Building Sounds – Details, episodes & analysis

In this conversation we discuss what it means as architects and designers to prioritise holistic sustainability, considering the impact of our proposals both for the people using the spaces we design, alongside the impact on the planet. To reimagine the typology of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), with architectural and philosophical ideas, we're joined by Thomas Krarup (Cobe), Chiara Cozzolino and Vicki Odili (tp bennett). The trio share their thoughts on how to get the best out of opportunities for collaboration - especially in our historic, eclectic and nonhomogenous capital city of London- their interest in the intangible elements facilitated by good design such as community, wellbeing, comfort and happiness and how their robust approach to the future of student accommodation utilises lessons learnt from past projects and students lived experience, alongside building physics, scientific research and the latest in computational design. Key term breakdown: Passivhaus. The Passivhaus standard primarily considers key building physics concepts to reduce in-use operational energy. This must be considered in the whole life cycle with embodied carbon to mitigate climate change and deliver meaningful benefits to students and the wider communities. This sustainability accreditation closely aligns with the people and planet-centric approach of the project(s) spoke about, delivering optimum thermal comfort and air quality through a fabric-first approach. Download the transcript for the conversation here To learn more about the speakers and their work: Head to the tp bennett website here, or by give tp bennet a follow on Linkedin here. Heading to the COBE website here, or by give COBE a follow on Linkedin here and Instagram here. And find out more about speakers Chiara Cozzolino here and Vicki Odili here

One of the London Festival of Architecture's key missions is to platform the work of emerging designers, showcasing the sustainable and forward-thinking design that's happening in universities, collectives, classrooms and small practices across the city. This month, the Festival is back with two installations in Gaggenau's Wigmore Street showroom by designer Titilayo Abiola, who's going to talk you through her inspirations for each of the two pieces. You can find more information and images of the pieces online, or why not head to Gaggenau to see the installations for yourself? For more information about the pieces and details of how long they're on display for, head to lfa.london/gaggenau. Head to the Tilayo website to stay up-to-date on designer Titilayo Abiola's work. To explore the whole LFA2024 programme, head to lfa.london. This episode was produced and edited by Katya Spiers. You can find a transcript of the conversation below. Download the transcript Image: The Dance and Digital Artisans, LFA2024 © Jane Lam Image description: A collage of the two installations in Gaggenau's showroom  

In this episode we explore the chosen theme for the 2024 edition of the London Festival of Architecture (LFA): 'Reimagine'. Ahead of our 20th anniversary year, we're exploring the transformative power of imagination with Jess Neil, CEO of the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation and one of our LFA2024 Curation Panel members. Together, we explore how we can reimagine the social justice space and empower young voices to shape a better future.   The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation exists to inspire a more equitable, inclusive society and to foster opportunities for marginalised young people in the UK. Find out more on the Foundation's website. To find out more about #LFAat20 or how to get involved in the Festival, head to the LFA website.   Have a question for the podcast? Email info@londonfestivalofarchitecture.org   This episode was produced and edited by Katya Spiers. You can find a transcript of the conversation using the link below: Download the transcript   Episode image: LFA Curation Panel meeting, September 2023 © Angel Jordan

In this episode of Building Sounds, we'll be exploring how urban farming can convert neglected urban spaces into flourishing vertical farms, reducing food poverty and supporting a more sustainable city.   In conversation with First Sukpaiboon and Dan Bridge, we investigate the transformative nature of vertical farming practices, and explore its role in shaping resilient and eco-friendly cities. A panel discussion and XR installation showcasing the vertical farm-to-form project mentioned in this episode featured as part of our LFA2023 programme. First Sukpaiboon is an architect and entrepreneur who specialises in placemaking and narrative design. She holds a master’s in urban planning and is a creative strategist at spacelab_. First has also conceived a research project funded by the Foundation for Future London, entitled 'Vertical Farming Intervention for Unused Spaces'. Dan Bridge leads the team looking after regeneration in the Royal Docks, alongside a the Mayor of London and the Mayor of Newham. Dan looks after a range of mixed-use development projects that are part of the Mayor of London’s largest land-led regeneration project and a designated Enterprise Zone.   Enjoy this episode? Listen back to our episode on The Factory Project, featuring an interview with Nick Hartwright, founder of Projekt.     This episode was produced and edited by Katya Spiers. You can find a transcript of the conversation using the link below: Download the transcript   Image © spacelab_ Image description: An visualisation of First Sukpaiboon's vertical farming project in the Royal Docks   Building Sounds is a podcast by the London Festival of Architecture team.

