Hearing Architecture

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week we bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident, but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We as designers have an opportunity to do better.

The built environment sector, notorious for its resource consumption and waste generation, faces a pivotal moment. In a world where 'away' is a luxury we can no longer afford, the linear economy's destructive 'Take, Make, and Throw Away' model demands reconsideration and urgent action.

In this episode, I speak with Victor Meesters, a Paris-based architect working with the Belgian collective Rotor.

Since 2005, Rotor has operated as a multidisciplinary group of architects, designers, and other professionals interested in the processes that shape a building. Specifically, they are interested in the flow and transit of materials in the industrial and construction sector and the industry's relationship to resources, waste, use and reuse.

Their research is disseminated through publications, critical writing, workshops, and conferences. And they work with the expanded construction industry to produce exhibitions, books, economic models, and policy proposals.

On a practical level, they work to combine their research with the design and realization of architectural projects, coordinating large-scale dismantling operations of reusable construction elements and collaborating on architectural projects. Since 2014 their commercial spin off: Rotor DC ,or deconstruction, has been an active arm of the studio, which oversees deconstruction projects in end-of-life buildings with a view to finding them a new use. In practice, the team goes into buildings slated for demolition and sells off parts of those buildings. It documents building elements, creates a catalogue of the items, estimates how much it would cost to salvage the materials, and delivers them directly to the client. At the conception of the business, Rotor DC almost exclusively sold materials dismantled by its own workers, however the shop now also trades materials from several other suppliers such as demolition contractors and real estate companies.

Back in June 2023, I got to explore the salvage yard and the store houses which surround the offices of Rotor and Rotor DC. They are based within the urban setting of Brussels. A tactical metropolitan locale, working with the studio's goals to become a central part of a regional ecosystem for large scale reuse.

As I walked through the 'house of doors', past the neat piles of salvaged stone, and through the aisles of plumbing fixtures, it was easy to understand the convenience and appeal of the organisation to 'mum and dad' renovators, to other architectural studios, or to developers alike.

The business is proud to announce that many of the stocked materials are cheaper than new for the same quality. Some materials may be equally expensive as new, but come with a great story, a deep patina or simply a clear conscience. And then, from time to time, they offer pieces or materials that were conceived by renowned designers, created by skilled craftsmen, or made using technologies now out of reach. On the day of my visit, there were pieces of a gothic cathedral from Antwerp available for someone to snap up, whilst later in the week I saw some rare and well-kept mid-century desks by an iconic local designer. These pieces are priced a bit higher, but Rotor notes their hope that the economies made with the more generic materials help bring them in reach of the many.

In my conversation today, I speak with Victor about the realities of their processes and how Rotor has carved a niche for itself working at both ends of the theory- practical spectrum. It was a joy to explores the birth as well as the afterlife of buildings and to touch on the impressive undertaking of the complex system of many stakeholders.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the SIM Icelandic Arts Association in Reykjavik. Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guest Victor Meesters of Rotor. Thank you for encouraging us to be as generous with this city as it is with us.

Let's watch this space and we look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alstair Swayne Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

Supported by: State Workshops

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia where this podcast was produced, as the first storytellers, the first communities and the first creators of Australian culture. I extend that respect to the Traditional Custodians of country throughout the multiple places abroad where this podcast was recorded. We thank Traditional Custodians for caring for Country for thousands of generations. and recognise their profound connection to land, water, and skies.

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week we bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident, but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We, as designers, have an opportunity to do better.

In today's episode I speak with Floris Schiferli of SuperUse Studios, Rotterdam. Superuse Studios is an international architecture collective for circular and sustainable design. In their office, a design is not considered as the beginning of a linear process, but rather: A phase in a continuous cycle of creation and recreation, use and reuse.

They have applied several strategies to make sustainable architecture with reclaimed materials. And have a wonderful and delightful variety of projects, including fit-outs, playgrounds, commercial offices and social housing.

SuperUse's is driven by a deep-rooted belief in transforming waste into valuable resources. Their work pioneers ideas about moving beyond the "green economy" where a commercial enterprise is organised according to ecological principles and the waste streams of one business becomes the source of raw materials for another.

This pioneering venture has garnered widespread recognition for its groundbreaking work in waste architecture and circular design, earning them the distinguished ARC 21 OEUVRE award in 2021.

