Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

Today, I’m joined by a true industry trailblazer, Smith Mordak.

Smith is an award-winning architect, engineer and writer, working across disciplines to realise a regenerative economy and built environment.

As former Director of Sustainability & Physics at Buro Happold, a one-time steering committee member at Architects Declare, and a current board member of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy (to name just a few of their past and present roles) – Smith has a long-standing reputation for driving industry action on climate change.

Their work in this field began a new chapter in July 2023 when Smith was appointed Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC).

In this episode, we talk about driving forward strategies for an equitable transition to a sustainable built environment, some of the cultural and political levers needed to enable change, and the importance of breaking down industry silos.

Smith also offers up some valuable tips for maintaining personal optimism and resilience in the face of global crisis.

Hope you enjoy the listen.

Resources

• The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) https://ukgbc.org/ 
• UKGBC Systems Change Programme https://ukgbc.org/news/turning-the-tide-against-business-as-usual-ukgbcs-systems-change-programme/ 
• Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity https://cusp.ac.uk/ 
• Governing the Commons by Elinor Ostrom https://www.waterstones.com/book/governing-the-commons/elinor-ostrom/randall-calvert/9780521405997 
• The Dawn of Everything – A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/314162/the-dawn-of-everything-by-wengrow-david-graeber-and-david/9780141991061 
• Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey https://thenapministry.com 
• The Nap Ministry @thenapministry on Instagram

LinkedIn: Smith Mordak, UK Green Building Council (UKGBC)
Twitter: @SmithMordak @UKGBC
Instagram: @smithmordak

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Welcome back to Stand Tall. This episode’s a bit different to our usual conversations. Today, I’m excited to share my own stand tall moment with you. 

Back in April 2023, I travelled to Malawi to lead a Women’s Partnership Challenge trip with Orbis Expeditions, a travel company specialising in sustainable tourism. 

The 10 day trip is for women, of all ages and backgrounds, who itch to have real purpose in their adventure. 

From a wildlife safari and eco-island stay to partnerships with female entrepreneurs and students - each experience is designed to benefit the local people, economy, and environment.

But the trip also aims to take travellers out of their comfort zones with personal challenges including a hike up Malawi’s highest mountain. 

This really was a trip of a lifetime and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to share my experiences with you. I hope you enjoy listening to the moments I captured during my time there. 

Resources 

• Orbis Expeditions https://www.orbis-expeditions.com/
• Sign up to The Women’s Partnership Challenge to Malawi in April 2024 https://www.orbis-expeditions.com/womens-partnership-challenge-malawi
• Stand Tall with Rachel Bell: Kate Webb, Owner of Orbis Expeditions & The Responsible Safari Company https://www.buzzsprout.com/2007620/12643659
• Blantyre: Malawi’s second largest city https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/blantyre-limbe/
• Thyolo (pronounced “Cho’lo”) Fair Trade Tea Estate https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/thyolo-tea-estates/
• Mount Mulanje https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/mount-mulanje/
• Liwonde National Park https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/liwonde-national-park/
• Rainbow Hope Secondary School – STEM Build Malawi Documentary by IET https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agj3Msy7wqk
• Lake Malawi https://www.malawitourism.com/experiences/lake/
• Blue Zebra Island Lodge https://bluezebra.mw/

Twitter: @OrbisExp
Instagram: @orbisexp

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

I’m thrilled to welcome Neil Pinder to the show today. Neil is an award-winning educator and activist on a mission to demystify and diversify the architectural profession. 

For over 25 years, Neil has taught in a number of inner-city schools and is currently Head of Product Design and Architecture at Graveney School in south London, where he introduced Architecture to the curriculum.

He is a trustee of Thornton Education Trust and Blueprint for All (formerly the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust). He’s an honorary professor at the Bartlett School of Architecture, and also an Arkwright interviewer for a prestigious engineering scholarship.

However, Neil is perhaps best known for the many initiatives he has spearheaded to inspire and support a new and diverse generation of young designers into the creative industries. These include Celebrating Architecture, HomeGrown Plus, GLAM (Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Architecture and me) and the transatlantic architectural exchange programme NY-LON.

In this episode, we talk about the importance of creativity in education, the power of early role models, plus why networks matter. And, we of course dig deeper into Neil’s wonderful world of initiatives designed to make architecture more accessible and representative of wider society.

Resources 

• Architects’ Journal, Neil Pinder wins AJ100 Contribution to the Profession award https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/neil-pinder-wins-aj100-contribution-to-the-profession-award-2022 
• Report - Developing the next generation of Black and Global Majority leaders for London schools by Rosemary Campbell-Stephens https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257922356_Developing_the_next_generation_of_Black_and_Global_Majority_leaders_for_London_schools 
• Education, Architecture and the Trojan Horse by Neil Pinder for the Roca Gallery http://www.rocagallery.com/education-architecture-and-the-trojan-horse 
• Thornton Education Trust  https://www.thorntoneducationtrust.org/ 
• Blueprint for All https://www.blueprintforall.org/ 
• Open City https://open-city.org.uk/ 

Neil’s Initiatives 

• HomeGrown Plus https://homegrownplus.co.uk/ 
• NYLON https://homegrownplus.co.uk/project/ny-lon-2022/ 
• Celebrating Architecture  https://architecturefoundation.org.uk/events/celebrating-architecture 
• GLAM Goes Global https://homegrownplus.co.uk/project/glam-goes-global/

LinkedIn: neil-pinder-817786a3 
Twitter: NeilPinder5
Instagram: @homegrownplus @celebratingarchitecture @glam_goes_global

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Today, I’m joined by Robbie Turner - Director of Inclusion & Diversity at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

He was appointed by the RIBA in November 2022 to “ensure the architecture profession – and its systems and structures – are underpinned by inclusive values, actions, and policies”.