In this conversation, we're discussing how we can test new ideas for the public realm with temporary built projects, and the role they can play in shaping a more sustainable and equitable city. We're focussing on two installations that formed part of the London Festival of Architecture 2023 programme. The projects mentioned in this episode are in-situ until August. Find out more information on about On Tenterground and Common Ground on the LFA website. For the first conversation we’re joined by Lydia Allain Chapman, who oversees all built projects and competitions at the LFA. We then speak with Marwa El Mubark (Saqqra) and Nasios Varnavas (Urban Radicals), two of the designers behind Common Ground. We close with a conversation with Chāo Gāo, founding director of ciaociao design, whose On Tenterground is currently installed in Aldgate.   URBAN RADICALS is a collaborative studio that designs objects, rooms, architectures and landscapes. The studio started out in 2019 as a duo between architects Era Savvides and Nasios Varnavas, and is now an expansive network between friends, colleagues and expert collaborators, solving design problems across contexts and scales. Ciaociao Design is a design studio focusing on landscape architecture and art installations, founded by Chao Gao in 2020. Ciaociao Design’s ethos is to create sustainable and memorable spaces for everyone. Chao is a chartered Landscape Architect who has over ten years experience. She has successfully designed and delivered many notable UK and international projects. Saqqra is a new collective founded by writers and researchers Marwa El Mubark and Niall Bridgeman. Saqqra is interested in decolonizing and decarbonizing construction industry and just wider conversations around architecture. Both Marwan and Niall also teach at Kingston and UEL.     This episode was produced and edited by Katya Spiers. You can find a transcript of the conversation using the link below: Download the transcript   Images: On Tenterground © Luke O'Donovan, Common Ground © Joe Howard @ Bar Productions Image description: A compilation image of Common Ground and On Tenterground, the two LFA projects mentioned in this podcast. The upper image of Common Ground is a close up showing the materiality of the project. The bottom image is a close up of the sails which form part of Tenterground.

As part of LFA2023, the LFA unveiled the winning installations for the third edition of Showroom Showcase. Now in its third year the Showroom Showcase competition sees a series of innovative installations exploring the theme of reuse by emerging architects and designers displayed in some of London’s leading design showrooms - Gaggenau, Ideal Standard and VitrA Bathrooms. In this episode we speak to the designers of the winning installations to hear the stories behind their designs.   To find out more about the project, head to lfa.london/ss. To explore the whole LFA2023 programme, head to lfa.london/LFA2023.   1:38 - TIME by Raphaé Memon and Sikander Pervez for Gaggenau 10:10 - Nebula by Antoniya Stoitsova for VitrA Bathrooms 15:40 - Beauty in the Broken by Isabella Yurtsever for Ideal Standard   This episode was produced and edited by Katya Spiers. You can find a transcript of the conversation using the link below: Download the transcript   Image: Showroom Showcase Installations, LFA2023 - Kes-tchaas Eccleston Image description: Collage of three images. The first showing a close up of TIME, showing a selection of stacked clocks, showing different times. The second showing a close up of Beauty in the Broken, showing some of the discarded pieces of ceramic hanging from the ceiling. The third showing a close up of Nebula, and the ceramic trapped in the structural form.

As part of LFA2023, the LFA unveiled the winning benches for the third edition of Pews and Perches. The series of benches aims to improve London’s public realm, celebrate emerging architectural talent, and connect people with the buildings and spaces around them. In this episode we speak to the designers of the winning installations to hear the stories behind their designs. To find out more about the project, head to lfa.london/pews. To explore the whole LFA2023 programme, head to lfa.london/LFA2023.   This episode was produced and edited by Katya Spiers. You can find a transcript of the conversation using the link below: Download the transcript   Image: Pews and Perches Benches, LFA2023 - Luke O'Donovan Image description: Collage of four images. The first showing a close up of the Chit Chat Chair, with the water of the Royal Docks in the background. The second showing FLOAT, with Royal Albert Dock in the background. The third showing a close up of Round the Neighbourhood, with UTC in the background. And fourth showing Together We Hold, amongst the greenery of Lyle Park.   1:37 - Round The Neighbourhood by Nicolos Makatsaria and Jericho Cabalan 5:55 - Chit Chat Chair by Studio Groove 10:23 - Together We Hold by Akmaral Khassen 17:20 - FLOAT by Akasaki Vanhuyse  