The firms design process works to rethink the functionality of a 'thing' and to understand how it could perform a new function once it serves its initial purpose. SuperUse has distilled this process into 16 different flows that enter and exit buildings and cities. Each project begins by mapping these flows and then examining where the flows interconnect.

We were lucky enough to spend time with Floris back in July 2023, where he gave us an insight into this incredible economy of the future.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, and made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association, in Copenhagen. Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guest Floris Schiferli of SuperUse Studios for your discussion Thank you for seeking to inspire and empower others to build a more resourceful and sustainable society.

Let's watch this space and we look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alastair Swayn Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

Supported by: State Workshops

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia where this podcast was produced, as the first storytellers, the first communities and the first creators of Australian culture. I extend that respect to the Traditional Custodians of country throughout the multiple places abroad where this podcast was recorded. We thank Traditional Custodians for caring for Country for thousands of generations. and recognise their profound connection to land, water, and skies.

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week we bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident, but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We as designers have an opportunity to do better.

Going from a linear to a circular mindset requires a huge transformation in the built environment and can only be successful with an innovative approach and through partnerships for change. In this episode I meet with an individual who offers both and operates at the periphery of the built industry.

Siddharth Hande a Data Scientist and Social Entrepreneur and is founder and CEO of Kabadiwalla Connect. His organisation is working to transform the informal waste supply-chain in cities in the Global South, including his own hometown of Chennai, India.

His location and subject of investigation might appear foreign at first, both geographically and in its analysis of industry not specific to architecture. But Sid is considering the circular economic paradigm from a global perspective, and is proving that circular solutions based on data do have an application to a much boarder context.

Sid studied in Australia, at my university no less. But I first crossed paths with Sid at the UIA international Congress of Architecture in Copenhagen in July 2023 when I saw a presentation Sid gave on the Circular Economic perspectives and data-driven social change.

In our conversation today, we discuss what this fascinating organisation is doing in Asia, and how he is spreading the word abroad. I learned about the current informal waste supply-chain in cities such as Chennai. And how Kabadiwala Connect is integrating informal actors into the formal waste management system; to deliver low-cost and low-carbon, waste management solutions that cities in the Global South need to support their growing economies and populations.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association in Copenhagen. Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guest Siddharth Hande of Kabadiwala Connect. Thank you for identifying how bottom-up systems can be a success and how a city might leverage existing informal infrastructure and urban actors into an innovative movement.

Let's watch this space and we look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alstair Swayne Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

Supported by: State Workshops

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia where this podcast was produced, as the first storytellers, the first communities and the first creators of Australian culture. I extend that respect to the Traditional Custodians of country throughout the multiple places abroad where this podcast was recorded. We thank Traditional Custodians for caring for Country for thousands of generations. and recognise their profound connection to land, water, and skies.

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week, we will bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We, as designers, have an opportunity to do better.

The larger and more complex the world becomes, the better architecture is needed. Architecture can no longer be satisfied with uniting form and function. It must address and embrace a much larger number of considerations from aesthetics, to function, to climate, health and energy. At the same time, the project's finances, law and time must be respected.

In this episode we speak with Lene Damsbo Brix of Matter by Brix, and founder and partner of Circle Bank. A talented and driven Copenhagen – based force; Lene is grappling with these conundrums.

Lene is an architect by training with over 25 years of experience in the architectural and construction sector, including working at a number of well-known practices which now are celebrated for their design agenda revolving around circularity.

But after years at the desk, Lene has stepped away from the tools to focus on systems and process's that can begin to help with the industry's transition toward circularity.

Today Lene and I discuss the Circle Bank project and it's important goals in creating a digital platform that integrates new knowledge through the process of scanning, demolition, material handling and architectural design. We dive into the detail of the tool and platform explore the grand ambition of the organisation: that By 2030, circular construction has outcompeted linear construction.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, and made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association in Copenhagen. Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guest Lene Brix for your discussion and leadership in moulding our architectural technologies and systems towards a circular future. We join you in dreaming that it is only a matter of time before the circular economy becomes competitive with the standard linear model of construction. Let's watch this space and we look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alstair Swayne Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

Supported by: State workshops

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia where this podcast was produced, as the first storytellers, the first communities and the first creators of Australian culture. I extend that respect to the Traditional Custodians of country throughout the multiple places abroad where this podcast was recorded. We thank Traditional Custodians for caring for Country for thousands of generations. and recognise their profound connection to land, water, and skies.

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week we bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident, but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We as designers have an opportunity to do better.

