World Architecture Festival Podcast

Talk Architecture is a Podcast and video series brought to you by World Architecture Festival. Hear from WAF's Programme Director and Curators Paul Finch and Jeremy Melvin as they discuss building visits, architectural commentary and book and exhibition reviews. World Architecture Festival 2023 will take place in Singapore from the 29 November - 1 December. #WAF23 #Inside23

Ross Lovegrove, a designer and visionary whose work is considered to be at the very apex of stimulating a profound change in the physicality of our three dimensional world, will discuss his design philosophies, experience with OLED light and possibilities as an architectural medium in the future. Ross Lovegrove, Principal, Lovegrove Studio Chair: Nigel Coates, Principal, Nigel Coates Studio Sponsored by LG Display

Adapting the existing How to turn a prison into a hotel and a ammunitions storage hall into a restaurant What are the main challenges when re-purposing a space and how can these be overcome? Is there anything the original designers could have done differently to aid the conversion if they had known the space would see a change of use What types of spaces are the most challenging in respect of flexibility and adaptability? Joyce Wang, Principal, Wang Almut Grüntuch-Ernst, Principal, Grüntuch-Ernst Architekten Chair: Nigel Coates, Principal, Nigel Coates Studio

Housing and luxury – comparative trends Maria Warner Wong,Principal, Wow Architects and Warner Wong Design Eric Parry, Principal, Eric Parry Architects What do purchasers expect from individual luxury homes that differ from general market product? How can architects communicate their value to clients, in a sector where budget is a secondary concern?

Four practices introduce themselves in five minutes. Salon Architecture Amos Goldreich Architecture Jacobs Yaniv Architects Babin+Renaud Chair: Paul Finch, Director, World Architecture Festival

Housing and cultural difference Qutub Mandviwala, Mandviwala Qutub & Associates Which has more influence in terms of social outcomes, housing design or management? Can the way housing is designed or managed facilitate desired outcomes or bring together different social groups? How could this be achieved and what impact would this have for clients, occupiers and society at large?

Housing and the urban block Coren Sharples, Principal, SHOP Architects Morten Schmidt, Principal, Schmidt Hammer Lassen How can architects use their influence to ensure housing is woven into the urban fabric where it sits, creating communities or ‘urban villages’? What services, infrastructure and other considerations are required for the design of housing which recognises occupiers’ need for connectivity and a sense of place?

How have population movements, demographic shifts and lifestyle trends informed how we live collectively and as individuals? How has this impacted on the function, design and servicing of dwellings today and how will these factors affect the housing, and life, of tomorrow www.worldarchitecturefestival.com

Contrary to popular belief, many of the luxuries commonly associated with high end residential developments are no longer limited to the affluent alone. A growing consciousness of all things beneficial to health and happiness is resulting in a trickling down effect and a widespread societal demand for healthy living environments. Today’s residents want convenient shared amenities which encourage a sense of community and promote physical and psychological wellbeing. On the one hand we are witnessing the global development of big data and smart cities, while on the other there is call for ‘social cities’ with a more creative mix of work, welfare, active leisure and community sharing. Health and wellbeing have recently evolved from a seemingly universal social right, to the responsibility of the individual. From experiments in human gene-editing and biohacking, to increased demand for affordable fresh and healthy produce for all, a new egalitarian ideal is emerging which increasingly renders the exclusive, inclusive.      

Reflections on the continued reconstruction of Berlin from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the present day with Hubertus Siegert, filmmaker behind the acclaimed 2001 film Berlin Babylon.

Discussion of housing is currently based on politics, migration, urbanisation, new cities and numbers. What has happened to consideration of this building type as architecture, and what lessons could we draw from the work of Zaha Hadid Architects in Berlin and across the world? www.worldarchitecturefestival.com

Topic: The evolution of public space ·         What is the future for public space in an age of social media and virtual relationships? ·         Public access to private buildings: balancing ownership, access and control ·         Exploring new ways of introducing public space at height ·         The ambiguity of public space - what is the point of the town hall? ·         Differentiating public space and public realm David Green, Urban Design Leader, Principal, Perkins+Will

Topic: Calmer Singapore ·         Enhancing the quality of life in a tropical climate with high-density urban living ·         Addressing the problem of heat and noise pollution as anthropogenic effects ·         Developing a fundamentally new bottom-up analysis/design scenario approach ·         Understanding the key to cooler, calmer and more liveable cities Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schmitt, ETH Zurich, Chair of Information Architecture, Singapore ETH Centre and Senior Vice President ETH Global

Topic: Singapore 50:50 ·         What assumptions were made about population and commercial growth when planning the development of Singapore 50 years ago? ·         How was the plan adjusted in response to change? ·         How is Singapore planning robustness strategies for the next 50 years? ·         Is the Singapore ‘garden city state’ concept embedded in local culture? Liu Thai Ker, Senior Director, RSP Chair: Paul Finch, Programme Director, World Architecture Festival

Charles Jencks, Author, Critic, Sculptor and Landscape Architect Topic: On Singapore and its lessons for world architectureFifty years of growth, transformation and experimentation.

Four leading women architects share their personal experiences and discuss the challenges and opportunities facing women in the global profession. Women In Architecture at WAF 2015 in association with The Architectural Review Julie Eizenberg, Principal, Koning Eizenberg Gonca Pasolar, Partner, Emre Arolat Architects Angelene Chan, CEO, DP Architects Chaired by Christine Murray, Editor-in-chief, The Architectural Review

Alex McDowell WAF 2015 Keynote: Building worlds - future reality, not science fiction  - Birthing the world building process as well as over 100 patents for new technologies - Combining rigorous scientific inquiry with a human lens - from Hollywood blockbusters to real world community building - Forecasting the future of a Saudi Arabian village, from barren desert to verdant oasis - Creating future worlds: asking what if and why not to explore what is not yet thinkable Alex McDowell is the creative director at 5D Global Studio. He is a strong advocate of world building and immersive design and integrates digital technology and traditional design technique into his work.