Talking Place

In this episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin is joined by Devorah Block, founder of the Place Literacy Project, to explore why  ‘place’  sits at the nexusof today’s polycrisis,and how a shared language could unlock collaboration across the built environment, policy and the general public.

Together, they unpack what  ‘place literacy’  means, teh need for agreed definitions, why conversations across the built environment sectors often fail owing to a lack of a shared language, and how promoting incredible work already being done could help us create more inclusive, resilient, and democratic places.

From Devorah’s journey from art history and museums into strategic consulting for the Built Environment Trust, to her vision for a place literacy  framework and lexicon that bridges silos, this conversation challenges how we think about place, placemaking, and our own role in shaping the spaces we inhabit.

Discover:

• What “place literacy” is - and why it matters for everyone, not just practitioners and policy makers
• How siloed language and vertical barriers are holding back progress in the built environment
• The role of shared language in connecting climate, equity, migration, and other intertwined crises
• Why definitions of  ‘good’  places are never universal - and how they can change over time
• The lessons from projects like Civic Square in Birmingham that give true democratic agency to communities
• How the Place Literacy Project’s workshops are helping everyone from schoolchildren to policymakers engage with the complexity of place
  
  

Whether you’re an architect, planner, policymaker, developer, or community organiser, this episode will expand how you think about collaboration, language, and the future of our shared natural and built environments.

Join us as we ‘talk place’.

🔗 Links & Mentions:
 Learn more about the Place Literacy Project:
 Website: https://placeliteracy.org

Devorah Block:
 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devorah-block

To learn more about Tanisha – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanishaa
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @tanisha.rr
Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place – visit here:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
Website: https://www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
X (Twitter): @tppodcast_
Bluesky: @talkingplace
TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture – visit here:

Sign up for the Talking Place newsletter here:https://mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @_conceptculture
Instagram: @_conceptculture

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

In this episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin is joined by George Kekatos, Cultural Director at Futurecity, to explore the role of culture in shaping cities, from policy to placemaking.

Together, they unpack how cultural strategy can transform the built environment, unlock value and creativity in urban development, and build bridges between artists and developers.

From George’s roots in Athens to his work in London and beyond, this conversation is a powerful reminder that culture isn’t just an add-on - it’s foundational to meaningful place creation.

🎨 Discover:

• Why “culture isn’t decoration—it’s the heartbeat of a place”
• The power of culture to drive sustainability, social value, and regeneration
• How Futurecity turns cultural strategy into action
• The stories behind transformative mean while projects like Seed 130 Gallery in the City of London
• Why developers and artists need each other (and how to bridge the gap between them)
• George’s call for cities to value artists as economic drivers, not just creatives
  
  

Whether you’re an urban planner, artist, developer, or culture-lover, this episode will change how you see art and culture in the places and cities around you.

📍 Join us as we ‘talk place’.

🔗 Links & Mentions:

Learn more about Futurecity:
 Website: https://www.futurecity.co.uk
 Instagram: @futurecity_london
 Seed 130: https://www.seed130.co.uk
 George Kekatos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-kekatos-7a21a5159/

To learn more about Tanisha – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanishaa
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @tanisha.rr
Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
Website: https://www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
X (Twitter): @tppodcast_
Bluesky: @talkingplace
TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @_conceptculture
Instagram: @_conceptculture

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

In this episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin sits down with Philip Atkinson and Llinos Hughes from Orbit Architects to explore the real-world impact (and joy!) of transforming existing buildings.

Together, they explore how creative design thrives not despite, but because of, constraints, and why retrofit is a necessity for shaping the future of our cities.

Philip and Llinos share Orbit’s nearly exclusive focus on transforming existing buildings - working across hospitality, workplace, student accommodation, and residential sectors. With over 20 years in practice, they reflect on how adapting and reimagining old structures leads to more sustainable, context-aware, and community-rooted design.

Discover:

• Why people, not form, are at the heart of every successful place
• How Orbit champions retrofit-first thinking - from heritage restoration to creative reuse of space to unlock value
• Why constraints breed creativity and challenge architects to think deeper
• The stories behind retrofit projects such as 68 King William Street and The BoTree Hotel
• How Orbit built a diverse and collaborative studio culture - organically
  
  

Orbit’s work champions local material reuse, low-carbon strategies, and community-first design, demonstrating that retrofit isn’t just about compromise; it’s a creative act.

 🔹 Join us as we ‘talk place’.

Sign up for the Talking Place newsletter here:

https://mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

To learn more about Orbit – visit here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbit-architects/
Website:https://www.orbitarchitects.com/
Twitter: @orbitarchitects
Instagram: @orbitarchitects

To learn more about Tanisha – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanishaa
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @tanisha.rr
Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
Website: https://www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
X (Twitter): @tppodcast_
Bluesky: @talkingplace
TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @_conceptculture
Instagram: @_conceptculture

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

In this episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin heads to the Festival of Place 2025, live from Boxpark Wembley, to uncover the bold ideas, honest reflections, and emerging practices shaping the future of placemaking.