The construction, operation, and maintenance of buildings account for almost 30% of the globe's carbon emissions and 40% of global energy consumption. This current way of practice is unacceptable, unsustainable, and misaligned with climate reduction targets. Our current model of architecture makes these problems worse.

However, it also gives the architectural community a huge opportunity for impact and with a significant portion of new construction taking place in urban environments, cities have a role to play in encouraging sustainable construction methods and creating a market demand for low-carbon and bio-based materials.

Enter this week's guest; Peter Vangsbo, Associate Director for Climate and Sustainable Services at Arup.

Peter leads the Circular Cities Services the Arup Copenhagen office. As part of the Nordic leadership team, he provides deep expertise in the areas of circular systems, decarbonisation, resilience, and climate change.

His home city of Copenhagen is a locale often touted as being a hotbed of progressive, sustainable thinking, and of wide-spread design understanding and appreciation. This is something I saw and experienced first-hand during my visit, where an average apartment was just as likely to feature an PH5 Henningsen lamp as they are an Ikea piece. It's a city where city residents can swim in the harbour within the centre of the city, and visit, hike up or even ski down the envelope of the infrastructure facility that processes their household waste (Google CopenHill by BIG if you don't know what I am talking about). The urban setting of Copenhagen is like no other.

Peter has experience working on large urban and infrastructure projects and has experienced success in championing low-carbon construction, efficient reuse of resources, and the specification of biobased materials. I was interested in speaking with Peter to understand when working on large-scale and vital city infrastructure, how public and private sectors can interact and how he has managed to focus conversations and processes around these green and self-proclaimed 'radical' initiatives.

We discuss aspects of business model innovation, finance and funding, governance and policy, locality-based sustainability goals, and how to use data to prove the benefit of sustainability against the feasibility targets so often aimed for in business.

We query the market barriers to accelerating the use of biobased building materials and how low-carbon construction needs to invest more in alternative building materials and we call upon industry leaders and city policymakers to make tackling embodied emissions a priority.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, and made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association in Copenhagen. Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guest Peter Vangsbo of Arup, Denmark for your advocacy and expertise and engagement of policymakers and key players across the public and private sector, as we continue to work towards sustainable cities and carbon-positive future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alastair Swayn Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Hilary Duff and Daniel Moore.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

Supported by: State Workshops

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia where this podcast was produced, as the first storytellers, the first communities and the first creators of Australian culture. I extend that respect to the Traditional Custodians of country throughout the multiple places abroad where this podcast was recorded. We thank Traditional Custodians for caring for Country for thousands of generations. and recognise their profound connection to land, water, and skies.

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week, we will bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We, as designers, have an opportunity to do better.

In this episode, I meet with Sandy Bell of Stance Studio, an Australian-trained and registered architect, who has spent the last half-decade living and working in Denmark. At the time of the interview, Sandy was operating a fascinating hybrid practice, Stance Studios, that spanned the roles of the 'design architect and construction architect often seen separated in Denmark. Similarly Stance's output ranges in scale, from handcrafted furniture, single residential, and through to commercial and educational projects. Often working with local practice Einrum Arkitekter, the studio has spent the last number of years expanding into, and advancing, the niche of mass timber design and construction.

Astutely aware of the construction sector's major contribution to human environmental impact on the planet, Sandy advocates for mass timber products as a sustainable alternative to traditional building.

Among other things, our conversation explores various aspects of mass timber performing as a sustainable alternatives to steel and concrete, and we delve into how construction is undergoing a revolution through integrated building technology, transforming the utilization of timber in the industry.

I was lucky enough to cycle the city with Sandy and got to follow his classic Danish wagon bike around town. We started in his office where a small typical desk setup was excitedly located beside a timber and off-cut-filled workshop nested in a larger co-working space filled with talented other creatives, working with salvaged materials.

We visited several of his projects, from the intimate – furniture pieces and shop fit-outs to the large and commercial ones such as Copenhagen Distillery, and Gladsaxe (Gleaghds- axe -e) Kindergarten.

We ended our tour at the site of Falleby (Fal-le-boo) project, which we discuss in the interview. Its timber CLT envelope and neat construction process meant it was one of the cleanest and most comfortable construction sites I have ever set foot on. I can imagine it must be quite a joy to work on as a contractor. Which brings us to the atypical role, which Sandy and his CLT-focused counterparts play.

