Deep Green

Deep Green

By Metropolis and SURROUNDEducationArtsDesign
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Deep Green episodes

  • Can biobased materials save us?

    Learn how we can deepen the connection between the built environment and the natural world, as Avi Rajagopal and Samantha Sager discuss the third principle of circular design: regenerating nature. Navigating the complexities of where materials are derived from, how they are made, and what happens to them at the end of their useful life is crucial as architects and interior designers work to support a more circular economy. What defines a biobased product? How do we responsibly source these materials? Is a biobased plastic always biodegradable? Hear from Rajagopal on the ideas and experiments coming out of the industry designed to return more materials go back into their natural cycles and loops on this planet. 

     

    Chapters 

    The third principle of circularity: regenerating nature 

    What does biobased actually mean? 

    Biobased vs. Biodegradable 

    Success story: a completely biodegradable chair 

    Responsibly sourcing biobased materials 

    Infrastructure and composting 

     

    Resources 

    PROWL Urges Designers to Consider the Afterlife of Products 

    Model No. Furniture 

    Natural Habitat: A Tranquil Retreat in Cold Spring 

     

    Deep Green is produced by Samantha Sager, Wize Grazette, Lauren Volker, Rachel Senatore, and Hannah Viti, and is part of the SURROUND podcast network. Special thanks to Avi Rajagopal, Editor in Chief of METROPOLIS, for his insights. Recorded at the podcast studio by Vornado in the Penn 1 building in Manhattan. 

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    31 min
  • Can we recycle and reuse our way out of our materials problem?

    Explore the intricacies of material recycling, as Avi Rajagopal and Samantha Sager pick up where they left off last week, focusing on the second principle of a circular economy: circulating products and materials at their highest value. Are all materials suitable for recycling? How can we make sure that recycled or reused materials perform to the standards of commercial settings? How can we better design products and buildings for their end of life? Hear from Rajagopal on some innovative ways our industry is circulating products and materials, recycling more responsibly — and giving nature a much-needed break. 

     

    Chapters 

    • Circulating products and materials at their highest value 
    • Recycling obstacles (incentive, policy, and more) 
    • Success story: Nylon 
    • The hierarchy of recycling strategies 
    • Designing for disassembly  

     

    Resources 

    METROPOLIS Climate Toolkit  

    The Ellen MacArthur Foundation 

    METROPOLIS July/August 2023: This New Upholstery Line Features Yarn Made From Marine Plastic 

     

    Deep Green is produced by Samantha Sager, Wize Grazette, Lauren Volker, Rachel Senatore, and Hannah Viti, and is part of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Special thanks to Avi Rajagopal, Editor in Chief of METROPOLIS, for his insights. Recorded at the podcast studio by Vornado in the Penn 1 building in Manhattan.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    24 min
  • Can architecture be circular?

    What obstacles does our industry present to the dream of a circular economy? Join METROPOLIS’s Editor in Chief, Avi Rajagopal, and producer Samantha Sager as they begin to explore these challenges, beginning with how we can eliminate more waste and pollution from our processes. A&D culture is shifting away from building new (for the first time in 2022, retrofits and renovations accounted for more money in architectural buildings than new construction!) but are we adapting buildings as sustainably as possible? Are we preparing them for future adaptations or just passing the buck? Are we considering the interiors? What about the communities that live around these projects? It’s easy to say, “Oh, let's reuse a building,” but in practice it tends to be a pretty tough and complicated process. Hear from Rajagopal on the steps our industry is taking to reuse more responsibly—and live a little bit closer to harmony with nature.


    Chapters

    What are the principles of circularity?