In this conversation we’re exploring the London Festival of Architecture 2023 programme ahead of the month-long series of events happening across London, across the month of June. We’re joined by one of the LFA2023 Curation Panel members, Melodie Leung and Gonzalo Herrero Delicado. Melodie Leung is an Associate Director at Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) where she has been a leading designer within the practice for over 15 years overseeing notable projects across architecture, interiors, product design, and exhibitions. Gonzalo Herrero Delicado is a curator, educator and architect based in London whose work is at the intersection of architecture and design, exploring their connection to ecology and digital culture. He is Director of the Ecocity World Summit 2023. He is also a Design Fellow at the University of Cambridge and an Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martins, UAL. To explore the LFA2023 programme, head to lfa.london/LFA2023. To find out more about Eco City, head to www.ecocity-summit.com/ - The code mentioned in the conversation was 23ECOLON25.   Some of the LFA events mentioned are as followed (in order of appearance): - Fleet Street Plant Press, by Wayward (Holborn Circus) - Connecting Colindale: A Flight Path Folly, by Andre Kong Studio and Wayward (Colindale Park) - Seats at the Table by Re-Fabricate and the DisOrdinary Architecture Project (Postman's Park) - Urban Playground, by McCloy + Muchemwa (Fen Court) - The Never Ending Challenge, by London Borough of Bromley (Crystal Palace Museum) - Vertical Farm-to-Fork at the Factory, by Projekt and Spacelab_ (The Factory) - Cycle tour of new Enfield architecture, by IF_DO (Tottenham Hale Station) - Participatory Urbanism, by Zaha Hadid Architects (Zaha Hadid Architects Gallery)   This episode was produced and edited by Eliza Grosvenor. You can find a transcript of the conversation using the link below: Download the transcript   Image: Design Concept for ‘Connecting Colindale: A Flight Path Folly’ by Andre Kong Studio and Wayward Image description: Design concept of the Connecting Colindale installation showing woman sitting on installation, which is covered in greenery, and another group pointing at the installation.  

In this conversation, we explore the theme for 2023 edition of the London Festival of Architecture (LFA)- 'In Common', in the context of two projects, which combine art, science, and history to think about how we create sustainable futures and equitable societies. The projects form part of Sea Change – a season of creative projects in Thames Barrier, Royal Docks (11th – 29th May). For the first conversation we’re joined by Mala Yamey, Kate Liggins and Eleanor Wright to explore Flotilla, a film exploring the relationship of women to the docks, with a connected oral history project led by UCL MA Public History students. For the second conversation we’re joined by Dana Olărescu and Dr Julia Tomei to explore Power In, an installation exploring energy and equity in the Royal Docks. - Mala Yamey works as Assistant Associate Curator with Invisible Dust. - Kate Liggins is an MA Public History student at UCL, with special interest in women's history, and using the medium of audio to encourage public engagement with history. - Eleanor Wright is a Public History MA student at UCL interested in oral history and radio documentary. - Dana Olărescu is a socially engaged artist commissioned by Invisible Dust to create the Power In art installation - Dr Julia Tomei is a social researcher and Associate Professor at the Bartlett School Environment, Energy & Resources, focusing on the human dimensions and governance of energy, natural resources, and land use in Low and Middle-Income Countries. Julia collaborated with Dana on the Power In art installation. To find out more about LFA, the 2023 theme -'In Common', or to explore the LFA2023 programme, head to lfa.london/LFA2023 To find out more about Sea Change, head to royaldocks.london/whats-on/sea-change This episode was produced and edited by Eliza Grosvenor. You can find a transcript of the conversation using the link below: Download the transcript   Image:  Melanie Manchot, Flotilla, 2023, Video still, © the artist, courtesy Parafin, London and Galerie m, Bochum Image description: Images of women and boats on Royal Victoria Dock.  

In this conversation, we explore the theme for 2023 edition of the London Festival of Architecture (LFA)- 'In Common', in the context of cities – and how we can create resilient cities for the 21st century. We’re joined by three people from McGregor Coxall: Adrian McGregor, Michael Cowdy and Yazid Ninsalam.

McGregor Coxall is a multi-disciplinary design studio dedicated to assisting cities achieve sustainable prosperity. - Adrian is a landscape architect and biourbanist and is the founder and Chief Design Officer of McGregor Coxall. - Michael is a Director and Landscape Urbanist for McGregor Coxall, based in their Bristol office. - Yazid is an Associate Director at McGregor Coxall, with a focus with Biourbanism.

To find out more about LFA, the 2023 theme -'In Common', or how to get involved in the festival, head to lfa.london/get-involved. Find out more about McGregor Coxall here. Check out the ‘Biourbanism: Cities as Nature’ book here.

This episode was produced and edited by Eliza Grosvenor. You can find a transcript of the conversation using the link below:

Download the transcript   Image Credit: McGregor Coxall