On the construction site, Sandy is just as likely to be found with a hammer in hand as he is with a clipboard or measuring tape of a typical architect.

It is a small shift in the traditional role of an architect that can hopefully lead to a large and more crucial shift in the industry, towards a craft and materials-focused, low-carbon and cyclical way of building.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association in Copenhagen. Thank you so much for listening, and thank you to our international guest, Sandy Bell of Stance Studio. It was truly delightful to delve into your appreciation for traditional craftsmanship and innovative processes, and speculate about the future landscape of mass timber construction. Let's watch this space, and we look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks, also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alstair Swayne Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore and Hilary Duff. Music by Blue Dot Sessions released under Creative Commons Licencing.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week, we will bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We, as designers, have an opportunity to do better.

In this episode we speak with Kirsten Lynge of Søuld. Kirsten is head of sustainability and co-founder of Søuld, a Danish material manufacturer committed to providing forward-thinking designers, builders, and end-users with eco-friendly, recyclable and CO₂-storing building materials made from eelgrass.

At Søuld, Kirsten uses her skills from her engineering background, where she has been trained in managing sustainable production systems. She pairs this with her love for eelgrass, awakened from a childhood at Læsø, a Danish Island known for its historical eelgrass roofs, that last for centuries.

I was lucky enough to touch and feel some of this seaweed or grass. There was number of historical samples in the office when I spoke with Kirsten. It was quite astounding to touch something that has been around for over 300 years and think about how materials such as these could be utilised to stand in buildings that aim for a lifespan of even a slim portion of that time.

Listening to Kirsten, the ideas of the product seem so simple or obvious that it can be hard to understand why our industry makes it so difficult to make them viable. This is a scenario I came across many times when talking to those producing similar solutions.

Specifically, Kirsten has queried: Why not take a material that is in abundance in Denmark, seaweed, to press and shape into a building material to insulate buildings. It Revives old traditions of seaweed houses and focusing on common sense solutions with a proven track record in other times in our history.

In our discussion today, we discuss what happens when a simple idea meets a complex industry - How regulation, formal and informal industry practices, and competition by established players, all shape how a sustainable idea manifests into a viable product. Kirsten's team has made it work in the landscape of the construction industry and its existing practices and players. But it hasn't always been smooth sailing.

Alongside the invention of the product, Kirsten, and the team at Søuld has had to educate and convince contractors, architects, and engineers, as well as customers. They have had to battle to prove compliancy and codes in a space where current regulations match the performance and test logic of current products, often made in factories, and without the curve balls that natural materials throw. They have had to fight to exist in a risk-averse industry where there is significant financial hurdles, hesitancy to deviate from existing regulations, and where the interest in promoting new, more sustainable solutions is lower than what our environment needs.

To sum up, Søuld and fellow counterparts in the industry of new sustainably focused materials, have had to do much more than just develop their innovative product or service. They must reconfigure and persuade an entire value chain to embrace their innovation. Ultimately, they have to help build an entire new industry.

Søuld is well on its way, being helped along by key and interesting business partners, research grants and a supportive network of local designers.

Today's episode showcases one particular story, as an exemplar of the journey of these small businesses, designers and great thinkers preparing Solutions with the potential to move the world in a better, more sustainable direction.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association in Copenhagen. Thank you so much for listening, and thank you to our international guests Kirsten of Søuld. Thank you for your drive, aiming at something beyond minor modifications of current practice. And in your offering of functional, sustainable, and beautiful alternatives to traditional building materials that can improve sustainable development whilst also improving human health and well-being.

Our sponsor Brickworks, also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alstair Swayne Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore and Hilary Duff. Music by Blue Dot Sessions released under Creative Commons Licencing.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week, we will bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We, as designers, have an opportunity to do better.

The architectural endeavour yields two distinctive outcomes, the addition of a building and the subtraction of a void. As construction takes shape -a curated assembly of materials, a corresponding void emerges in a location where these materials originally sourced, generally from elsewhere in the world. For years, designers have only been asked to consider result one: the building. But we've entered an age where architecture can no longer look over the impact of where and how materials are exploited.

In this episode, I meet with Andy Coward, a Danish and UK-based structural engineer with 17 years of experience designing buildings and bridges, burning man installations, Apple stores, football stadiums, and architectural offices.

