In this episode of the Grow Places Podcast, host Tom Larsson sits down with journalist and CREtech's Head of Content, Emily Wright, to explore the evolving narratives around real estate, design, and the human experience of place.

Emily shares insights from her 20-year career in the industry, reflecting on how conversations around well-being, sustainability, and placemaking have shifted from niche concerns to mainstream priorities. She discusses the power of human-centred design, the changing role of public vs. private space, and the industry’s responsibility to create places that feel truly lived-in, informal, and adaptable.

From Helsinki’s Oodi Library to the Nordic sauna culture, Emily and Tom discuss the importance of everyday joy, the flexibility of great places, and how the best environments are often the most unfinished. They also touch on how profit and purpose can coexist and why commentary on the built world matters more than ever.

🎧 Tune in for an inspiring conversation about the future of places, the impact of design, and the pleasure in the simple things.

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