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 by Sahiba Chadha and Fran Williams on a fortnightly basis.
Alongside this is Deconstructed – a monthly podcast hosted by Matthew Lloyd Roberts taking apart the architecture of individual buildings and InterCities – a monthly podcast hosted by Owen Hatherley exploring municipal transformation around the world.
All three shows profile new, expert and diverse voices from across industry, journalism, academia and beyond. The Open City Podcast is produced by Hunter Charlton and Paige Reynolds. The commissioning editor is Merlin Fulcher.
The Open City Podcast is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture platform and produced in association with the Architects’ Journal, London Society, C20 Society and Save Britain's Heritage. The Open City Podcast is recorded and produced at the Open City offices located in Bureau.
To help support excellent and accessible, independent journalism about the buildings and the urban environment, please become an Open City Friend.
Photo credit: Owen Hatherley portrait © Antonio Olmos
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 35 minutes
- Episodes
- 249
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Pubs, trains, and grassroots culture with Tim Dunn
New research suggests community-owned pubs help temper extreme political views | Why planning deregulation could be to blame for 800,000 new unsustainable homes | A London council picks infill over e…
Devastating climate report, and this years Open House Festival with Phin Harper
Damning climate change report warns of unprecedented devastation in our cities; victory for Save-Latin-Village after fifteen years of campaigning by dedicated community; central London unable to lift…
Museums, 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 contentious Marble Arch Mound issued refund…
The Londown Special Episode: What's this all about?
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
lonely, 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; Parliament’s Climate Change Committee ba…
Why 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’ unhealthy financial reliance on property…
London'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 of Brick by Brick to Urban Splash, fees h…
Antepavilion 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 Jenrick's blocking of the old London Fire Bri…
Oxford 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 pedestrian-friendly Oxford Circus, the backl…
Four 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; Protestors gather in Brick Lane to figh…
Audio 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 Walden Estate.
This fun and engaging audio wa…
The 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 Serpentine Pavilion, the government’s chief a…
The 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 Slessor being tipped to become the new 20th …
A 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 on the menu; A south London school bui…
Whitechapel 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 government. Also on the menu; Downing Street…
British 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 menu; Radical planning reforms set down in …
What does Sadiq Khan mean for London? With Owen Hatherley
The 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 drugs. This is the mayoral manifesto of…
Skyscrapers 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 Scotland, and an exciting new generatio…
