Episodes

  • 128 — Jože Plečnik 5 — The River & the City
    Jun 30 2025

    More Plečnik in Ljubljana! Here we talked about his approach to the Ljubljanica, the river that runs through the middle of the city, including the weirs, bridges and sluices which control its flow, the iconic triple bridge, and the various market buildings which face onto the riverside.

    To follow along with images for this episode, check out the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jQknKgoaQKI

    Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts.

    Support the show on Patreon to receive bonus content for every show.

    Please rate and review the show on your podcast store to help other people find us!

    Follow us on twitter // instagram // facebook

    We’re on the web at aboutbuildingsandcities.org

    This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

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    47 mins
  • 127 — Jože Plečnik 4 — Ljubljana Façades and Insurance Palaces
    Jun 20 2025

    In the first episode of our Plečnik series on his work for Ljubljana, we discussed a few of his less well known works, including his work for the Chamber of Commerce, the Triglav Insurance Company Palace and Congress Square. In the next episode we will discuss his designs for the city's riverfront.

    To follow along with the images which accompany the discussion, watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/te2VWMNoHx4

    Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts.

    Support the show on Patreon to receive bonus content for every show.

    Please rate and review the show on your podcast store to help other people find us!

    Follow us on twitter // instagram // facebook

    We’re on the web at aboutbuildingsandcities.org

    This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

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    53 mins
  • 126 — Jože Plečnik 3 — More Churches and a Cemetery
    May 27 2025

    In the third episode of our Plečnik miniseries we talked about a couple more churches and the cemetery of Ljubljana. Specifically we discussed: the Church of St Michael, Črna Vas or the Church of St Michael in the Marsh (Cerkev sv. Mihaela na Barju); the Church of St Anthony of Padua, Belgrade (Црква Светог Антуна Падованског) and Žale Central Cemetery, Ljubljana (Centralno pokopališče Žale).

    Watch this episode on YouTube to follow along with images: https://youtu.be/m2Lhu-3TpuE

    Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts.

    Support the show on Patreon to receive bonus content for every show.

    Please rate and review the show on your podcast store to help other people find us!

    Follow us on twitter // instagram // facebook

    We’re on the web at aboutbuildingsandcities.org

    This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

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    52 mins
  • 125 — Jože Plečnik 2 — Four Churches
    May 8 2025

    In the second episode of our miniseries on Jože Plečnik, we discussed four of his early church buildings, each representing a unique interlacing of early Christian architecture, 20th century classicism, and his idiosyncratic approach to style, detailing and planning which give all his buildings such a unique atmosphere.

    In this episode we discussed:

    St. Bartholomew's Church, Ljubljana (cerkev sv. Jerneja)

    Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord, Prague (Kostel Nejsvětějšího Srdce Páně)

    Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Ljubljana (Župnijska cerkev Frančiška Asiškega)

    Church of the Ascension, Bogojina (Cerkev Gospodovega vnebohoda)

    Watch this episode on YouTube to follow along with the images: https://youtu.be/szuyRFu0wis

    Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts.

    Support the show on Patreon to receive bonus content for every show.

    Please rate and review the show on your podcast store to help other people find us!

    Follow us on twitter // instagram // facebook

    We’re on the web at aboutbuildingsandcities.org

    This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

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    51 mins
  • 124 — Jože Plečnik 1 — From Sezessionstil to Deep Time
    Apr 24 2025

    This is the first episode in a new series about the Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, who blended inspiration from deep antiquity with the modern sensibilities he learnt as a student of Otto Wagner (subject of a previous ABC miniseries episodes 79–83). Here we discussed his upbringing and education, time in Italy and his idiosyncratic classical sources from Etruscan deep time and late antiquity. Later his career and earliest commissions in Vienna and Prague, especially the Zacherlhaus, Church of the Holy Spirit and his interventions at Prague Castle.

    To follow along with the images, find this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/a8S9gA6_j6M

    Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts.

    Support the show on Patreon to receive bonus content for every show.

    Please rate and review the show on your podcast store to help other people find us!

    Follow us on twitter // instagram // facebook

    We’re on the web at aboutbuildingsandcities.org

    This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

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    1 hr and 43 mins
  • 123 — Rem Koolhaas’s SMLXL — 4/4
    Mar 27 2025

    If you want access to the full version of this episode, subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/about_buildings

    Watch this episode on YouTube to follow along with the images: https://youtu.be/mhoIymTPnRg

    In the final part of our series on Rem Koolhaas's SMLXL, we discussed 'XL', including their unsuccessful competition entry for Parc de Vilette and the essay 'Generic City'. Discussions of Singapore, Atlanta and Yokohama are available on our Patreon.

    Our next series which will begin next month is going to be about the Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, so watch this space!

    Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts.

    Support the show on Patreon to receive bonus content for every show.

    Please rate and review the show on your podcast store to help other people find us!

    Follow us on twitter // instagram // facebook

    We’re on the web at aboutbuildingsandcities.org

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • 122 — Rem Koolhaas's SMLXL — 3/4
    Mar 5 2025

    In Part 3 of our series on SMLXL we talked through 'L', including the essay on BIGNESS, including unbuilt schemes for the Très Grande Bibliothèquethe in Paris, the Karlsruhe Zentrum fur Kunst und Medientechnologie and the Zeebrugge Sea Terminal.

    To follow along with the images, check out this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cuzdCPh-iIs

    We previously discussed some of these projects in episode 48 and bonus episode 48.5 (unlocked!), albeit less in the context of SMLXL as a publication.

    Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts.

    Support the show on Patreon to receive bonus content for every show.

    Please rate and review the show on your podcast store to help other people find us!

    Follow us on twitter // instagram // facebook

    We’re on the web at aboutbuildingsandcities.org

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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • *Preview* — SMLXL Dictionary Bonus Episode
    Feb 20 2025

    This is a preview of a bonus episode available on our Patreon feed, please support the show on Patreon for full access: https://www.patreon.com/c/about_buildings

    In this bonus we talked about the book-within-the-book, the series of quotations and definitions which run the breadth of the alphabet through SMLXL. It includes the usual Koolhaasian mixture of high and low culture, actress's memoirs, advertising, technical manuals, pornography and even Luke's dad!

    Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts.

    Support the show on Patreon to receive bonus content for every show.

    Please rate and review the show on your podcast store to help other people find us!

    Follow us on twitter // instagram // facebook

    We’re on the web at aboutbuildingsandcities.org

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    7 mins