    Principle 1: eliminating waste and pollution

    Unpacking adaptive reuse

    Future-proofing our buildings


    Resources

    METROPOLIS Climate Toolkit

    The Ellen MacArthur Foundation

    METROPOLIS July/August: “3 Adaptive Reuse Projects Prioritize Flexibility for the Future”

    LMN’s Tenant Improvements Embodied Carbon Study


    Deep Green is produced by Samantha Sager, Wize Grazette, Lauren Volker, and Rachel Senatore, and is part of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Special thanks to Avi Rajagopal, Editor in Chief of METROPOLIS, for his insights. Recorded at the podcast studio by Vornado in the Penn 1 building in Manhattan.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    20 min
  • The problem with design trends

    Unpack the environmental impact of the building industry and the hurdles we face in reducing our carbon footprint with METROPOLIS’s' Editor in Chief, Avi Rajagopal, and producer Samantha Sager. They discuss how the sector is responsible for 40% of global carbon emissions and 30% of worldwide waste, and is the second largest consumer of plastics, putting the industry at the heart of the problem of the climate crisis. A must-listen for those passionate about sustainable interior design and architecture, this episode underscores the urgent need for change: a move away from our trend-driven culture. Join us this season as we explore the challenges our industry presents to the dream of a circular economy. May you be inspired to advocacy and action. 


    Chapters

    • The building industry and climate change
    • What is embodied carbon exactly?
    • The consequences of a culture of trends
    • The building renovations craze - and its implications 


    Resources

    METROPOLIS Climate Toolkit 

    “Why Interior Designers Must Fight Climate Change”

    LMN’s Tenant Improvements Embodied Carbon Study


    Deep Green is produced by Samantha Sager, Wize Grazette, Lauren Volker, and Rachel Senatore, and is part of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Special thanks to Avi Rajagopal, Editor in Chief of METROPOLIS, for his insights. Recorded at the podcast studio by Vornado in the Penn 1 building in Manhattan.