Robbie is a pharmacist by trade with extensive experience in pharmaceutical management. In 2018, he became Executive Director of Member Experience at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and spent four years developing their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy.

Only months into his current role with the RIBA - and as a newcomer to the industry - I was keen to chat to Robbie about his move into architecture, his first impressions of the profession and the current state of EDI, as well as his plans to deliver positive change over the coming years.

Resources 

• Royal Institute of British Architects: https://www.architecture.com/ 
• Inspiring The Future #RedrawTheBalance. A film capturing how young children define career opportunities as male and female early in their education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv8VZVP5csA  
• White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo https://www.waterstones.com/book/white-fragility/robin-diangelo/9780141990569 

Twitter:  @RobbieMTurner @RIBA
LinkedIn:  robbie-turner-b57a5827

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

On International Women’s Day, I am delighted to launch Season 3 of Stand Tall with my first guest Susannah Walker.

In 2021, Susannah - along with Imogen Clark - co-founded Make Space for Girls, a charity that campaigns for better public spaces for teenage girls.

Research shows that girls and young women are overwhelmingly excluded from public spaces. Parks and multi-use game areas are often planned and designed for stereotypical boys. Think skateparks, BMX tracks and football pitches. As a result, parks are dominated by boys, and girls are left feeling unwelcome, insecure, and often unsafe.

Susannah and her colleagues are on a mission to turn this around. Through research and engagement, Make Space for Girls is working to ensure the voices of girls and young women are heard in the planning process.

In this episode, I ask: what does better look like? Is there a one-size-fits all solution? And, how can councils, developers and design professionals embrace change so that public spaces are more inclusive, not just for girls but for everyone.

Resources 

• Make Space for Girls: https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/
• LSE Cities: Are girls being designed out of public spaces?
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGY0arU-U2U 
• Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez (book) https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/
• What does better look like? https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/what-does-better-look-like 
• Brickfields Park, Bath: Report on Engagement
  https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/resources/report-on-brickfields-park-bath 
• Good practice case study: Vienna
  https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/case-studies/vienna 
• Good practice case study: Umeå
  https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/case-studies/umea 
• Sport England, Active Design Guidance 2023 [Draft] – “It’s basically guidance for creating what Caroline Criado Perez would call a ‘default male landscape’.” – Susannah Walker
  https://www.sportengland.org/guidance-and-support/facilities-and-planning/design-and-cost-guidance/active-design 
• Equality Act 2010 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents 
• Parkwatch with Make Space for Girls is happening 27-29th May 2023. Follow them on Twitter and Instagram for regular updates. 

Twitter @MakeSpaceforGi1
Instagram @make_space_for_girls 
LinkedIn susannah-walker-9b22603b

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Season 3 returns in March 2023 to bring you more fast-paced and candid conversations with trailblazers across property, architecture, construction, and engineering.  Discover the journeys they have taken to get where they are now and hear about their Stand Tall moments. 

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Joining me for the final episode of Season 2 is Martin Prince-Parrott.

Martin is the Founder and Managing Director of SUB\URBAN WORKSHOP which he describes as a ‘thoroughly modern ESG-led real estate developer’.

With an award-winning architectural background and a firm belief that property should enrich lives, Martin is on a mission to transform the suburbs by creating healthy, low-carbon, and tech-enabled communities.

In this episode, we discuss ‘future-fit’ cyborg buildings, sustainable development as a ‘team sport’, the next phase of diversity in property, and his forthcoming book which reveals the relationship between healthy cities and the pounds and pence.

So, let’s meet Martin...

Resources 

• SUB\URBAN WORKSHOP: https://www.wearesuburbanworkshop.com/
• Martin’s rethinking of the word ‘retrofit’ is examined by the Architects Journal:
  https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/opinion/do-we-need-a-new-word-for-retrofit 
• DeepMind - Solving intelligence to advance science and benefit humanity: https://www.deepmind.com/ 
• In episode 141 of PropCast: The Property Podcast,
• Martin expresses his views on diversity in the property industry and says, whilst it has come a long way, there is still much more to do: https://www.propertyweek.com/analysis/the-next-frontier-in-diversity-is-levelling-the-field-of-senior-leadership/5121412.article 
• University of Liverpool ‘Park-onomics: The Value of Healthy Places’ guest lecture by Martin Prince-Parrott:
  https://stream.liv.ac.uk/hetfqpt3 

Twitter @MPrinParr / @SubUrbanREDev
Instagram @mpp_property / @suburban_re
LinkedIn martin-prince-parrott-esg-developer-architect

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

This week, I’m joined by my friend and colleague Rob Delius who is Head of Sustainability at Stride Treglown.

