Open City

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 plans tipped for approval // And the fascination with forbidden spaces; how Camden Highline is opening up a whole new part of London //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.

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 townscape in south east London hailed as the ‘town of tomorrow’.You can find an online version of Landscape for free here

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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 isolating vulnerable people // And delivery riders stage a Valentine’s Day strike demanding fair wages //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.