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    17 min
  • Season 3 Trailer
    A new season of Deep Green is on its way!
    On this season of Deep Green, we’re doing things a little bit differently: METROPOLIS Editor in Chief Avi Rajagopal is going to be sitting in the hot seat, and with him will be producer Samantha Sager. Join us as they have an honest conversation about the environmental impact of the building industry and the unique challenges the sector presents to the dream of a circular economy. May you be inspired to advocacy and action.
    Deep Green is produced by Samantha Sager, Wize Grazette, Lauren Volker, and Rachel Senatore, and is part of the SURROUND podcast network. Special thanks to Avi Rajagopal, Editor in Chief of METROPOLIS, for his insights. Recorded at the podcast studio by Vornado in the Penn 1 building, Manhattan.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
    2 min
  • Moshe Safdie: The Future of Urban Density
    Have you heard of the term biophilia or perhaps biophilic design? If you're an interior designer or you have a lot of interior design videos on your TikTok feed, you likely have. The word was popularized by a 1984 book by Edward O. Wilson, and he defined biophilia as the urge to affiliate with other forms of life. In recent years, designers have taken the word and interpreted it in many ways. Your wallpaper has a pattern that looks like wood grain, that's biophilic. Your glass and steel skyscraper has plants growing on its facade, that's biophilic.
    In this episode, Metropolis contributor Audrey Gray talks to the renowned architect Moshe Safdie, who has spent his entire career navigating and exploring the relationship between buildings and nature. While he has been working on mega developments—like the legendary Habitat 67 project in Montreal and Marina Bay Sands Resort in Singapore—he has also been thinking about how nature is integrated into our cities. And that has led to an evolution of ideas about density and urban design. Join us to hear from Safdie about the release of his book, If Walls Could Speak: My Life in Architecture, and how he feels about the term biophilia and how it is being co-opted.
    Connect with our host Avi Rajagopal on LinkedIn!
    Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Barriers to Entry was produced and edited by Wize Grazette and Samantha Sager.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
    16 min
  • Daphany Rose-Sanchez: Solar Energy for the People
    On average, it costs about $2.95 per watt for a home solar system. So, a 6-kilowatt system, about the size you'd need for an American home, would set you back around $17,700. If you factor in solar incentives, like the Federal Solar Credit, that number can come down to about $12,400. The annual savings on your utility bills after installing a home solar system are about $1,346. So, over a 25- or 30-year period, those savings could be in the region of $30,000 or more. Not bad for a $12,400 investment. If of course you have $12,400 to invest.
    As always, you’ve got to spend money to save money. And that means clean, affordable energy might stay out of reach of those who need it the most. Enter energy equity advocates like Daphany Rose Sanchez. Metropolis editor Jaxson Stone sat down with Sanchez, who is executive director at Kinetic Communities Consulting, which works with energy and affordable housing industry partners to connect, educate, and simplify energy efficiency opportunities for underrepresented communities. Join us to hear how Sanchez is working toward energy equity and learn more about the community solar movement and New York's Power Up initiative.
    Connect with our guest Daphany Rose-Sanchez on LinkedIn!
    Connect with our host Avi Rajagopal on LinkedIn!
    Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Barriers to Entry was produced and edited by Wize Grazette and Samantha Sager.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
    24 min
  • Katie Ackerly: Sustainability in Affordable Housing
    An estimated 100 million people globally don’t have a home. Experts say we need to be building 96,000 homes for them every day, or 3 billion people will end up without adequate housing by 2030. But 39 percent of the world’s carbon emissions come from the building industry, and people living in poverty are among the most vulnerable to the catastrophes caused by climate change. We need to build more homes to house the extremely poor who will then be the most affected by all the emissions created by building those homes. Unless we find a way to build affordable housing that’s also sustainable.
    Metropolis deputy editor Kelly Beamon sat down with Katie Ackerly, a principal with David Baker Architects, who says the overlap between sustainability and affordability is almost 100 percent. Join us to learn more about how the San Francisco–based firm is building some of the toughest kinds of housing in one of the toughest housing markets in the U.S., and listen as Ackerly shares the ins and outs of sustainable housing design and what strategies she thinks could change the way we approach affordable housing at scale.
    Connect with our guest Katie Ackerly on LinkedIn!
    Connect with our host Avi Rajagopal on LinkedIn!
    Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Barriers to Entry was produced and edited by Wize Grazette and Samantha Sager.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
    18 min
  • Carol Ross Barney: Design for the Public Good
    Renowned architect and Chicagoan Carol Ross Barney joins host Avi Rajagopal for our Summer Season premier. Ross Barney is a visionary about how people live their lives in cities—whether it's through public, hospitality, or education spaces. Chicagoans know her best for the transformative work she did on the city’s Riverwalk, just steps away from where this episode was live recorded during NeoCon. Together, Rajagopal and Ross Barney discuss how the pedestrian walkway has opened so many possibilities for the city and how it is also emblematic of the kind of work that Ross Barney does. A sense of public good suffuses her work, from mammoth urban projects to her work on privately funded spaces, like the McDonald’s Chicago flagship. Join us to hear from Ross Barney about these landmark projects and others, exploring the connections between equity and the built environment, the complexities of sustainable design, and design as an opportunity to engage with people.
    Connect with our guest Carol Ross Barney on LinkedIn!
    Connect with our host Avi Rajagopal on LinkedIn!
    Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Barriers to Entry was produced and edited by Wize Grazette and Samantha Sager.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
    35 min
  • Avi’s sneak peek into our Summer Season
    In this bonus episode of Deep Green, host Avi Rajagopal expresses his heartfelt thanks to our dedicated listeners for their support throughout the recently concluded mini season. Rajagopal unveils an impressive roster of upcoming guests planned for our Summer Season, which will kick off with a conversation with renowned architect Carol Ross Barney in an episode recorded live at NeoCon 2023.
    We also share snippets of discussions with other guests joining us this season, including international architect Moshe Safdie, sustainability trailblazer Katie Ackerly, and community energy advocate Daphany Rose Sanchez. Dive into this episode to bridge the gap between past insights and future dialogues, setting the stage for more captivating conversations on sustainability.
    Connect with our host Avi Rajagopal on LinkedIn!
    Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Barriers to Entry was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Wize Grazette, Hannah Viti, Samantha Sager and Rob Schulte.
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
    6 min

About Deep Green

From the publisher's feed

Brought to you by Metropolis, Deep Green is a podcast about how the built environment impacts climate change and equity. Buildings are some of the biggest things we make as human beings. We explore…

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