Shows
Common Ground17. Exploring the Metaverse: How Cities are Creating ‘Digital Twins’ to Overhaul Urban PlanningThe ‘metaverse’ and its so-called ‘virtual worlds’ have somewhat fallen short of the hype, but that doesn’t mean everyone has lost out. Urban planners across the globe have started to combine the vision of the metaverse with smart cities and the internet of things, to create immersive ‘digital twins’ of our cities and buildings that are changing how we think about urban planning. In this episode we speak to Salla Eckhardt, Senior Vice President for Commercial Market at OEC Services who formerly worked with Digital Twinning software at Microsoft, and Anders Logg, Professor of Mathematics at Chalmers University in Sweden, who...
2024-02-0730 min
Common Ground16. Direct Democracy and Citizen Science: How Crowdsourcing Tech is Helping Empower ResidentsWhat can the everyday person teach an expert when it comes to the places we live? How can something as simple as the design of a webpage lead to more constructive collaboration? And what does it take to have a truly participatory way of governing? In this episode, we talk to Robert Bjanarson, the CEO of Citizens Foundation and the man behind “Your Priorities”, a platform that has helped cities across the globe crowdsource solutions for their urban planning problems. Before UCL Professor Muki Haklay breaks down what exactly citizen science is and why it’s never been easier for th...
2023-12-0831 min
Common Ground15. Culture as Catalyst: The Role of Art in PlacemakingHow can culture become a driving force behind a neighbourhood’s social and urban renewal? How can a place steer clear from commercialising what makes it unique? And what can a city do to safeguard its artists in times of crisis? In this episode, Jen Hughes, a Senior Advisor at the National Endowment of Arts, explains how their Our Town grant is helping villages, towns and cities across the US revitalise their urban and rural spaces. Before Roland Fischer-Vousden breaks down how his organisation SET are adapting vacant buildings in London to give local artists a lifeline.
2023-11-0634 min
Common Ground14. Mindful Cities: How our Built Environment can Cultivate Community and Combat IsolationHow can urban spaces support the mental wellbeing of a community? What might a morning spent gardening do for someone’s happiness? And how can the simple concept of a shed bring people together? In this episode, Robin Hewings – Programme Director at Campaign to End Loneliness UK – breaks down how the built environment impacts our wellbeing, author and academic Barry Golding chats to us about the phenomenon of Men’s Sheds in Australia and Philip Nichols CEO of Spitalfields City Farm in London explains the benefits of community gardens. Plus: TOPOSOPHY’s advice on how cities and t...
2023-10-0233 min
Dare to HostMarta Mills - Hospitality's Green Revolution: Navigating the Roadmap to Net ZeroIn this new episode of HOTREC's Dare to Host Podcast, Marta Mills, Senior Sustainable Tourism Project Manager at TOPOSOPHY, joins us to discuss how hospitality businesses and SMEs can put sustainable practices in place and go Net Zero!
Want to discover more? Check out HOTREC's new Study: A Roadmap to Net Zero for European Hospitality.
2023-09-2615 min
Common Ground13. Do it for the Kids: How Urban Design is Encouraging Active Play and Social InteractionWhat can a videogame teach us about the way we plan our cities? How might developing a play park help make for safer spaces for both children and adults? And do grown-ups really know best? In this episode, we speak to former Commissioner of Parks and Rec of Philadelphia — Kathryn Ott Lovell, about the iconic playstreets programme that has been happening in the city for half a century, and James Delaney Chair of the Board at Block by Block to learn how the NGO is designing public spaces across the global south through the help of Minecraft and children. ...
2023-09-0633 min
Common Ground12. The Nightlife Revolution: How Cities are Transforming their Night EconomiesWhy are so many late night venues across the UK and Europe shutting down? How can cities and local councils draw the fine line between residents and revelers? What role do developers have in keeping culture alive? In this episode we’re looking into the pros and cons of the night time economy. We’ll be speaking to Mark Davyd – CEO of the Music Venue Trust in the UK - to hear about the pioneering policy looking to protect independent venues. Before Ramon De Lima, former Night Mayor of Amsterdam, tells us how the city dealt with safety and noise...
