Episodes

  • Office for Place scrapped, empty High Streets and C20's 'Coming of Age' campaign
    Nov 21 2024

    This week Sahiba Chadha is joined by award winning architect Gurmeet Sian, to discuss:


    Government design champion, the Office for Place is scrapped // New powers for councils to tackle empty High Street units // Angela Rayner massively restricts right to buy for new council homes // And a new campaign by the Twentieth Century Society to list recent buildings which are … ‘coming of age’


    To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.


    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 Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    38 mins
  • 21,000 Saudi worker deaths, The Duchy of Cornwall and the Pay 100 survey
    Nov 7 2024

    This week Fran Williams is joined by Ramsey Yassa, an architect and founding director of NOOMA studio, to discuss:


    UK architects facing scrutiny amid reports of 21,000 Saudi worker deaths // ACME takes over and reveals scaled-back Liverpool St station revamp plans // Mouldy, hard-to-heat rental homes spell royal scandal for Prince William // And is the architectural profession facing the precipice amid a major exodus of talent


    To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.


    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 Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    43 mins
  • The budget, China's super embassy and the legacy of Britain's Empire Exhibition
    Oct 31 2024

    This week Merlin Fulcher is joined by the architectural worker, writer and editors of the magazine Failed Architecture to discuss:


    Rachel Reeves commits £500 million pounds more for affordable housing // Leading economist calls on Labour to spend large on arts and culture projects // David Chipperfield’s Chinese Embassy plans called in by Angela Rayner // And reflecting on the centenary of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley


    To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.


    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 Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    41 mins
  • Rachel Reeves' billion pound boost for council housing, design codes and the vital role of retrofit
    Oct 24 2024

    This week Sahiba Chadha is joined by the architect Tara Gbolade to discuss:


    Rachel Reeves' £1 billion boost for council housing in the autumn budget // How planning reform and design codes could help create 1.5 million homes // Calls for the government to engage more with architects on retrofit // And the architecture critic, Joseph Rykwert, has died aged 98


    To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.


    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 Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    34 mins
  • The Elizabeth line wins the RIBA Stirling prize, councils declare new UK housing targets unrealistic and the battle for Bethnal Green Working Men's Club
    Oct 16 2024

    This week Fran Williams is joined by the architectural journalist Amy Frearson to discuss:


    The Elizabeth Line comes out on top at this year’s RIBA Stirling Prize // Government housing targets branded ‘unrealistic’ by local authorities // The Olympic Park gets a refresh with a new public space for young women and girls // And the £4 million pound battle for Bethnal Green Working Men's Club


    To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.


    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 Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    31 mins
  • Leaking luxury flats, RIBA's big rebrand and London's new 'town architects' named
    Oct 10 2024

    This week Merlin Fulcher is joined by the architect David Ogunmuyiwa to discuss:


    A luxury Croydon tower needing ‘extensive’ remediation after only two years // The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Muyiwa Oki announces a rebrand // Mayor picks top names for London’s new ‘town architects’ // And the campaign to see 11 Jubilee Line stations given protected heritage status


    To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.


    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 Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    35 mins
  • Affordable homes being run for profit, the nimby-yimby debate and the trouble with Euston Station
    Oct 2 2024

    This week Merlin Fulcher is joined by writer and housing activist Adam Peggs to discuss:


    Run for profit affordable homes spark rent rise fears // Questions over the government’s 1.5 million homes pledge amid troubling housing market data // London’s mayor approves controversial Wimbledon tennis redevelopment plans // And the government is set to back HS2 to Euston amid a growing outcry over the current station’s performance


    To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.


    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 Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    36 mins
  • Sycamore gap one year on, 'brownfield passports' and the wood burner wars
    Sep 26 2024

    This week Sahiba Chadha is joined by the renowned tree expert and author, Paul Wood, to discuss:


    Sycamore Gap one year on // Labour's ‘brownfield passports’ for new housing // the UK's missed tree-planting targets // and how millions of Britons want their cities carfree according to a new poll.


    To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.


    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 Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    38 mins