the lives of teenage girls, not just in principle, but in practice. Fenella speaks with clarity and care about landscape as more than terrain, but as a vehicle for justice, joy, and belonging. Our conversation moves between the personal and the political, uncovering how working with young women as co-creators shaped the design of Waterden Green in powerful ways. It’s a meaningful one for me, too, having seen first-hand how landscape architecture is often undervalued in development, this was a chance to spotlight its transformative potential when led with intention, collaboration, and deep respect for place. Discover more about Untitled Practice here: https://untitledpractice.com   Find out more or reach out to Diverse Dialogues: https://diversedialogues.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/our_diversedialogues   Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at the London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong.   Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  6. Joy, Justice and Public Space

    06/24/2025

    Joy, Justice and Public Space

    In the penultimate episode of our first mini series, we are joined by the wonderful Beulah Taiwo Olawoyin, board member at Elevate Youth Group, and co-client on the Waterden Green project. This conversation is joyful, reflective, and deeply insightful. Beulah brings clarity and warmth as she shares her personal journey with Elevate, her perspectives on creating less male-dominated public spaces, and why amplifying youth voice, particularly that of young women, is so essential. We intentionally took a step back from the detailed project processes in this episode to create space for storytelling, lived experience, and moments of powerful reflection. Beulah also leaves us with a thoughtful call to action you won’t want to miss. Discover more about Elevate here: https://www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/community/opportunities-park/elevate   Find out more or reach out to Diverse Dialogues: https://diversedialogues.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/our_diversedialogues Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at the London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong. Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  7. People First, Legacy Always

    06/17/2025

    People First, Legacy Always

    In the third episode of our mini-series, Pedro Gil brings a powerful perspective, not just on the Waterden Green project, but as someone whose lived experience actively informs how he designs with, not just for, communities. We dive into how Studio Gil and the multidisciplinary design team collaborated with young women and girls to co-create a more people-centric, inclusive space, and we reflect on the importance of equity, opportunity, and representation, both in the communities we participate with and in architectural practice itself. Discover more about Studio Gil here: https://studiogil.org   Find out more or reach out to Diverse Dialogues: https://diversedialogues.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/our_diversedialogues Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at the London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong. Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    54 min
  8. Leading Change with Girls and Young Women

    06/10/2025

    Leading Change with Girls and Young Women

    In the second episode of our mini-series, we speak with Fahmida Nidhi, co-client on the Waterden Green project and now a board member at Elevate. We dive into how the co-clients shaped the project brief, took part in key decisions, and championed design that reflects the lived experiences of teenage girls. Fahmida shares powerful insights on building confidence, navigating adult-dominated spaces, and being taken seriously in a system not designed for young women. This is an honest, inspiring conversation about power, presence, and why representation in public space matters. Discover more about Elevate here: https://www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/community/opportunities-park/elevate   Find out more or reach out to Diverse Dialogues: https://diversedialogues.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/our_diversedialogues Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at the London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong. Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  9. Behind the Scenes with LLDC

    06/01/2025

    Behind the Scenes with LLDC

    In this first episode of our mini-series Reflecting on Waterden Green: Power, Place, and Participation, Kuljeet is joined by former colleagues from the London Legacy Development Corporation; Ruth Lin Wong Holmes, Jen Anderson, and Nigel Dexter, to explore the story behind a groundbreaking public realm project in Queen Elizabth Olympic Park, East London. Waterden Green is more than just a new green space for teenage girls; it’s a bold experiment in co-creation, where young women were empowered as co-clients to shape the brief, design, and decisions from the ground up. Discover more about LLDC and QEOP here: https://www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk Find out more or reach out to Diverse Dialogues: https://diversedialogues.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/our_diversedialogues Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong. Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 3m
  10. Welcome to Diverse Dialogues

    05/31/2025

    Welcome to Diverse Dialogues

    In this short introductory episode, host Kuljeet Sibia shares the story behind Diverse Dialogues, a podcast spotlighting voices and approaches that too often go unheard in conversations about cities, space, and development.  Drawing on years of cross-sector practice at the intersection of equity, the built environment, and social change, Kuljeet reflects on the urgent need to centre diverse perspectives in shaping more inclusive, just, and resilient futures. Expect honest reflections, conversations with changemakers, and a space to reimagine who gets to shape our environments, and how. Whether you're a developer, designer, policymaker, student, or someone passionate about social justice in cities, Diverse Dialogues invites you to listen deeply and think differently. Thank you to our collaborators: Edited and mixed by Wilfred Petherbridge Recorded with the Content Production Team at London College of Fashion, Alex Marshall, Dan Adakpor, Nicholas Sargeant, and Oliver Furlong. Music via Epidemicsound: Spectre in the Leaves, by DonVayei Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    4 min
  • 10 Episodes

About

Diverse Dialogues The Podcast puts people at the centre of conversations about place, power, and who really gets to shape our cities. Through honest dialogue and bold perspectives, the podcast explores how we can build better, fairer futures. Rooted in real-world practice and grounded in lived experience, the podcast responds to a continued lack of physical spaces and platforms that truly centre diverse voices. Each episode brings together changemakers from across the built environment, designers, developers, policymakers, and community leaders, to reflect on inclusive practice, systemic change, and the future of our cities. This podcast is for anyone invested in the challenge of creating inclusive, sustainable, and socially just places. Whether you're a developer, commissioner, architect, student, or activist, you'll find real insight and tangible takeaways. Hosted by Kuljeet Sibia, an architect and urban strategist with deep experience across sectors, the podcast explores how design quality, equity, and lived experience intersect in the way we shape and deliver the built environment. If you care about people, place, and power, and want to rethink how development can serve the many, not just the few, Diverse Dialogues is for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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