Light, Cities + Architecture. – Details, episodes & analysis

Join architect Antony DiMase and writer and editor Justine Costigan as they discuss the rise of NIMBYs and YIMBYs and how these groups reflect the growing dissatisfaction with the way our cities are planned. 

We welcome your feedback, questions and topic suggestions. To get in touch email lightcitiesarchitecture@gmail.com

Referenced in this episode:

Tom Cowie’s story about the Thornbury church

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/empty-church-ignites-tension-between-heritage-and-housing-20240424-p5fm7b.html

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/aaron-paul-low/always-for-you

License code: FKADBZMC5CF0HIR8

Join architect Antony DiMase and writer and editor Justine Costigan as they explore the impact of war on cities and the people who live in them. From current battlegrounds in Gaza and Ukraine to historical conflicts, they discuss what happens to cities when buildings and infrastructure is destroyed, the different approaches to rebuilding, and why we need to be talking about this right now.
We welcome your feedback, questions and topic suggestions for discussion.

To get in touch email lightcitiesarchitecture@gmail.com

Referenced in this episode:
What does it take to rebuild a city destroyed by war

Modern War Institute at West Point, 31/02/2023

To Rebuild Cities After War, Look to the Past
By Sameh Wahba and Joanna Masic
Wired Magazine 22/12/2022

The numbers that reveal the extent of the destruction in Gaza
By Archie Bland
The Guardian, 08/01/2024

Music credit:
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/aaron-paul-low/always-for-you

In Episode 5 Antony and Jackson delve into the delights and mysteries of the night time sky and the impact that light pollution is having on our connection to the stars and colours of the sky at night.  Since the advent of electric lighting and urbanisation of our cities we have slowly filled our cities with more and more outdoor electric lights.  Increasingly we rely on lighting, advertising, technology for entertainment, human connection and storytelling.  However, our evolution has for millennia relied on the simple day night rhythm that is deeply embedded in our DNA.  By removing darkness from our lives, we lose connection to our spiritual lives, we affect our physical and mental health and we impact flora and fauna to a frightening extent.  In this our (difficult) fifth episode Jackson and Antony once again attempt to navigate the impact of abundant electric lighting in our cities.  We delve into the consequences of losing the night from our lives and what it might mean for we humans.

In episode 4, we explore the daylight in the urban context of big cities and the backlash that happens when we build tall buildings in close proximity.  The urban realm at ground level is compromised and the effects are felt for generations.  New York has progressively tried to provide planning regulations to limit the effect of daylight at ground level and the story of New York involves those who wish to see development thrive and those who want to see the public realm retained as a livable healthy place for people to thrive.

Podcast 2 ventures into the birthplace of lighting design.  Antony and Jackson discuss three important figures in the history of Lighting Design.  Mies Van de Rohe, Philip Johnson and Richard Kelly.  With the arrival of glass boxes in the mid 20th Century – lighting faced some new difficulties and challenges.  How exactly does one light a glass box reveals the importance of lighting design to solve problems that architects had previously never encountered before.  While the work of Mies and Johnson is revered – it is Kelly who is relatively unknown outside of lighting circles – who resolved the detail resolution of lighting space and architecture to create a wholly new discipline of design.

Hi and welcome to first LC&A podcast presented by Antony DiMase and Jackson Stigwood. In this episode we start at the very beginning and explore the historical relationship between light and architecture. The journey then continues through the introduction of electricity to cities and the commercialization of the incandescent bulb. Moving into the 20th century we discuss various forms of lamp technology and the social impact it has had on cities around the world. We conclude by taking a brief look at what our cities look like today and what they may be like in the future.  

In a new format for Season 3 - Antony is joined by writer Justine Costigan. Together they explore the recent announcement by the State Government to demolish the Housing Commission Towers in Melbourne. Justine and Antony discuss how this announcement goes against the trend of retrofitting projects here and around the globe, the implications for the people living in the towers, and the project's place in the wider housing discussion.

We welcome your feedback, questions and topic suggestions for discussion. To get in touch email lightcitiesarchitecture@gmail.com

Referenced in this episode:
Grand Parc public towers, Bordeaux, France

Renovation architects: Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal

• Pritzker Architecture Prize 2021
• European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award: winner 2019
• Living places Simon Architecture Prize: winner 2016

“Never demolish. Always transform, with and for the inhabitant."Jean Philippe Vassal

"For people with a passion for sustainability there's never been a better time to be alive." - Andre Egan.

This podcast our guest is Andrew Egan, who, fascinatingly, operates a commercial asset management company that focuses on circularity. Have you ever thought about the lifespan of office furniture? How many chairs, desks, cubicles and kitchens exist in offices worldwide? And, crucially, how many materials were mined, forged and sewn together to make a single chair, only for modern corporate culture to reduce its lifespan to seven years.

This enormous and often unseen issue is what Egans Asset Management brings to the forefront, and offers a neat solution for.

Listen into the episode to hear about the history and growing need to manage the production and output of corporate spaces.

Author, Professor and recently, Poet Brendan Gleeson joins LCA to discuss the gravitational power and development of cities, with a focus on Melbourne.

With a background in geography and urban planning, Brendan is interested in the human relationships developed through planning and architecture. He is a member of the Melbourne Centre for Cities within the University of Melbourne and is the author of 14 books, most recently Records of The Loss Property Department of Gardiner Reserve. I am excited to dive in and hear his perspective on the past, present, and future of Melbourne and urban economics.

Ideally, this episode will provide some insight into the history and complexity of cities and urban planning, and provide hope on the key future issues cities will face in a warming climate.

This episode I invite esteemed author and Professor of Architecture Mirjana Lozanovska, a good friend of mine on to the podcast to talk about post-war southern European migrant housing in the 50's and 60's. Mirjana's extensive expertise sheds light on the architectural landscape of Melbourne, particularly the houses in our local neighbourhoods.

Migrant housing holds a personal connection for me, as my parents moved to Mildura from Italy after World War II, and Mirjana's research resonates with the memories of homes from my childhood.

Mirjana, Professor at Deakin University, focuses her research on architecture, diversity, and culture. Her book, "Migrant Housing," delves into the significant role of migrant architecture in shaping Australian cities, considering the substantial number of Australians with overseas-born parents.

Join us in this enlightening episode as we explore the stories behind the buildings that contribute to the diverse fabric of our communities. Tune in now to gain insights into the fascinating relationship between culture and architecture.