Shows / Open City
Open City
Open City is a charity dedicated to making architecture and built heritage more open, accessible and equitable.
Providing you with essential listening, inspiring voices and built environment insights – the Open City Podcast covers news and current events as well as in depth studies of landmark buildings, and cities around the UK and world.
At the centre of our line-up is our flagship show The Brief – an award-winning review of the big stories in architecture, planning and housing news – hosted…
Episodes
Open CityMuseums, memorials, and mounds with Gillian Darley
David Adjaye’s controversial Holocaust memorial approved following inquiry; the Garden Museum reveals Lambeth Green pavilion finalists; Visitors to MVRDV’s…
Open CityThe Londown Special Episode: What's this all about?
Twenty five episodes in, Phineas Harper looks back at the show so far and asks: 'what's this all about?' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
Open Citylonely, and stressed: how the pandemic has impacted architecture students - with Will Ing
A shock survey reveals the pandemic’s devastating impact on architecture students; New York’s Selldorf Architects picked to rethink London’s National Gallery…
Open CityWhy are EU architect applications plunging? With Eddie Blake
Plunging EU-applications send UK-Architect-numbers into a tailspin, controversial new plans for former site of UK’s largest women's prison, the Conservatives’…
Open CityLondon's swimming culture with 20th Century Society president Catherine Slessor
Dive into London's swimming culture with Merlin, and 20th Century Society President, Catherine Slessor this week on the Londown. Shock as Croydon blocks sale…
Open CityAntepavilion arrests, and the London architects behind huge new Moscow redevelopment with Will Hurst
This week Zoe spoke with Will Hurst, the managing editor of the AJ. Together they discussed the police raid of Hackney’s annual Antepavilion site, Robert…
Open CityOxford circus rethink, planning reforms, and Charles Jencks’ Cosmic House with Edwin Heathcote
This week Merlin spoke with Edwin Heathcote, the architecture and design critic at the Financial Times. They discuss a new competition looking to design a…
Open CityFour years on from Grenfell. With Ella Jessel
This week was the four year anniversary of the Grenfell disaster, and Merlin reflects on Architecture's response with journalist Ella Jessel. Also on the menu…
Open CityAudio Walking Tour of Marylebone
Listen to Open City’s on-demand audio tour of Marylebone, one of central London’s most attractive and atmospheric neighbourhoods and home to The Howard de…
Open CityThe Serpentine Pavilion, and diversity in the RIBA with Shawn Adams
This week Merlin caught up with Shawn Adams - writer, architectural designer, and cofounder of POoR Collective. They discuss Sumayya Vally's long-awaited…
Open CityThe Londown | 03 June | with Barnabas Calder
This week Zoe catches up with architectural historian Barnabas Calder. They discuss a new contest seeking radical cycle infrastructure concepts, Catherine…
Open CityA review of this years Venice Biennale with Olly Wainwright
This week Merlin speaks with Olly Wainwright - the architecture and design critic at the Guardian - about his recent visit to this years’ Venice Biennale. Also…
Open CityWhitechapel Bell Foundry redevelopment and new Open City 'Public House' book with Hettie O'Brien
Merlin speaks with Guardian journalist Hettie O'Brien about her investigations into the contentious Whitechapel Bell Foundry redevelopment approved by the…
Open CityBritish Pavilion opening and huge Tory planning reforms with Maddie Kessler
This week Merlin speaks with Maddie Kessler, co-curator of The Garden of Privatised Delights pavilion at the Venice Biennale opening next week. Also on the…
Open CityWhat does Sadiq Khan mean for London? With Owen Hatherley
Sadiq Khan set for landslide victory winning a second term as London mayor, Open City trustees win job to design 8 billion pound Thamesmead redevelopment…
Open CityThe Alternative Mayoral Election
Public fruit orchards in the Royal Parks. A ban on politicians standing for mayor of London. Libraries to serve pints of beer and the decriminalisation of soft…
Open CitySkyscrapers and the Silvertown Tunnel. With Will Ing
City of London opens the way for more skyscrapers, academics demand an ‘emergency review’ of Silvertown Tunnel, London Festival of Architecture boss leaves for…
Open CityThe Londown | 22 April | Dave Hill
An in-depth comparison of the election manifestos of London's mayoral election candidates, studies shows no slowdown in skyscraper approvals despite the…
Open CitySlavery and the City | the Jamaica Wine House | Episode 3
In this third and final episode, Selasi is joined by Akil Scafe-Smith, a member of the interdisciplinary design team Resolve. In this round table discussion…
Open CityThe Londown | 15 April | Amanda Baillieu
Six finalists vying to upgrade the National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing, two winners announced for this year’s Antepavilion, campaigners urge London’s mayor to…
Open CitySlavery and the City | Guildhall & the Zong massacre | Episode 2
In this episode we speak with academic Anita Rupprecht from the University of Brighton, specialising in interconnected histories and representations of British…
Open CityThe Londown | 08 April | Phineas Harper