Andy spent many of these years as an associate partner at Foster + Partners in London, where he first dappled in architectural projects. A shift to Scandinavia with his appointment as head of engineering at Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) in Copenhagen continued this trajectory, ignited his search for innovation within practice, and furthered his investigation into how structural materials can address climate change.

His search for a fresh approach to making, designing, and using concrete led to the founding of his current practice Net Zero projects and one of his first offerings: the low-carbon structural system Minimass.

Many within this circularity field talk about the requirement to move away from concrete and cement as a material. But here, we see Andy taking a different approach. Recognising that the world cannot stop its addiction to concrete overnight, he is instead advocating within the existing system helping it shift towards a better future. He asks how we can best use this material, how we can reduce our quantities, and be tactical in our composition of materials to allow concrete structures to live for longer. It's a logical evolution of a design philosophy: use the right material in the right place for the right purpose – no more, no less.

In our discussion, Andy talks about two big challenges faced during construction:

1. The cost of materials: people have and will always fret about this. It's not new.

2. Carbon – A matter finally and importantly garnering more interest.

It is becoming more and more apparent that these two items are intrinsically tied to each other and will only become more so as the availability of materials decreases, and the impacts of carbon become more apparent on our environment.

Andy was challenged to create a system that focuses on reducing both at the same time. Andy notes that he is not a materials scientist – he will leave the invention of new materials to others.

He is not a 'robot' guy, not a software programmer, but is a designer. He has questioned how he can use this background to create a system which uses less. Less material and less labour.

Today we begin our discussion with an analysis of our past, and how there may be clues to suggest the types of thinking we should apply to our current practice. Among other things we discuss the spectrum of beautiful and innovative concrete structures which emerged during the 20 century and modernism. Parabolic shells and thin arches with their fantastic use of minimal material and with a focus on forces in tension and compression. They emerged from a time when materials were scarce but labour was cheap.

Our discussion today queries what will happen in the future where materials are again in short supply, but the cost of construction means we must think differently.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation, and recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association in Copenhagen. Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guest Andy Coward, of Net Zero Projects. Thank you for sharing how your innovative structural solutions open many benefits, opportunities and push the boundaries of the rigid systems we work within. Let's watch this space and we look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alstair Swayne Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore and Hilary Duff. Music by Blue Dot Sessions released under Creative Commons Licencing.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week, we will bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We, as designers, have an opportunity to do better.

The architectural endeavour yields two distinctive outcomes, the addition of a building and the subtraction of a void. As construction takes shape -a curated assembly of materials, a corresponding void emerges in a location where these materials originally sourced, generally from elsewhere in the world. For years, designers have only been asked to consider result one: the building. But we've entered an age where architecture can no longer look over the impact of where and how materials are exploited.

In this episode, we speak with Architects and academics, Jon Foote & Ula Kozminska from Aarhus University in Denmark. Our conversation centres around a fascinating paradigm shift in construction—what they term as 'The New Stone Age.' where architects are again considering the ancient benefits of stone, fuelled by a contemporary sustainability agenda. Jonathan and Ula share recent projects exploring the reintroduction of load-bearing stone, questioning the possibility of creating modern stone buildings without steel, structure, and cladding, hearkening back to traditional methods.

Their research prompts critical questions about transitioning to a more custodial form of extraction, aiming to reduce reliance on materials like steel, concrete, and wood—industries often grounded in extractivist principles. For example, they highlight the paradoxical process of concrete: limestone is crushed and burnt, losing 60% of structural strength and therefore requiring steel reinforcement. In contrast, stone, relatively abundant, and with its lower carbon footprint, emerges as a more sustainable option. Yet, the current focus of the stone industry is on decoration—benchtops, basins, facades, and finishes— We have forgotten how to use stone in a way it performs best.

Jonathan and Ula stress the need to scrutinize extraction practices, not just to reduce material consumption but also to reimagine responsible approaches to altered landscapes. They emphasize visualizing the connection between buildings and the landscapes where materials are sourced. Together, we explore the potential of natural stone in architecture as an ecology—caring for both what is taken and what is left behind.

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, and made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the Danish Arts Association in Copenhagen. Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guests Jon and Ula for challenging extractivism, and envisioning a future where our buildings not only stand the test of time, but also stand in harmony with the landscapes they emerge from. Let's watch this space and we look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alstair Swayne Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore and Hilary Duff. Music by Blue Dot Sessions released under Creative Commons Licencing.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.

The Hearing Architecture podcast, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, presents Again and Again and Again, a mini-series hosted by Hilary Duff.