2023-09-0533 minDare to HostChris Armstrong - Creating Memorable Experiences: the Power of Placemaking in HospitalityIn this episode of Dare to Host, we unlock the transformative potential of placemaking in the hospitality industry.
As the summer season begins, we explore the concept of placemaking and its profound impact on creating vibrant, sustainable, and community-oriented spaces that enhance the overall guest experience.
Our guest speaker, Chris Armstrong, Senior Project Manager at TOPOSOPHY and a passionate advocate for placemaking and regenerative development, joins us to shed light on this dynamic practice.
Discover how placemaking can revolutionize the way we perceive and engage with hospitality destinations, leaving lasting impressions on guests...
2023-07-2515 min
Common Ground11. The 15 Minute City: Why proximity mattersHow are the neighborhoods, towns and cities of the future prioritising proximity in their planning? In this episode we’re looking at the concept that has captivated urbanists and city-planners across the globe: the fifteen minute city. First, we talk to Carlos Moreno, the architect of the model, who is driving change in the French capital of Paris, before best-selling author and urbanist Jeff Speck talks us through the benefits of walkability. Finally Greensboro City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba explains why community participation is vital when creating a more equitable city. Plus TOPOSOPHY’s takeaways on how st...
2023-05-1534 min
Common Ground10. Future of food: Designing waste out of the systemHow are the ways we produce, distribute and consume food changing for good? In this episode we journey from farm to fork, to hear how waste can be eliminated at every step of the food process. We speak to Pete Pearson, Senior Director of Food Loss and Waste at WWF, to hear how getting smart about waste is vital when combatting food insecurity, before talking to David Rosenberg, CEO of vertical farming company Aerofarms, who are using closed-loop systems to grow their greens. Finally Doug McMaster, Head Chef of the UK’s first zero-waste restaurant Silo, tells us how fa...
2023-03-2237 min
Common Ground9. Longevity: Cities fit for longer livingAre our cities ready for an ageing population? In this episode, we look at what this demographic shift means for our homes, towns, and cities, and see how countries across the globe are preparing for this change. We speak to David Stewart, photographer and founder of Ageist, who introduces the concept of a Life 2.0 before turning to writer and activist Ashton Applewhite, who tackles our misconceptions about age. Finally, designer and consultant, Gretchen Addi tells us how better design is key to making our cities more accessible and promoting longevity. Plus: TOPOSOPHY's takeaways on universal design, ageing a...
2023-01-2433 min
Common Ground8. Business Improvement Districts: Downtowns doing things differentlyHow are businesses banding together to improve their neighbourhoods? On this episode we discover what BIDs can offer, from improving baseline services like street sweeping and safety to hosting festivals that celebrate an area’s history and culture. We speak to John Lambeth, CEO of Civitas, to help unpack how exactly BIDs work, before visiting London where Gianluca Rizzo - Managing Director of the Brixton BID - gives us a tour of the neighbourhood, and tells us how his organisation is doing things a little differently. Finally we talk to Barbara Askins, a “BID-legend” who’s been running the 125th Stree...
2022-12-2831 min
Common Ground7. Hybrid spaces: The new era of remote workHow are companies and entire cities changing to accommodate the rise of remote work? On this episode, we take a closer look at how buildings are combining work, play and stay, with a new breed of hybrid spaces embraced by remote workers and digital nomads alike. We speak to Finland-based professor of Knowledge Management Kirsimarja Blomqvist to hear what makes for the ideal remote-working environment. We head to Croatia where Mario Mrksa has turned a summertime resort into an off-season ‘digital nomad valley’, and to the Netherlands, where Hans Meyer, CEO of Zoku hotels, tells us how the hotels offe...
