This week Merlin's joined by Alpa Depani, an architect and the head of strategic planning and design at the London borough of Waltham Forest.Calls for new public ballots on all tall buildings above 60 metres // House building drops to its lowes

Labour vows to build on the ‘grey-belt’ and deliver 1.5 million homes

18 days ago 39m 9s

This week Sahiba spoke to Charles Holland; the architect and author of the new book 'How to Enjoy Architecture: A Guide for Everyone'// Labour vows to build on the ‘grey-belt’ and deliver 1.5 million homes // Birmingham set to refuse controvers

Gender pay gap widening among UK architectures biggest firms

25 days ago 37m 34s

This week Merlin spoke to the architect, author and columnist Eleanor Jolliffe// Sadiq Khan pledges to end rough sleeping in the capital // The Grenfell Inquiry’s final report delayed yet again // Gender pay gap widening among UK architectures

Rent rises set to outpace wage growth for next three years

Apr 11th, 2024 33m 41s

This week Merlin spoke to the Chief Executive of Camden Highline, Simon Pitkeathley// Rent rises set to outpace wage growth for next three years // Outrage over King Charles’ ‘ideal town’ proposal in Kent // Contentious Barbican demolition plan

Brutalism and Biodiversity

Apr 7th, 2024 28m 23s

In this episode Paul spoke to the landscape architect, urban designer and Director of Landscape and Placemaking at Peabody, Dr Phil Askew. Their discussion centered around the landscape-led regeneration of Thamesmead; the brutalist post-war tow

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

Mar 28th, 2024 47m 43s

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

Council housing ratcheting up the political agenda

Mar 21st, 2024 34m 5s

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

Spring budget criticised for failing to boost housing

Mar 14th, 2024 41m 13s

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 un

Tidal Pools and the Landscape of Swimming

Mar 9th, 2024 28m 7s

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 wh

Competition Probe into the UK’s Biggest Housebuilders

Feb 29th, 2024 38m 5s

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 //

Government warned London house building is grinding to a halt

Feb 22nd, 2024 44m 47s

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 gri

RIBA president slams Labour’s £28bn green U-turn

Feb 15th, 2024 36m 55s

This week Sahiba spoke to Rob Fiehn, the Director of the London Society// RIBA president Muyiwa Oki slams Labour’s £28 billion pound green U-turn // Michael Gove approves controversial South Bank tower plans // The public toilet crisis isolatin

Landscape-Led Waste Water Infrastructure

Feb 10th, 2024 26m 56s

In this episode Paul spoke to the architect, curator and urbanist, Madeleine Kessler. Together they looked at waste water management in London, and investigated the value of holistic design-led approaches to major infrastructure projects.You ca

Housebuilders throw support behind Labour as Conservatives ‘bow to Nimbyism’

Feb 1st, 2024 31m 9s

This week Sahiba spoke to Pooja Agrawal. Pooja is an architect, chief executive of Public Practice, and a trustee of Open City.// Housebuilders throw support behind Labour as Conservatives ‘bow to Nimbyism’ // Fresh plans submitted for London t

Reestablishing the link between housing and health

Jan 25th, 2024 39m 14s

This week Merlin spoke to the architect and co-founder of the Stirling Prize-winning practice Haworth Tompkins, Graham Haworth.// Calls for a Royal Commission into housing and health as 5,000 deaths caused by cold and damp homes // A new wave o

Lesley Lokko wins RIBA Gold Medal

Jan 18th, 2024 39m 7s

Fill out our 2 minute listener survey to be in with a chance to win a 6 month subscription to Open City's Pocket London printed guides.This week Merlin spoke to Siraaj Mitha, Head of Open City's Accelerate programme.// Lesley Lokko wins RIBA Go

Fresh divisions emerge in the debate over greenbelt development

Jan 11th, 2024 48m 13s

Fill out our 2 minute listener survey to be in with a chance to win a 6 month subscription to Open City's Pocket London printed guides.On the show this week Merlin spoke to Des Fitzgerald. Des is a professor of medical humanities and social sci

Sustainable Urban Drainage systems for a greener future

Dec 23rd, 2023 21m 57s

In this episode we investigated the importance of Sustainable Urban Drainage systems in building a greener future, with Sue Illman who guest edited this edition of Landscape which is dedicated to the evolving landscape of water.Sue is a landsca

Words on Wood: A Trillion Trees with Fred Pearce

Dec 14th, 2023 46m 12s

Special episode of award-winning podcast series examining forest restoration.Open City is delighted to present this special episode of Words on Wood, a fantastic podcast created by the American Hardwood Export Council in conjunction with Disegn

UK rents up by more than a quarter since 2020

Dec 7th, 2023 42m 14s

This week Merlin spoke to Rowan Moore - the architecture critic of The Observer and author of several books including ‘Property: The myth that built the world’// UK rents up by more than a quarter since 2020 // MPs still deliberating over Parli

Pioneering Parks of the Past and Future

Dec 2nd, 2023 37m 7s

In this episode, Paul spoke to Karen Fitzsimon, Colleen D’Souza and Rajan Dewan. Karen is a chartered landscape architect, historian, and horticulturist. Colleen is Director and Head of Cracknell’s Integrated Horticulture Team. She has been ins

Walking the Walk: A Sustainable Urbanism Themed Tour of Marylebone

Nov 28th, 2023 35m 55s

Given the climate and biodiversity crises we currently face, there is an urgent need to make urban environments more sustainable. This walking tour has been produced to raise awareness of key issues, and to highlight ways that cities can be red

Extreme weather labelled ‘greatest threat’ to UK built heritage

Nov 23rd, 2023 38m 38s

This week Merlin spoke to Director of the C20 Society, Catherine Croft.// Extreme weather labelled ‘greatest threat’ to UK built heritage // Concrete concerns back in the spotlight as Bristol tower block evacuated // Climate questions over Labo

Uncertainty rages over the future of HS2’s Euston terminus

Nov 16th, 2023 35m 41s

This week Phin spoke to Gareth Dennis, the railway engineer, writer, and sustainable transport advocate.// Uncertainty rages over the future of HS2’s Euston terminus // Dramatic cabinet reshuffle brings sixth change of housing minister within a

Two pioneering new public green space projects in London

Nov 11th, 2023 28m 55s

In this episode, Paul spoke to Neil Manthorpe, and Kate Digney. Neil leads the Atkins London Landscape and Urban Design Studio, which has just won planning permission from the City of London Corporation to upgrade and introduce biodiversity gai