Open City

In this episode, Matthew Lloyd Roberts was joined by Sam Elbahja to discuss a vanished building with a complicated history. Robin Hood Gardens was a housing estate in Poplar, designed by Alison and Peter Smithson for the LCC, completed in 1972. It was the first opportunity that the Smithsons had to enact their long-developed ideas about modern residential planning, including 'streets in the sky', a principle for community design grounded in the sociological patterns of kinship in the East End. The building was controversial from the outset, and in 2010, Tower Hamlets Borough Council decided to demolish and redevelop the estate. In 2025, the demolition of the estate was completed, and the V&A Storehouse opened in nearby Hackney Wick, featuring a fragment of the facade of the building as part of their collection.Sam Elbahja is a Moroccan-Thai poet and artist from East London, and a recent Architecture graduate from the University of Cambridge. Sam is an Eden’s Scholar and recipient of the Cambridge David Flemming Prize, she is also a four-time published poet, with work featured by the V&A, Chicago’s Trope, and in her debut collection Naked Pen. Sam’s greatest passion lies in community engagement and exploring the intersectionality of architecture, poetry, and art - recently co-founding an interdisciplinary collective called ISO. Subscribe to the Open City Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunesThe 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. 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 help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City Friend.

This week on The Brief Sahiba Chadha is joined by Caroline Harper. Caroline is the Managing Director of BeFirst, the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham’s urban regeneration agency. Together they discuss:Government reveals its latest housing design and placemaking guidance // London house prices need to fall, says the housing minister // Níall McLaughlin wins RIBA Royal Gold Medal // And amid downturn and uncertainty is a career in architecture and the built environment still endlessly rewarding?Subscribe to the Open City Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunesThe 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. 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.

Introducing a brand new show from Open City: The Home That Made Me.In this episode Fiona Chilton is joined by Clare who after years of renting managed to buy her dream flat in London. But, within a matter of months, everything changed and her sanctuary became a place of despair. This experience has profoundly changed how she sees the balance of power in the built environment, and has forever changed what she would look for in any future home.Subscribe to the Open City Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunesThe 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.To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City Friend.

This week on The Brief Fran Williams is joined by Tom Dollard. Tom is an architect and partner for sustainability at Pollard Thomas Edwards. He was recently appointed Mayor’s Design Advocate and is Chair of the Good Homes Alliance. Together they discuss:Government launches ‘biggest home upgrade plan in UK history’// Westminster Council puts Retrofit at the heart of the city // New plans to protect architects from unqualified rivals  // And Mexico’s LANZA picked for this year’s Serpentine PavilionSubscribe to the Open City Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunesThe 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. 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 help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City Friend.Music credit: Homestead by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deckMusic promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons CC BY 3.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode Matthew Lloyd Roberts is joined by Christian Dimbleby to discuss Tate Modern, the former power station converted into a gallery for modern art by Herzog & de Meuron at the turn of the millennium. Originally built as Bankside Power Station from 1947 to designs by Giles Gilbert Scott, the discussion ranged from the challenges in transforming infrastructure into cultural spaces and the lasting lessons which can be learned from the conversion.Christian Dimbleby is the UK Head of Sustainability at White Arkitekter, where he leads the integration of sustainable design principles across the practice’s UK portfolio. He is also an active speaker on sustainable and regenerative design, regularly engaging with universities and sustainability organisations such as Architects Declare.Subscribe to the Open City Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunesThe 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. 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 help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City Friend.

Description: This week on The Brief, Merlin Fulcher is joined by Giles Smith, a founding member of the Turner Prize winning art, architecture and design collective Assemble, to discuss:Milton Keynes’ original planners call for more social homes in the latest new towns // New plans are set out for a world-leading cultural hub in the remote Scottish Highlands // A discovery in Shropshire offers a breathtaking incite into English architectural heritage // And finally, the great and good of architecture have been celebrated in the New Year Honours listSubscribe to the Open City Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunesThe 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. 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 help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City Friend.

In The Room at Accelerate Debates is a podcast which broadcasts the live debates from Accelerate, Open City’s free educational programme. In this episode, you’ll hear our third debate of the year, “Rethinking Recruitment”, where we ask: just how transparent is the recruitment process in the field of architecture and design? Moderators Siraaj Mitha and Jasmin Yeo are joined by six guest speakers: Andrea Villate, Associate Architect who, at the time, was driving talent development and HR policies at architecture practice RCKa; Mat Barnes, architect and director of CAN, an architecture and design studio based in London; Accelerate-alumna and founder of the publication For African People Hani Ali; Nikki Linsell, who was working at the time as Chief Operating Officer at Public Practice; Neil Onions, Creative Strategist, Cultural Leader, and the Founding Director of Beyond the Box CIC and Sana Tabassum, Creative Director of to scale and multi-disciplinary designer. Hosts: Siraaj Mitha and Jasmin YeoMusic: Massive MusicThis episode includes conversations about problematic practice in recruitment processes that some listeners may find challenging. If you’ve been affected by the issues discussed, please find support through the organisations below:* Samaritans – 116 123 (free, 24 hours a day) – samaritans.org * Mind (mental health support) – mind.org.ukFurther reading: - Open City Accelerate Alumni - RIBA Future Architects - Section of Architectural Workers (SAW) - Future of London Emerging Talent Programme - Future Architects Front (FAF) - Beyond the Box - To Scale- The London Practice Forum- CAN instagram- Public PracticeThe 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. It's recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Subscribe on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunes and to further support, become an Open City Friend.

This week on The Brief Merlin Fulcher is joined by curator of Digital Design at the V&A Natalie Kane to discuss: The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects tears up his accreditation in a bid for greater protection // Nnena Kalu wins the 2025 Turner Prize in a breakthrough for neurodiverse artists // London architecture grandee Peter Murray announces a mayoral bid // And finally, amid a surge in new data centres could now be the time for a design rebrand?Subscribe to the Open City Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunesThe 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. 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 help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City Friend.

Deconstructed. Matilda House - Co-operative Council Housing. In this episode, Matthew Lloyd Roberts is joined by Dr Holly Smith to discuss Matilda House, the home of a radical experiment in co-operative housing which was welcomed by politicians of all stripes as a solution to the crises of the late 1970s. Matilda House is one of several projects discussed in Smith's new book, 'Up in the Air: A History of High-Rise Britain', which we also discuss.Archive photos: © Stephen and Matilda Tenants’ Cooperative © Paul Barbara © Barbara PhilipsSubscribe to the Open City Podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud or iTunesThe 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. 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.