Framed around themes of equity, wellbeing, and intergenerational living, this special episode explores what happens when we move beyond performative placemaking and start designing with purpose, people, and justice at the core.

From reimagining housing for older people to building feminist cities, and from measuring wellbeing with flourishing indices to unlocking community-driven sustainability, this episode is packed with provocation, possibility, and practical imagination.

You’ll hear reflections on co-design, planning frustrations, placemaking buzzwords (we secretly love), and what a thriving neighborhood might actually look like in 2030 according to the architects, developers, policymakers, and rebels making it happen.

Whether you’re rethinking housing systems or just wondering how we build places where everyone belongs, this conversation challenges us all to be bolder, braver, and more inclusive in how we shape the world around us.

Join us as we ‘Talk Place’

A huge thank you to our guests:

 Simon Beck, Related Argent
 Jude Leighton, United Saviour’s Street Charity
 Charlotte Miller, Intergenerational England
 Sem Lee, Ouri Labs
 Imandeep Kaur, Civic Square
 Zoe Berman, Part W
 Ayo Abbas, Abbas Marketing
 Blossom, Poplar HARCA
 Sophie Trotman, Notting Hill Genesis
 Ramsey Yassa, Nooma Studio
 Soham De, Eco Responsive Design

To learn more about Tanisha – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanishaa
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @tanisha.rr
Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
Website: https://www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
X (Twitter): @tppodcast_
Bluesky: @talkingplace
TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture – visit here:
 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @_conceptculture
Instagram: @_conceptculture

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

In this episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin is joined by not one, but two incredible guests, Rumi Bose, urban designer and place shaping consultant , and Palak Jhunjhunwala, architect and co-founder of Beyond Design. Together they unpack what it means to move beyond “tick-box consultation” and deliver authentic, meaningful co-design.

From transforming Peveril Gardens in southeast London to a community hub, to creating a sustainable action plan for the Neasden Town Centre in northwest London, to developing a culturally rooted masterplan for a tyre manufacturing plant in India, Tanisha, Rumi, and Palak explore what it takes to build trust, create shared ownership, and tell richer stories of place. They share powerful reflections on centering local knowledge, respecting history, and working with “enlightened clients” to embed equity, empathy and sustainability into every layer of a project.

The conversation also touches on the challenges and opportunities of co-design, including what happens when there’s not enough time or budget, and how to manage expectations while still aiming for impact.

Whether you’re a planner, designer, developer, policymaker or community leader, this episode will leave you inspired to reimagine engagement and see co-design as a mindset, not just a methodology.

Join us as we Talk Place.

Sign up for the Talking Place newsletter here:
https://mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup


To learn more about Rumi – visit here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rumi-bose-0386a41a/

To learn more about Palak – visit here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/palakj/

To learn more about Tanisha – visit here:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanishaa
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @tanisha.rr
Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place – visit here:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place
Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
X: @tppodcast_
Bluesky: @talkingplace
TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture – visit here:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @_conceptculture
Instagram: @_conceptculture

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

In this episode of Talking Place, Clare —urban health campaigner, housing expert, and founder of Listen 2 Locals—joins host Tanisha Raffiuddin to explore the powerful connection between public health and the places we design, live in, and spend our everyday lives. Clare shares how her work in housing, architecture, and healthcare led her to campaign for more equitable and health-creating urban environments. Drawing on her collaborations with the Institute of Health Equity and insights from Sir Michael Marmot’s groundbreaking research on the principles to deliver ‘Marmot Places’, Clare unpacks the structural inequalities baked into the built environment—and how we can begin to shift them.

The conversation explores why 85% of our health outcomes are shaped by where and how we live, and what it means to design places that prevent illness, reduce stress, and promote joy and connection. Clare introduces bold ideas for the future, including more accessible Health Impact Assessments, a ‘Build for Health’, framework to create health rather than cure it, and the power of storytelling in public health advocacy.

Whether you’re a planner, developer, public health practitioner, or place-based strategist, this episode offers essential reflections on why building for health is the next frontier of city-making.

Join us as we ‘Talk Place’.

💡 Learn more about the ideas mentioned in this episode:

🔗 Marmot Places:
 https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/taking-action/marmot-places

📘 Health is Made at Home, Hospitals are for Repairs by Lord Nigel Crisp:
 Buy the Book

📝 Claire’s writing:
 Listen 2 Locals

To learn more about Clare – visit here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claredelmar/?originalSubdomain=uk

To learn more about Tanisha – visit here:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanishaa
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @tanisha.rr
Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place – visit here:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place
Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
X: @tppodcast_
Bluesky: @talkingplace
TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture – visit here:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @_conceptculture
Instagram: @_conceptculture

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

In this special solo episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin, Creative Director of Concept Culture, shares her reflections from the inaugural SXSW London 2025—a bold and buzzing fusion of tech, culture, design, and storytelling.

