In Episode 30 of A is for Architecture, I speak with Alastair Parvin, CEO of Open Systems Lab, co-founder of WikiHouse, writer and architect. Open Systems Lab 'believe that if we want to build a successful, sustainable, fair and inclusive digital economy and to navigate the massive changes of the next half-century, we need to design, invest-in and deploy new open systems for everyone'. We discuss the impact of these things and the implications and possibilities they suggest, particularly for the production and management of the built environment - towns and cities, house and homes (and the gaps in between). Alastair and I talk about all this with reference to three pieces he has written: A New Land Contract, Planning for the Future and We need new operating systems. Whose job is that?, all linked here but available on Alastair's Medium page.

I met Alastair At Sheffield School of Architecture, where we both studied. His work, which incorporates stints at RSH+P and Architecture 00, is a wonderful example of the possibilities afforded by engaging with socio-spatial and process thinking. Follow the links above to Al's articles, and watch him TED the roof off here: Architecture for the people by the people. He also gave a talk entitled The Future of Regulations at the Radical Practice Conference 2020, Royal College of Art & Dark Matter Laboratories, which is worth a sticky.

Enjoy!

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Music credits: Bruno Gillick.

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