Open City

Apr 09 2025 229 ep. 35 mins 65
Open City Podcast artwork

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 app 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
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Deconstructed: Euston Station - Developing the Railway

Apr 09 2025 29 mins  
In this episode of Deconstructed, Matthew Lloyd Roberts is joined by Ewan Harrison, architectural historian and lecturer at the Manchester School of Architecture, University of Manchester. They discuss Euston Station, designed by William Robert Headley and Ray Moorcroft of British Railways in the early 1960s, in consultation with Richard Seifert, who later designed the commercial o

The UK government announces a £2bn boost for affordable and social homes

Apr 02 2025 28 mins  
On The Brief this week, host Fran Williams is joined by Peter George, Strategic Director of Economy and Sustainability at Ealing Council. Government announces a £2 billion pound boost for affordable and social homes // Design Council warns ‘typical’ approach to new homes may derail zero carbon goals // Studio Egret West reveals plans for the UK’s largest office-to-resid

InterCities: Sheffield with Johny Pitts

Mar 26 2025 35 mins  
InterCities is a brand new podcast from the team at Open City. In this six-part series, we travel to a number of cities and boroughs around the world that have transformed over time to discover what we can learn from these places’ achievements, struggles, successes and mistakes.In our second episode, our host Owen Hatherley is joined by the broadcaster, writer and photograph

Plans for Manchester United's new stadium revealed

Mar 19 2025 28 mins  
On The Brief this week, host Fran Williams is joined by Robin Nicholson, fellow of Cullanan Studios, to discuss:Plans for new 100 thousand-seat Manchester United stadium // Top architecture firms announce redundancies // Labour's new planning and infrastructure bill // And the winner of the 2025 Pritzker PrizeTo help support excellent and accessible, independent journalis

Deconstructed: Crossness Pumping Station - The Birth of Modern Sanitation

Mar 12 2025 29 mins  
In this episode of Deconstructed, Matthew Lloyd Roberts is joined by Petra Cox – heritage educator, Open City tour guide and Golden Key Academy graduate. They discuss Crossness Pumping Station, constructed from 1859–65 by William Webster to designs by Charles Henry Driver to serve the entire southern half of Joseph Bazalgette's London sewer system. Commissioned by the Metropoli

Criterion Capital under the spotlight and how safe are London's Lime bikes?

Mar 05 2025 29 mins  
On The Brief this week, host Sahiba Chadha is joined by the editor of London Centric Jim Waterson, to discuss:The man behind Criterion Capital, Asif Aziz // Safety concerns around London Lime bikes // Demonstrations in Peckham against high-rise regeneration // And what this year's winner of the Jane Drew Prize says about architecture in 2025. To help support excellent and accessibl

InterCities: Greenwich with Ana Francisco Sutherland

Feb 26 2025 45 mins  
InterCities is a brand new podcast from the team at Open City. In this six-part series, we travel to a number of cities and boroughs around the world that have transformed over time to discover what we can learn from these places’ achievements, struggles, successes and mistakes.In our first episode, our host Owen Hatherly is joined by the architect Ana Francisco Sutherland, the d

Dozens of new towns planned across England and the contentious dismantling of Grenfell Tower

Feb 19 2025 29 mins  
In this episode, host Merlin Fulcher is joined by the CEO of Open City, Manijeh Verghese to discuss:UK government unveils plans for dozens of new towns across England // The proposed dismantling of Grenfell Tower is met with strong opposition // Japanese architecture duo SANAA win the 2025 RIBA Royal Gold Medal // And the spiritual leader and champion of Islamic architecture, the A

Deconstructed: St Anne's Limehouse - East End Baroque

Feb 12 2025 29 mins  
In this episode of Deconstructed, Matthew Lloyd Roberts is joined by George Saumarez Smith, Design Director at ADAM Architecture. They discuss the church of St Anne's Limehouse, designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and consecrated in 1730 as one of the 'Queen Anne Churches' built by the New Church Commission. St Anne's Limehouse is currently campaigning to raise funds for repairs ah

Barbican revamp revealed, Denys Lasdun’s ‘glass castle’, Archigram and the save Prince Charles cinema campaign

Feb 05 2025 30 mins  
In this episode, host Merlin Fulcher is joined by Jon Wright, an historian and 20 Century lead at Purcell to discuss: Plans to revamp London’s Brutalist Barbican Centre // A redevelopment bid for Denys Lasdun’s ‘glass castle’ // Tributes for legendary Archigram member Dennis Crompton // And a campaign to save Soho’s Prince Charles cinema.To help support excellent and