Jon interviews Doug Hodgson about balancing mental health and professional success in the high-pressure field of architecture. They discuss Doug's experiences and philosophies on workplace wellbeing, sustainability, and collaboration. Doug talks about the impact of his outdoor hobbies and the vital need for greater kindness and inclusion in the industry. The conversation highlights the mental health crisis in architecture, the overwhelming demands on professionals, and the toxic culture in architectural education and practice. Doug emphasises the importance of specialising and collaborating to maintain mental health and professional satisfaction. The episode aims to raise awareness and encourage discussions on improving mental health and wellbeing for architectural professionals.

Today's Guest...

Doug Hodgson is an Architect and leads the Retrofit agenda for New-works, a practice he co-founded to explore a new way of working, based on the principles of specialism and collaboration, wellbeing and sustainability - with a fundamental belief that wellbeing in the workplace generates better relationships and better architecture. Prior to New-works, Doug had co-founded TDO, was a Design Fellow at Cambridge University, and in 2020 was named in The Architects’ Journal 40 under 40. Doug is passionate about improving mental health and wellbeing, and has found from his own experience of being proudly openly gay that there’s an urgent need for greater kindness, understanding, and inclusion in the construction industry to make the profession more relevant.

Episode Highlights...

00:00 Introduction

01:02 Meet Doug Hodgson: Redefining Workplace Wellbeing

02:11 The Allotment: A Sanctuary During COVID

05:40 Sustainability and Regenerative Materials in Architecture

06:39 The Mental Health Crisis in Architecture

12:02 The Impact of Architectural Education on Wellbeing

21:46 Specialisation and Collaboration: A New Approach

28:55 Next Steps

Key Takeaways...

Importance of Mental Health in Architecture:

   - The interview emphasises the critical state of mental health within the architecture profession. Jon and Doug discuss how overwhelming workloads, long hours, and unrealistic expectations can severely impact mental and physical well-being, leading to burnout.

Need for Industry-wide Change:

   - To address the mental health crisis, a structural change is necessary within the profession and its education system. Doug highlights that the root of many mental health issues stems from the highly demanding and often abusive culture of architectural education. This oppressive environment is carried into professional practice, resulting in exploitative working conditions. Reform in both education and professional practices is needed.

Specialisation and Collaboration:

   - Doug advocates for architects to specialise in areas they are passionate about and excel in, rather than trying to cover all aspects of a project. Collaborative efforts between specialised practices can lead to more effective and enjoyable work environments. This approach can help mitigate the overwhelming demands often placed on individual architects, contributing to better mental health and work-life balance.

Links Mentioned In The Episode...

Learn more about New-Works

Connect with Doug on LinkedIn

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In The Next Episode...

Hear the conclusion of Jon and Doug’s conversation.