AJ Climate Champions

Owen Hatherley on Modernism + Will Hurst explains RetroFirst (bonus episode)

Bonus episode. AJ Climate Champions hosted by Hattie Hartman. Author and critic Owen Hatherley describes approaches to the retrofit of Modernist buildings, lessons learned from post-Soviet housing and why he thinks White Design’s straw bale Lilac Cohousing in Leeds could be a replicable new build approach. The AJ's Will Hurst explains the tactics and ambitions of the RetroFirst campaign, from engaging with MPs to raising public awareness, as well as the policy levers necessary to prioritise retrofit.   

In a quick news roundup, hosts Hattie Hartman and George Morgan share their views on Zaha Hadid Architects’ Forest Green Rovers timber stadium proposal and round up other sustainability news, including ACAN’s Carbon Footprint of Construction report.    

For show notes to this episode and to listen to all AJ podcasts, visit architectsjournal.co.uk/podcasts

Anna Heringer: 'You can build with clay in a very modern way'

6. Climate Champions hosted by Hattie Hartman. In the final episode in this series, German architect Anna Heringer talks to the AJ about mainstream building with earth, her 'Corona baby' – a birth space in the Vorarlberg region of Austria, and her pipeline of projects in Germany, Spain and Ghana. 

Sarah Wigglesworth: 'Sustainable architecture is fantastically creative'

5. Climate Champions hosted by Hattie Hartman. This episode centres on the retrofit of Stock Orchard Street, Wigglesworth's home and office completed in 2001. The Stock Orchard Street retrofit, completed in 2020, tackled maintenance and repair, a deep environmental upgrade and rethinking the house for ageing gracefully.

Haworth Tompkins' Diana Dina: 'We want to share ideas with other practices'

4. Climate Champions hosted by Hattie Hartman. Diana Dina, head of sustainability and regenerative design at Haworth Tompkins, shares her insights on how to be a changemaker in a large architecture practice.

The episode also features a discussion with Lauren Shevills of ACAN on Foster + Partners and ZHA's controversial departure from Architects Declare. 

Sofie Pelsmakers: 'Sustainable architecture is "architecture on steroids" – it needs to perform'

3. Climate Champions hosted by Hattie Hartman. Architect, author, educator and sustainability expert Sofie Pelsmakers shares insights on sustainable design from the Nordic region, and discusses the urgent need for top-down architecture curriculum reform.

Annalie Riches: 'We need more projects that show sustainable design isn't ugly'

2. Climate Champions hosted by Hattie Hartman. Mikhail Riches' Annalie Riches discusses the Stirling Prize-winning Goldsmith Street scheme, and the critical importance of learning from completed projects.

Sponsored by the Green Building Store.

Maria Smith: 'It's depressing how much architects are the problem'

1. Climate Champions hosted by Hattie Hartman. Buro Happold's director of sustainability explains why she felt she had to leave architecture and retrain as an engineer.