Open City

This week Merlin Fulcher is joined by journalist and YouTuber Jon Stone to discuss the week's major stories in architecture and the built environment:

Ministers warned UK housing crisis threatens the economy and NHS recovery // How 2025 could be transformative for London cycling // A new study suggests doubling London St Pancras International’s capacity // And could the Palace of Westminster witness a catastrophic Notre Dame-style inferno?

To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.

The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.

The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.

The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

De-constructed is Open City's brand new podcast which explores buildings, places, landscapes and communities, taking apart their architecture piece by piece to better understand what makes them so compelling.

Each month, Matthew Lloyd Robert is joined by a different guest and transported to a location of their choice, that reveals something about the past, present and future of the built environment in London and beyond. 

Paying tribute to ancient and new, remarkable and everyday, we will help you see these city landmarks with fresh eyes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Merlin Fulcher is joined by Peter Murray OBE, the co-founder of New London Architecture to discuss the week's major stories in architecture and the built environment:

Angela Rayner approves M&S’s contentious Oxford Street redevelopment // Keir Starmer sets down new Housing and Infrastructure pledges  // New data shows average house prices are no longer affordable on average incomes // And just how safe are the City of London’s streets for pedestrians and cyclists?

To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.

The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.

The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.

The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Merlin Fulcher is joined by the author, columnist and SAVE founding trustee Simon Jenkins to discuss: 

Smithfields meat market closes for good after 850 years // Councils raise concerns over unrealistic government housing targets // Brighton’s i360 enters administration // And cycling in London booms more than 25 per cent in the past five years

To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.

The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.

The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.

The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Sahiba Chadha is joined by award winning architect Gurmeet Sian, to discuss: 

Government design champion, the Office for Place is scrapped // New powers for councils to tackle empty High Street units // Angela Rayner massively restricts right to buy for new council homes // And a new campaign by the Twentieth Century Society to list recent buildings which are … ‘coming of age’ 

To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.

The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.

The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.

The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Fran Williams is joined by Ramsey Yassa, an architect and founding director of NOOMA studio, to discuss: 

UK architects facing scrutiny amid reports of 21,000 Saudi worker deaths // ACME takes over and reveals scaled-back Liverpool St station revamp plans // Mouldy, hard-to-heat rental homes spell royal scandal for Prince William // And is the architectural profession facing the precipice amid a major exodus of talent

To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.

The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.

The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.

The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Merlin Fulcher is joined by the architectural worker, writer and editors of the magazine Failed Architecture to discuss: 

Rachel Reeves commits £500 million pounds more for affordable housing // Leading economist calls on Labour to spend large on arts and culture projects // David Chipperfield’s Chinese Embassy plans called in by Angela Rayner // And reflecting on the centenary of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley

To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.

The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.

The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.

The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Sahiba Chadha is joined by the architect Tara Gbolade to discuss: 

Rachel Reeves' £1 billion boost for council housing in the autumn budget // How planning reform and design codes could help create 1.5 million homes // Calls for the government to engage more with architects on retrofit // And the architecture critic, Joseph Rykwert, has died aged 98

To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.

The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.

The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.

The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Fran Williams is joined by the architectural journalist Amy Frearson to discuss: 

The Elizabeth Line comes out on top at this year’s RIBA Stirling Prize // Government housing targets branded ‘unrealistic’ by local authorities // The Olympic Park gets a refresh with a new public space for young women and girls // And the £4 million pound battle for Bethnal Green Working Men's Club

To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.

The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.

The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.

The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Merlin Fulcher is joined by the architect David Ogunmuyiwa to discuss:

A luxury Croydon tower needing ‘extensive’ remediation after only two years // The president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Muyiwa Oki announces a rebrand // Mayor picks top names for London’s new ‘town architects’ // And the campaign to see 11 Jubilee Line stations given protected heritage status

To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City friend by clicking here.

The Brief is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau. Bureau is a co-working space for creatives offering a new approach to membership workspace. Bureau prioritises not just room to think and do, but also shared resources and space to collaborate. To book a free day pass follow this link.

The Brief is produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, and the C20 Society.

The Brief is also supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.