As a festival known for its intersectional approach, SXSW’s arrival in London was more than a cultural moment—it was a lens into what the future of place might look like when the creative economy meets public space, policy, and innovation.

Through keynotes by global icons like Jane Goodall, Idris Elba, Sam Ryder, Björn Ulvaeus, and Wyclef Jean, Tanisha unpacks how imagination, equity, technology, and authenticity are reshaping how we design and experience place.


Key Themes:
Place as more than physical—it's emotional, immersive, and digital
Culture as essential civic infrastructure
Technology that feels and listens, not just scales
Intersectionality as a driver of meaningful innovation
Storytelling as a foundational tool for place identity

Featured Mentions & Quotes:
🗣 “If we lose hope, we become apathetic.” – Jane Goodall
🧠 “Your imagination is expensive.” – Idris Elba
🎶 “Authenticity is not a trend. It’s a survival strategy.” – Sam Ryder
🧬 “AI is an extension of your mind.” – Björn Ulvaeus
🔥 “Don’t compromise your roots.” – Wyclef Jean
📚 “You can’t fool Wikipedians.” – Jimmy Wales

Connect with us:
Concept Culture: www.conceptculture.co
Talking Place Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
Tanisha on LinkedIn: Tanisha Raffiuddin
Tanisha’s Instagram: @tanisha.rr
Email: [email protected]

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

In this episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin heads to UKREiiF 2025 in Leeds to hear directly from the voices shaping the future of our built environment.
Framed around one powerful question—“What does the place of the future look like?”—this special edition of ‘REiiFlections’ gathers insights from across the public, private, cultural, and development sectors.

From democratic housing models and funding reform, to culture-led regeneration and shifting power to local communities, this episode captures the energy and urgency behind the ideas that could transform the way we live, build, and belong.
The result is a rich, thought-provoking tapestry of perspectives on collaboration, equity, affordability, and design justice—all grounded in real-world experience.
Whether you're an architect, planner, policymaker, developer, artist, or activist, this conversation challenges you to rethink how we shape the places we call home—and who gets to shape them.

Join us as we ‘Talk Place’.

A huge thank you to our guests:
Anthea Harries, Related Argent
Sarah James, West of England Combined Authority
Laura Dyer, Arts Council England
Selina Mason, Lendlease
Kristofer Adelaide, Kristofer Adelaide Architect
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire
Sara Wajid, Birmingham Museums Trust
Andrea Mills-Taylor, Bradford Council
Andrea Carpenter, Diversity Talks Real Estate
David Lomax, Waugh Thistleton Architects
Kelly Hillman, Vistry Group
Saul Collyns, British Land
Manisha Patel, KPK Studio
Chitra Marsh, Buttress

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

In this episode of Talking Place, Rosa Rogina, Director of the London Festival of Architecture (LFA), joins host Tanisha Raffiuddin to explore the evolving role of city wide architecture festivals in shaping inclusive, responsive, and people-centered cities.

Rosa shares her journey from architecture student in Croatia to curating one of the world’s largest citywide architecture festivals in London. With a background in research, teaching, and curation, Rosa discusses how architecture is more than just buildings—it’s about activating the public realm, celebrating difference, and listening to the diverse voices that make a city thrive.

Discover how the LFA continues to evolve as a collaborative platform that connects communities, challenges norms, and fosters experimentation—from performative events and pop-up benches to citywide storytelling. Rosa also reflects on the emotional layers of place, her love for the Island of Rab in Croatia, and why disagreement should be embraced in the design process.
Whether you're a designer, policymaker, student, or urban enthusiast, this conversation offers powerful insights into how cities can be shaped by and for the people who inhabit them.

Join us as we ‘Talk Place’.

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup

In this episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin sits down with Cllr. Kemi Akinola, the Deputy Leader of Wandsworth Council, to explore how culture, placemaking, and community-led leadership are shaping the future of one of London’s most dynamic boroughs.

From tackling food insecurity to investing in youth, the Deputy Leader shares her unique journey from grassroots activism to political leadership, offering insight into how local government can serve as a catalyst for genuine community transformation. As Wandsworth begins its tenure as London Borough of Culture 2025, Cllr Akinola reflects on how cultural investment can foster inclusion, creativity, and pride, making places that truly belong to everyone.

The conversation touches on community ownership of the built environment, fair access to housing, good landlord certifications and licences and why culture must go beyond performances and events to embed itself meaningfully in the life of a borough. Cllr Akinola's vision for Wandsworth is one where fairness, access, and community voices are placed at the heart of regeneration and growth.

Whether you're working in local government, development, placemaking, or cultural programming, or simply interested in how culture and politics intersect to shape better places, this episode offers real-world insights into building fairer, more vibrant communities from the ground up.

Join us as we ‘talk place’.

Support the show

To learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/
• Website: www.conceptculture.co
• Instagram: @tanisha.rr

To learn more about Talking Place:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
• Website: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
• Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
• Bluesky: @talkingplace
• TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast

To learn more about Concept Culture:

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
• Website: www.conceptculture.co

Sign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup