Shows
Architects For ChangeReal Estate as Activism: Jonathan Smales, Building a Movement, Not Just HomesJonathan Smales has never taken the easy route — from leading Greenpeace UK to creating one of the UK’s most sustainable neighbourhoods. In this episode, we explore his journey into ethical development, the radical thinking behind the Phoenix in Lewes, and what it really takes to transform how we build homes and communities. He shares lessons from a lifetime of activism, the practical challenges of using timber and hempcrete, and why Human Nature is part developer, part movement. It’s a hopeful, grounded vision for the future of place. #podcast #humannature #architectsforchange #architectureandpolitics #architecture #planning #1.5millionshomes #labourgovernment #climatechange #biobasedmaterials #regene...
2025-08-1957 min
The Wonder Dome#157 EcoResponsive Environments (with Soham De & Prachi Rampuria)Housing is one of the greatest adaptive challenges we currently face as a species. It’s also a key solution to many other complexities around population, community, civic engagement, and the ecological crisis. Navigating our current global political landscape often feels like patching up a sinking ship, where the tools we use to mend it often reproduce the status quo that created the holes in the first place. In terms of housing, this looks like the expansion of repetitive, car-centric suburban developments that damage the earth and force us to spend more time in our cars commuting than in co...
2025-02-191h 18
The Wonder Dome#148 It Makes a Village (with Jonathan Smales)Jonathan Smales is the founder and CEO of Human + Nature, a campaigning development company working to create “a far, far better future” through sustainable building and design. As a former MD of Greenpeace (UK), a sustainability advisor to the government, and developer of some of the UK’s first major sustainability projects, Jonathan’s expertise is now focused on The Phoenix: a sustainable neighborhood in Lewes, East Sussex. Human + Nature, along with a team of some of the UK’s leading architects, designers, and engineers, seeks to transform a neglected former industrial site into a regenerative, restorative, and community-centered living spa...
2024-08-281h 07
The HFG Podcast: Stories from the field, where farming, people, and progress meet.The Future of Farming is Here: A Look at the New 6M Tractors & T5/T6 CombinesGet ready for a glimpse into the future of farming! In this episode, we join members of the Hunt Forest Group (HFG) Sales, Precision Technologies, and Marketing Teams as they head to the John Deere UK launch event at Langar in Nottinghamshire.Unpacking the Latest Innovations:New John Deere 6M Tractors. Sales Rep Jonathan Ward and Sales Director Paul Burnett share their insights on what this exciting new range will mean for the HFG market.Revolutionizing Crop Care. Construction Sales Director Ed Smales dives into the current...
2024-06-1218 min
Material Matters with Grant GibsonHuman Nature's Jonathan Smales on mining the Anthropocene, and building in timber and Hempcrete at The Phoenix.Jonathan Smales is a housing developer like few others. He is the co-founder and executive chairman of Human Nature, whose new project, The Phoenix, on the outskirts of Lewes, East Sussex in the UK, has just won planning permission. What makes the development different? The Phoenix will contain 685 homes, designed by a roster of fascinating architects, who will be working in materials such as cross laminated timber and Hempcrete. The development will be pretty much vehicle-free, with residents encouraged to make use of a car share scheme, an electric bike service, or a shuttle bus. It...
2024-05-141h 06
ESG In Property PodcastBuilding a Sustainable Future: Jonathan Smales on Transforming Real Estate and CommunitiesThere is a far, far better world. But it has to be seen to be believed.
Join us on a pioneering journey with Jonathan Smales, founder and CEO of Human Nature, as he unveils his transformative vision for eco-conscious communities.
Explore the philosophy behind Human Nature's mission to revolutionise urban landscapes through groundbreaking partnerships, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable development.
Human Nature and its partners are at the forefront of urban sustainability, actively crafting, designing, prototyping, building, and learning from projects across urban blocks, mixed-use buildings, homes, and more. This practical approach allows for...
2024-04-2443 min
Massive Small StoriesThe Social ImaginatorKelvin Campbell and Liam Black talk to Jonathan Smales, executive chairman at Human Nature (Places), a unique development company that is crafting, prototyping, building and learning from work on urban blocks, mixed-use buildings, street types, landscape treatments, energy and mobility systems.Jonathan was MD of Greenpeace (UK), a sustainability advisor to the government, and developed some of the UK’s first major sustainability projects, such as the Earth Centre and Greenpeace HQ. Hands-on with all aspects of the project from masterplanning to policy, engagement and structuring, Jonathan transfers his experience leading and advising on some of the UK’s l...
2024-03-0700 min
Harpin' On Rugby301 : #LARvLEI previewPreview also available on our YouTube channel
Leinster : 15. Hugo Keenan 14. Jordan Larmour 13. Garry Ringrose (cc) 12. Robbie Henshaw 11. Jimmy O’Brien 10. Harry Byrne 9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter 2. Dan Sheehan 3. Michael Ala’alatoa 4. Joe McCarthy 5. James Ryan (cc) 6. Ryan Baird 7. Will Connors 8. Caelan Doris
16. Rónan Kelleher 17. Cian Healy 18. Thomas Clarkson 19. Jason Jenkins 20. Josh van der Flier 21. Ben Murphy 22. Ciarán Frawley 23. Charlie Ngatai
La Rochelle : 15 Brice Dulin 14 Dillyn Leyds 13 Ulupano Seuteni 12 Jonathan Danty 11 Jules Favre 10 Antoine Hastoy 9 Tawerra Kerr-Barlow
1 Reda Wardi 2 Pierre Bourgarit (Cap) 3 Uini A...
2023-12-0818 min
Create the FutureThe Future of Sustainable Cities ...By 2050, two out of every three people are likely to be living in cities, according to the UN. Sustainable urban planning is therefore essential to the future of humanity. But how easy is it to create the dream city?"Mega badass engineer" Roma Agrawal hosts this discussion, covering the hot topic of The 15 Minute City and the question of how to bring joy back into our environments. Roma's guests are former Greenpeace MD and sustainable developer Jonathan Smales, alongside Roma's own sister, the architect and planner Pooja Agrawal.New episodes of Create The...
2023-03-0341 min
Love Business with Alan WickCreating inclusive and stunning environments, with Jonathan SmalesImagine a living in a beautiful place that is affordable and inclusive, where people thrive and economies flourish alongside stunning landscapes. Sounds too good to be true?
My guest on this show doesn't think so.
Jonathan Smales is the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Human Nature, a new generation sustainable developments business.
Jonathan believes passionately that it’s time to create a new generation of places, homes and shared spaces that regenerate where we can live well in ways that respond to the crises of climate and nature. Human Nature’s unapologetically ambitious visi...
2022-11-0259 min
Own The BuildHow to build a neighbourhood (EP 74)Paul is joined by Jonathan Smales, Executive Chairman at Human Nature, a development company designing and building new neighbourhoods where it is enjoyable to live low-impact lives. Jonathan talks about his latest project; the Phoenix project and describes his vision for the future and the need for a new “social imagination” for us all in a thought-provoking conversation. Head to www.get.c-link.com/podcast to learn how you can save a minimum of 5% against budget construction costs on your next project. You can also subscribe to our blog to stay updated with the latest reso...
2022-07-0438 min
Making things better and making better thingsJonathon Smales: Dirt under your nails part twoThe second part of my conversation with the visionary Jonathan Smales. We pick-up as he left Greenpeace and hatched a plan to build the Earth Centre on an old coalfield in South Yorkshire. Not too far from where Jonathan grew-up.
2019-09-2546 min