Shows
Design Principles PodForm and Function: Exploring Programme in DesignSend us a textEver wondered what architects mean when they talk about "programme"? In our latest deep dive, we crack open this fundamental concept that shapes everything from the tiniest apartments to sprawling civic buildings.This episode begins with a seemingly simple question: what exactly is program in architecture? We explore how program operates simultaneously at multiple scales—a house within a street, a road within a city—creating nested relationships that influence design decisions. Through examples like OMA's Seattle Library with its stacked functional boxes unified by a faceted glass facade, we see perh...2025-06-1252 min
Design Principles PodFeel Good, Look Good: Performance vs Aesthetics in ArchitectureSend us a textWhat happens when award-winning architects and builders challenge the notion that sustainable, high-performance buildings must sacrifice aesthetics? This thought-provoking conversation brings together Passive House experts who are transforming New Zealand's built environment through buildings that are both beautiful and functional.Architect Rafe Maclean shares how client feedback about a poorly-performing design prompted his journey into building science, while Joe Lyth reveals the heartbreaking reality of watching his children develop respiratory issues in cold, damp rental properties. Builder Josh Atkins describes his frustration with energy-inefficient new homes that cost homeowners thousands in...2025-05-291h 04
Design Principles PodOutside Influence: Has the Architectural Pilgrimage Changed?Send us a textWhat happens when architecture becomes more accessible through images than through physical experience? This question forms the backbone of our conversation with Nina Boyd, a New Zealand architect currently working in Paris.The traditional architectural pilgrimage—traveling to see important buildings firsthand—has fundamentally changed. Where Alvar Aalto's visit to Italy completely transformed his design approach, today's architects arrive at celebrated buildings having already seen countless images online. This digital pre-exposure creates a curious paradox: greater accessibility to architectural imagery but potentially diminished impact when finally experiencing spaces in person....2025-05-141h 02
Design Principles PodWhere Craft Meets Design: Exploring Material Understanding with Raimana JonesSend us a textThe conversation with Raimana Jones from Atelier Jones Design delves deep into the heart of what makes good design truly exceptional—craftsmanship. Drawing inspiration from architectural legends like Alvar Aalto and Walter Gropius, we explore how the most revered designers extended their vision beyond buildings to encompass furniture, lighting, and complete environments.Raimana shares his journey through fabrication and making, revealing the powerful feedback loop between crafting with your hands and designing with your mind. We unpack how this tactile understanding shapes thoughtful design decisions that simply can't emerge from digital pr...2025-05-0158 min
Design Principles PodDare to Declare: What Happened to Manifestos?Send us a textWhat happened to the architectural manifesto? This fascinating question from a listener propels us into an exploration of how architects have historically proclaimed their design philosophies—and why such bold declarations seem increasingly rare in contemporary practice.The architectural landscape was once dramatically shaped by manifestos: Le Corbusier's "Towards New Architecture," Adolf Loos's "Ornament and Crime," and the revolutionary Bauhaus movement all articulated clear visions that transformed how we think about building. But today, as we scroll through endless Instagram feeds of similar-looking projects, has something fundamental been lost? Have we su...2025-04-1448 min
Design Principles PodThe Architects' Voice: Advocating for the Role of the ArchitectSend us a textWhat happens when the people who shape our cities, schools, and homes are missing from the public conversation about our built environment? Award-winning architect Lisa Webb joins us to unpack architecture's growing crisis of relevance in New Zealand.Following her thought-provoking piece in the NZIA Bulletin, Lisa shares her concerns about architects becoming increasingly sidelined in discussions about housing, climate resilience, and community building. "We have a lack of voice, a lack of mandate, and a lack of mana," she observes, pointing to recent political attacks on the profession that went...2025-04-011h 05
Design Principles PodAI Meets Architecture: The Zuru RevolutionSend us a textA revolution is brewing in the housing industry, and it's coming from an unexpected source – Zuru, the New Zealand toy company that's now setting its sights on disrupting how we build homes. Their ambitious AI platform called "Dreamcatcher" promises to deliver fully customizable houses for as little as $500 per square meter, a fraction of current construction costs.What makes this potential game-changer so fascinating is the comprehensive approach Zuru is taking. While most prefabrication systems still rely on standard designs and external supply chains, Zuru plans to manufacture every component in-house. Fr...2025-03-1748 min