2022-10-0730 min
Common Ground6. Regenerative tourism: When sustainability isn’t enoughHow can we leave the places we visit better off than we found them? On this episode, we tackle the tricky term ‘regenerative tourism’ and the responsibility we all have as travelers. We hear from the growing group of travel professionals touting regeneration as the next step in travel: Aukje Van Gerven, Tourism manager of Rewilding Europe reveals how she’s helping endangered species across Europe, from wild bison in Romania to the Iberian lynx in Portugal, tour operator Jennifer Spatz, CEO of Global Family Travels, shares how they put host communities from Iceland to India at the heart of eac...
2022-08-3036 min
Common Ground5. Rural revival: Can the countryside make a comeback?In this episode we’re separating fact from fiction when it comes to living in rural towns today: we ask why people are leaving at such an alarming rate, and meet the people bucking the trend. We head to Italy to meet Danny McCubbin - the community chef who’s set up shop in a small village in Sicily thanks to the one-euro-house project, conductor Martim Sousa Tavares whose orchestra is bringing fresh opportunities to the youth of rural Portugal, and Stephanie Bertaina, the US policy analyst who has helped over 100 rural towns in the States reboot their economy. Plus...
2022-07-2632 min
Common Ground4. A tale of three cities: Rethinking tourismHow can we deal with cities getting..too popular? From Amsterdam and Dubrovnik to Venice, in this episode we head to the European cities whose intense footfall is tangibly affecting the quality of their tourism - and the lives of residents. We meet Geerte Udo from amsterdam&partners, deputy mayor of Dubrovnik Jelka Tepsic and Valeria Duflot who heads up Venezia Autentica: three women tackling overcrowding head on, using tactics such as crowd dispersal, branding, technology and tourist taxes, to name a few. Plus: a glance at overtourism post-pandemic, Toposophy’s report on overcrowding for the Pacific Asia Travel As...
2022-06-2846 min
Common Ground3. Climate Fight: Meet the frontlinersHow do we build resilience in today’s disaster-prone cities? In this episode we’re looking at what happens after the initial shock of a natural disaster. How do people and governments come together to help rebuild from the ground up? We’re heading to New York to see how a design competition helped governments and citizens collaborate to rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. On the other side of the states, San Jose’s mayor Sam Liccardo talks us through the new Climate Corps that’s mobilising the city’s youth in the fight against climate change, The Atlantic...
2022-05-3141 min
Common Ground2. In with the Old: Restoring abandoned treasuresTo build or not to build? In today’s episode we’re finding out how we can reuse our architectural heritage to keep up with the needs of our changing world, while still honouring the past. We head to Japan to hear how the city of Kyoto is finally getting serious about preserving its iconic Machiya townhouses. Anna Keay from The Landmark Trust is rescuing old castles and medieval halls all over the UK, turning them into affordable holiday homes for all, and UCL Professor Dr. Kalliopi Fouseki shares her thoughts on an inspirational heritage project that’s breathing life b...
2022-04-2645 min
Common Ground1. Food Revolutions: Dishes changing the worldWe’ve all heard that food brings people together - but how can it help heal the deeper social problems in our communities? Our guests today are four pioneers of the food movement: Italian chef Massimo Bottura and his business partner and wife Lara Gilmore share how their project Food for Soul is redefining traditional soup kitchens to help those in need, food activist Kamal Mouzawak reveals how the trauma experienced in his native Beirut led him to create the country’s first farmer’s market ‘Souk El Tayeb’, and Francisca Gorjão Henriques invites us into the kitchen...
2022-03-2935 min
Common GroundPre launch episode: The Power of WaterThis is a pre-launch episode of Common Ground by Toposophy! To get us in the mood for our official podcast launch on March 29th and in light of World Water Day, we sat down with two titans of the global conversation about water: Henk Ovink, 'Ambassador for Water' and The Netherlands’ Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, and Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction in the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. We talk about Rotterdam’s ingenious flood-prevention solutions, how Bangladesh is pioneering a new cyclone preparedness programme, why Rio’s favel...
2022-03-2130 min
Common GroundComing Soon...Common Ground is launching soon! Urbanism meets food, travel, business, tech and the environment in a podcast that journeys across the globe and takes a fresh look at the future of our cities - and the people redefining it. Brought to you by place making & marketing agency Toposophy.
2022-03-1603 min