Ecogradia Season 4

How will Australia reconcile its sprawling suburbs with urgent sustainability needs? Tone Wheeler addresses this tension, challenging deeply ingrained cultural norms. Are tightly knit urban communities part of the solution? In this episode, he delves into suburban sprawl in Australia, discussing ways to reimagine suburbia for sustainability and the potential of Indigenous design. Discover how increased density and thoughtful design can help Australia meet its climate goals.

May 7, 2024

How to unlock the mind to produce better designs, faster? Võ Trọng Nghia explores this question, revealing a philosophy where meditation is the key to healing ourselves and saving the planet. Planetary wellbeing begins with personal healing, says Nghia. In this episode, discover how an idealistic philosophy grounded in pragmatism can reveal unexpected sustainability solutions.

April 23, 2024

Achieving ‘zero’ carbon is a tall order for any company but for a manufacturer of building products, it amounts to a rethink of everything, all at once! Liz Minné, Head of Global Sustainability Strategy at Interface talks about overhauling production processes, moving from supply chain management to life cycle analysis and the collaboration with suppliers and clients along the way.

April 9, 2024

In this podcast, Brinda Somaya,Ffounder and Principal architect at Mumbai-based Somaya and Kalappa Consultants (SNK) – and a former member of the Holcim Foundation Board - emphasised the importance of reusing these buildings to enable sustainable urban growth in the country: “the most important way to conserve is not to demolish and not to build new, but to restore and repair.”

March 26, 2024

How do green public spaces benefit us? Leonard Ng, Henning Larsen’s APAC Country Market Director talks about Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park (designed by Henning Larsen and Atelier Dreiseitl), one of the most-visited urban parks in the heart of Singapore. He tells us what post-completion studies reveal about the impact of the park on its surroundings and nearby residents.

March 12, 2024

Tackling the carbon dilemma requires a fresh perspective. Stuart Smith, Director at Arup and a member of the Board of the Holcim Foundation reveals how considering a building’s entire life cycle impact can simplify carbon reduction decisions, guiding us towards more sustainable choices.

February 27, 2024

Sandra Barclay and Jean Pierre Crousse, co-founders of the firm, are interested the impact of architecture on the human condition, in ways that are both physical and visceral. Their buildings offer experiences of space, time, and light, and seek to connect us to each other and with systems that operate on and beyond site.

The studio, founded in 1994 in Paris and now based in Lima, Peru since 2006, is the recipient of multiple international awards, with projects that are predominantly residential and institutional.

February 13, 2024

Good design often reveals what we do not know we need. But such a feat depends not only on what we tweak and improve, says Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, but how we re-imagine the process. The question is: where to start?

In this episode, the co-founder of the Norway-based Snøhetta discusses their unique approach, one that has kept it relevant for over three decades since its inception in 1989. With nine studios globally, the firm offers consultancy in architecture, landscape, interiors, art, as well as product design, graphic and digital design.

January 30, 2024

We open season 4 with the visionary Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative partner of Bjarke Ingels Group — commonly referred to as BIG. Known for ground-breaking projects, BIG is a powerhouse of ideas in architecture, product and landscape design, engineering and planning. The firm has a staff of 700 in offices in Copenhagen, New York, London, Barcelona, Shenzhen, Oslo and Los Angeles. 

Bjarke’s latest book, “Formgiving: An Architectural Future History”, frames his work as an exploration of form to forge a pathway to a sustainable future.