London architect hit with online abuse for criticising Georgian new builds, Square Mile skyscraper set for record £1.8bn sale despite the Work from Home boom…
Open CitySlavery and the City | Royal Exchange | Episode 1
In this episode, we speak to Kehinde Andrews, Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University and the author of ‘The new age of empire: how racism and…
Open CityThe Londown | 1 April | With Ewa Effiom
Parliament launches a major inquiry into whole life carbon, the slavery links of City landmarks explored in a new Open City Podcast, Stirling Prize winner…
Open CityThe Londown | 25 March | With Ella Jessel
Architectural assistants speak out over poor pay and conditions. Developer rebuilds Maida Vale pub six years after pulling it down'. A parliamentary inquiry…
Open CityThe Londown | 18 Mar | With Oonagh Ryder
New restrictions on protests in public spaces, Sarah Everard’s murder and vigil shines a light on spatial inequality, and France’s anti-demolition architects…
Open CityThe Londown | 11 Mar | With Hettie O'Brien
London Plan finally published after watering down by government, a social housing architect wins the prestigious MJ Long Prize, RIBA unearths ‘lost’ lectures…
Open CityThe Londown | 4 March | With Jonn Elledge
A budget for rising house prices, London air pollution narrowly misses a new peak, gender neutral toilets targeted in new building regs consultation, a housing…
Open CityBarbican redevelopment and row over ‘poor cores’ in Walthamstow. With Lucy Watson
Barbican Centre heading for major renewal after Centre for Music scrapped, a row over ‘poor cores’ in Walthamstow, the Church of England promises ‘generous’…
Open CityMVRDV's Marble Arch Mound. With Catherine Slessor
A competition to rethink National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing, the team behind New York’s Highline chosen for the Camden Highline, a 25-metre tall mound proposed…
Open CityDemolition go-ahead for Cressingham Gardens. With Will Ing.
Demolition go-ahead for Brixton’s iconic Cressingham Gardens, a double blow for planning as trailblazer Finn Williams leaves for Sweden and sensational YouTube…
Open CityThe Londown | Feb 3 | This week in London's architecture
Protestors tunnelling under Euston Square, enormous British Library extension plans, and warning sounds over jobs in the centre of the capital – Merlin Fulcher…
Open CityIs land to blame for the housing crisis?
Why do we agree to pay extortionate prices for poor quality housing, and will this ever change?In this episode we are joined by Alastair Parvin, founder of…
Open CityThe Old Kent Road: Is there room on the gravy train for everyone? 2/2
For this second part of our two-part episode we continue exploring all the amazing work local people are doing to create spaces and opportunities to thrive in…
Open CityOld Kent Road: Is there room on the gravy train for everyone? 1/2
In this two part episode we will be learning about one of London's most important roads, Old Kent Road, and the work that local people are doing to make sure…
Open CityPublic Transport: What do bus drivers really think of you?
In this episode we will be discussing how our modes of transport have changed - what works, what doesn’t and what is still needed to make our journeys…
Open CityThe Fast Consumer City: can a sandwich really run the city?
How can a cheddar and pickle baguette shape our city? Why does a £3 flat white make a difference to how open a city is? This episode looks at the work and…
Open CityWould young people design a better London for us all?
"In this Open House special episode we will be talking about how young people are currently shut out of the conversation about planning and regeneration and…
Open CityLighting up London's bridges
Hosts Merlin Fulcher and Lara Kinneir will be talking about the architecture of London’s bridges. Specifically this episode will be focussing on Illuminated…
Open CityWhy is Architecture so Political?
In this episode Merlin Fulcher and Arman Nouri are joined by Emma Dent Coad, former Labour MP for Kensington to discuss why architecture and housing is so…
Open CityUnleashing Londoners' imagination
In this Open House special episode we will be talking about how imagination -- such as myths which celebrate our real or fictional past -- can transform how we…
Open CityRethinking London's Green Spaces
In this Open House special episode hosts Merlin Fulcher and Zoe Cave are joined by Ed Green from Grosvenor and Catherine Greig of make:good to discuss green…
Open CityThe Alternative Guide To London Boroughs
For this episode of the Open City podcast, we speak to the guest-editor of the book, critic and author, Owen Hatherley, who talks about why this guide and its…
Open CityThe New Pedestrian and Cyclist City
We know active travel is good for health and limiting infection, improves air quality and the quality of our public spaces -- yet even now some of London’s…
Open CityGreen Cities Start Here
No industry contributes more to global warming than construction. To fight climate change we must radically reform how our cities are designed. In this episode…
Open CityPublic Artworks for our Past and Future
London's historic monuments and statues are in the spotlight following the Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. As we…
Open CityIntroducing the Open City Podcast
The new Open City Podcast will be hosted by a roster of rising stars in architectural criticism, planning and public engagement, and will feature interviews…