Each week, we will bring you interviews and conversations as we seek better ways to understand, harness and deploy the expertise and knowledge of professionals currently within the design community, at home and abroad. Our guests are all experts on circularity within the building industry and share the aim to display that waste is not an accident but the consequence of decisions made at the design stage. Here is our opportunity. We, as designers, have an opportunity to do better.

In this interview, I meet with Ana and Jan of Studio Ludika, an emerging Icelandic based architectural and research practice. Ana is a born and bred Icelander, who teamed with the Polish born, Cario raised Jan, to establish Studio Ludika when living in the UK.

After years of practice, the duo shifted their office to Ana's home city of Reyjakvik, where their studio focuses on research and construction projects concurrently. Their multifaceted work combines research development and undertaking with the aim of introducing a more sustainable and self-sufficient way of building in Iceland, with a focus on alternative bio-based materials

I was particularly interested in speaking with Jan and Ana because of the many parallels can be drawn from Iceland as an island nation, to the scenario back at home on our island… Australia. Our island's similarly feature incredible natural wonders drawing in thousands of tourists. But our lands are also rich in natural assets, deemed ripe for exploitation, extraction and export across the globe.

Despite being rich in resources, research to date, suggests that the majority of materials being utilised in the average construction in Iceland, is brought in from abroad. Walking the docks, not too far from the city centre, you can see row after row of shipping container arriving full, and leaving empty. The city is building taller, sprawling further, and is full of grey, thick and solid concrete. Almost 70% of construction in Iceland is concrete based. A wild fact for a country with no local cement industry.

In our conversation, Ana and Jan lament that Icelanders we have forgotten how to build self sufficiently, living on an island completely reliant on carbon intensive material imports. Among other things, Ana and Jan comment on how Icelanders used to know how to build with what they had around them. In a country of very little trees for timber, they built within the landscapes. Grassy turf houses that raised and fell back into the earth. They note that at the time, it wasn't a glorious, but it worked. It kept it's inhabitants warmed, and safe through icy winters.

Now they dream of a day where locals don't have to rely on the outside world to provide most things, and where homes don't have to become hermetic capsules cut off from nature, through layers of synthetic materials with ever more complicated ways of cutting off the inside from the outside. Of a return to architecture which embraces the natural that surrounds it, and where buildings don't need to exploit, pollute and be dependent. But our conversation is a hopeful one. We discuss how the smallness of Iceland can become a driving force, and an advantage that bigger sprawling societies lack: agility.

Ludika is working towards a reality through experimentation, testing, and hopefully eventually through demonstrating with regular construction, that we can build differently to what has become the norm. Can Iceland be a trailbalizer in demonstrating that radical transformation in how we build is possible? If a small island nation can demonstrate this, perhaps the feat for larger nations will no longer be unimaginable….

This has been Again&Again&Again, a mini-series of Hearing Architecture, proudly sponsored by Brickworks, and made possible with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation. This episode was recorded during a period of residency with the SIM Icelandic Arts Association, Thank you so much for listening and thank you to our international guests Ana and Jan of Studio Ludika. Thank you for sharing your story and encouraging us to move towards a society where the buildings we raise, do not contribute to climate breakdown. We look forward to speaking with you again in the future.

Our sponsor Brickworks also produces architecture podcasts hosted by Tim Ross. You can find 'The Art of Living', 'Architects Abroad, and 'The Power of Two', at brickworks.com.au or your favourite podcast platform.

If you'd like to show your support please rate, review, and subscribe to Hearing Architecture in your favourite podcast app. If you want to know more about what the Australian Institute of Architects is doing to support architects and the community please visit architecture.com.au

This is a production by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. The miniseries Again&Again&Again is proudly supported by the Alstair Swayne Foundation. The Institute production team was Madelynn Jenkins, and Claudia McCarthy, and the EmAGN production team was Daniel Moore and Hilary Duff. Music by Blue Dot Sessions released under Creative Commons Licencing.

This content is brought to you by the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architects and Graduates Network, in collaboration with Open Creative Studio. This content does not take into account specific circumstances and should not be relied on in that way. This content does not constitute legal, financial, insurance, or other types of advice. You should seek independent verification or advice before relying on this content in circumstances where loss or damage may result. The Institute endeavours to publish content that is accurate at the time it is published, but does not accept responsibility for content that may or will become inaccurate over time.