Earlier this year, Rob completed an epic 1250 mile walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End. For three months he lived alone and largely off grid, walking up to 20 miles each day and sleeping in a tent most nights.

Since his return to work in August, I’ve been keen to invite him onto the show to find out more about his adventure: the highlights, the challenges, and the revelations…

Rob has always been passionate about sustainability and placemaking - and we cover some of his many ‘big ideas’ in this conversation – but it’s clear to me that this trip has intensified his sense of responsibility to nature and people, something which is already feeding into his work as an architect and change-maker.

Tune in to be utterly inspired.

Resources 

• The Salt Path by Raynor Winn: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-salt-path/raynor-winn/9781405937184  
• Landlines by Raynor Winn: https://www.waterstones.com/book/landlines/raynor-winn/2928377094997 
• Walking with Plato: A Philosophical Hike Through the British Isles by Gary Hayden: https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781786071057 
• Unlost – Gail Muller: https://gailmuller.com/my-book-unlost/ 
• Rob Delius’ JOGLE trip photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/196031146@N02/ 
• Ken Yeang – Malaysian architect: https://www.ribaj.com/culture/hindsight-ken-yeang-hamzah-yeang-climate-action-ecological-design 
• 52 Big Ideas for Bristol: https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/52-big-ideas-for-bristol/ 
• Therapeutic City Festival: https://stridetreglown.com/the-therapeutic-city-festival-launches-in-bath/ 
• Waters of Bath: http://www.watersofbath.org/ 
• Sinking House: https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/sinking-house/ 
• Climate Action Relay: https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/climate-action-relay/ 
• Architecture IS: https://www.architectureis.org.uk/about 
• Urban greening pop up exhibition in Bath: https://twitter.com/RobDelius/status/1583466218304200704 

Twitter @RobDelius
LinkedIn robert-delius-9a299912

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

My guest today is Alice Williams, Vice President of Strategy at Schneider Electric – a global company leading the digital transformation of energy management and automation for greater efficiency and sustainability.

Alice has a fascinating background. Initially training as an aeronautical engineer, she worked her way up through the ranks of the British Army, specialising in intelligence and reconnaissance work. In 2019, she transitioned into the world of business and has since become a key voice for gender equality and female representation in traditionally male-dominated industries.

Stay tuned for discussions around squiggly career paths, “model” soldiers, STEM blinkers, and invisible women.

Resources 

• Schneider Electric UK: https://www.se.com/uk/en/  
• Squiggly Careers podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/squiggly-careers/id1202842065 
• The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity by Lynda Gratton & Andrew Scott: https://www.100yearlife.com/ 
• PwC study: Women in Work 2022 - Building an inclusive workplace in a net zero world: https://www.pwc.co.uk/economic-services/WIWI/pwc-women-in-work-index-2022.pdf 
• TECH LIVE London: Recrafting the STEM narrative with Alice Williams (ref: female fashion designer who makes clothes using orchids): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvbS-NfL1IE 
• Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez (book):  https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/
• Visible Women with Caroline Criado Perez (podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/visible-women-with-caroline-criado-perez/id1627229311
• Amblers Sophie Ladies Safety Shoe (site shoes exclusively designed for women by diversity champion, Sophie Lydia Smith): https://safpro.co.uk/product/amblers-sophie-ladies-safety-shoe/ 

LinkedIn: alice-williams-15a312162 
Twitter: @SchneiderUKI
Instagram: @schneiderelectric

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

In this episode of Stand Tall, we turn the spotlight on issues close to many people’s hearts: mental health, mindfulness, design quality, life post-pandemic… and how you can write a book – by accident!

That by no means sums up my guest, Ben Channon, but does give you a quick overview of the many topics we cover in this fascinating interview with “The Mindful Architect”.

Ben is an architect and Director at Ekkist, author, TEDx Speaker, WELL Accredited Professional, and co-founder of The Architects’ Mental Wellbeing Forum. His insights and experiences really resonated with me, and I hope they do with you too.

Resources 

• Ekkist: www.ekkist.co  
• WELL Certification: https://www.wellcertified.com/  
• Happy by Design: A Guide to Architecture and Mental Wellbeing: https://www.ribabooks.com/Happy-by-Design-A-Guide-to-Architecture-and-Mental-Wellbeing_9781859468784   
• The Happy Design Toolkit: Architecture for Better Mental Wellbeing: https://www.ribabooks.com/-4The-Happy-Design-Toolkit-Architecture-for-Better-Mental-Wellbeing_9781859469866   
• TEDx Cardiff University: One Simple Idea to improve mental wellbeing world-wide (“Desking explained”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ_qNV20IvY 
• Paddy Pimblett, UFC London post fight interview (2:02): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtwJlQlGfxY  
• The Architects’ Mental Wellbeing Forum: https://www.amwf.co.uk/

Twitter: @mindfularchi, @_ekkist
Instagram: @benchannon, @_ekkist
LinkedIn: ben-channon-04295267

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall