Episode 29 - June 1, 2019

This episode! First we chat with Billy Fleming about his absolutely must read article in Place Journal entitled “Design and the Green New Deal.” After, we check in with Architecture Lobby member Caitlin Watson to talk about the Lobby’s efforts to organize around the GND.

Next! In our regular review segment Fun and Angry, Keefer and Anjulie Rao take a look at Olly Wainwright’s piece in The Guardian highlighting reemergent interest in public architecture practice in the UK. Could it be a transitional model for the US?

And lastly! We open our mailbag and answer listener questions about architecture. Our regular mailbag correspondents are out this week, but our favorite ringers Nick Cecchi and Emily Handley are in the studio to help us out!

Episode 28 - May 25, 2019

On this episode of Buildings on Air we talk about buildings codes & public access, why the libertarian solution to the housing crisis is not the right one, and then answer your listener questions about buildings in our mailbag segment! Full line-up below:

First up! We chat with Scott Reynolds of @upcodes about why public access to the law is important, how it impacts the built environment, and why the standards developing organizations are pushing back.

Then! We head to Critics Corner (is this the episode where the segment gets renamed?!) with Anjulie Rao to discuss @Richard_Florida’s recent CityLab article apprising readers of the recent scholarship lambasting libertarian solutions to the housing crisis.

And lastly! We answer your listener questions in our favorite mailbag segment with Ann Lui and Craig Reschke of Future Firm! If you got a building question tag us @bldgsonair or email buildingsonair@gmail.com and we will answer it live on air!

Episode 27 - April 20, 2019

This episode of Buildings on Air: internship exploitation, rent control, housing activism, special economic zones, and more!

First up! Writer Katherine Allen takes over the host chair and talk with Adam Nathaniel Furman (@Furmadamadam) and @KeeferDunn about the recent (and welcome) wave of scrutiny aimed at exploitative labor practices in architecture, and where we go from here. Next! We chat with Melinda Bunnage and Peter Hughes, @ChicagoCityDSA activists who are working in the @LTBcoalition. Melina and Peter tell us about the fight for housing justice in Illinois (and beyond!) is shaping up. Then! We visit @AnjulieRao in our newest regular segment "The Critics Corner" (name still pending - send suggestions!), where we offer up our cool takes on the recent @frieze_magazine interview with Keller Easterling. And last but certainly not least we open up the Buildings on Air mailbag to answer listener questions about architecture with Ann Lui and Craig Reschke of @FutureFirm. DM us your questions or send them in to buildingsonair@gmail.com!

Episode 26 - March 16, 2019

On this episode we introduce a new segment featuring the inimitable Anjulie Rao. Anjulie and Keefer discuss the piece “Refusal After Refusal” by Adjustments Agency, which appeared in Harvard Design Magazine as well as the article “The “B” Word: How a More Universal Concept of Beauty Can Reshape Architecture” by Mark Alan Hewitt in Common Edge.

Next Keefer opens up the mailbag with Ann Lui and Craig Reschke of Future Firm. Send in your listener questions to buildingsonair@gmail.com for us to answer!

Lastly, we interview Yonah Freemark to discuss his research on upzoning which set the urbanist discourse alight!

Announcement: March Buildings on Air Postponed

Hi Buildings on Air listeners! Just a quick FYI that due to technical issues with the WLPN-LP broadcast antenna Buildings on Air will be postponing our March show. Keep an eye out on our show twitter page for the latest news!

UPDATE: The show is rescheduled for Saturday, March 16th at our normal 2pm time slot.

Episode 25 - February 2nd, 2019

First up we talk with Alexander Eisenschmidt about his essay entitled "The Story of an Intersection, or how Early Chicago Became an Urban Laboratory" which was originally published in the Architecture Theory Review.

Check out the image we are discussing here!

Then we answer your listener questions about buildings in our regular mailbag segment with Ann Lui and Craig Reschke of Future Firm.

And lastly we talk with artist Corey Smith about his New Prairie School project, and his upcoming “experimental architecture tour” Get more information and tickets here: http://coreyds.com/eebh.html

Episode 24 - December 1st, 2018

In this last episode of 2018 we present an interview with the thoughtful Dean of USC Architecture, Milton SF Curry. Then we answer listener questions in our Mailbag segment with Craig Reschke!

There will be no January episode of Buildings on Air but keep an eye on the podscast feed for something special to keep you sated!

Episode 23 - November 4th, 2018

This episode of Buildings on Air we get into Brick Mindset™ with Will Quay from Brick of Chicago (www.brickofchicago.com). Then we chat with frequent Buildings on Air guest Marianela D'Aprile about her recetn article in Common Edge about what Productivist artist Boris Arvatov can tell us about the relevacny of architects today (http://commonedge.org/making-architecture-relevant-will-involve-changing-the-system-it-operates-in/). And last but not least we answer your listener questions about buildings in our mailbag segment with Ann Lui and Craig Reschke!

Episode 22 - October 6th, 2018

This episode of Buildings on Air we talk the ins and outs of contemporary architecture education with studio professors Sarah Dunn, Ellen Grimes, and Leslie Johnson. Then we hear from researcher David Merriman about his recent study on the effectiveness of TIFS (https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/policy-focus-reports/improving-tax-increment-financing-tif-economic-development). And lastly mailbag guests Nick Cecchi and Emily Handley help us answer your listener questions about buildings!

Podcast Special: Audio from The Dynamic American City (1956)

Hi Buildings on Air listeners! We didn’t have a live September episode (we’ll be back in October!) so we’ve uploaded something special to keep you going. This is audio from a very curious piece of propaganda called “The Dynamic American City.” To many of us, the urban ideas it advocates are entirely abhorrent - but as a historical document it is very interesting to see how and why these ideas were in vogue - and who was advocating for them. So sit back and get ready to facepalm and yell “why!?” as you listen.

Episode 21 - August 4th, 2018

This episode of Buildings on Air! We chat with economist Michael Roberts about the causes and effects of the 2008 Housing Bubble and ensuing Great Recession and have an extra nerdy, long, and edifying mailbag with regulars Ann Lui and Craig Reschke. We also have a clip from fellow Lumpen Radio show Radio Free Bridgeport about some urbgan planning projects hitting our nieghborhood streets very soon.

Episode 20 - July 7th, 2018

This episode of Buildings on Air we chat with Neil Loehlein and Andrea Hektor, members of the International Socialist Organization in town for the Socialism 2018 conference, about left-perspectives on infrastructure. Then we answer your listener questions about buildings with guest mailbag correspondent Tom Lee. And last but not least we chat with Architect Sessions superstars and all around good folks Donna Sink and Ken Koense about the highs and lows of the 2018 American Institute of Architects convention.

Podcast Special: The Architecture Lobby at the Venice Biennale

There was no live episode of Buildings on Air this month since the regular BoA crowd was away at the Venice Architecture Biennale. Luckily, we have your back and brought a piece of Venice home in the form of an audio recording! 

The panel, hosted by the U.S. Pavilion curators at the Biennale was organized by The Architecture Lobby, a labor advocacy group for architects we frequently discuss on the show, and designed to jive with the "Dimensions of Citizenship" theme of the U.S. Pavilion.

The panel is organized into two parts and features Kamabari Baxi, Peggy Deamer, Keefer Dunn, Ane Gonzalez Lara, Nathan Friedman, Ashton Hamm, James Heard, Cesar Lopez, Margie O’Driscoll (moderating), Ron Rael, Manuel Schvartzberg, Dexter Walcott, and Mabel Wilson.

BIG THANK YOU to Chelsea Kilburn for recording the event and providing the audio, as well as the whole U.S Pavilion team (especially co-curators Ann Lui, Mimi Zeiger, and Niall Atkinson) for inviting the Architecture Lobby to be a part of the procedings!

Episode 19 - May 5, 2018

This episode of Buildings on Air! First, we chat with friend of the show Kate Wagner about their recent article in Common Edge called "Architecture, Aesthetic Moralism, and the Crisis of Urban Housing" http://commonedge.org/architecture-aesthetic-moralism-and-the-crisis-of-urban-housing/)

Then we answer your listener questions about building with one half our regular mailbag team - Craig Reschke of Future Firm. Send questions in to buildingsonair@gmail.com!

And last but certainly not least we chat with fellow Lumpen Radio host Matt Muchowski about the history and fate of Chicago's Balbo monument. Listen to Matt's show WGAS here: https://www.mixcloud.com/wgaschicago/
The 50th episode features Building on Air's own Keefer Dunn!

Episode 18 - Apr 7th, 2018

This episode of Buildings on Air! We talk to the inimitable Eva Hagberg Fisher (@evahagberg) about Architecture’s PR problem! Then we answer your listener questions about buildings with Craig Reschke, 1/2 of the regular mailbag duo. Lastly, we talk to David Work (@WDavidWork) about alt-right twitters obsession w/ “traditional” architecture!

Clip: Talkin Socialism "Housing"

In our March episode, we played a clip of Andre Callot from the CDSA Talkin Socialism podcast interviewing Buildings on Air host Keefer Dunn for an episode on housing. That episode has been released and it contains tons of audio goodness.

Here is a clip from the show of Andre interviewing folks from the Autonomous Tenants Union discussing how they act and organize around displacements, evictions, and poor living conditions. 

If you like what you hear there is much more good stuff to be had in the full episode - head over to the Talkin' Socialism podcast stream, listen, and subscribe! You won't be disappointed!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/talkin-socialism/id1329585447?mt=2

Episode 17 - Mar 3, 2018

This episode of Buildings on Air! Architectural Workers on Strike, The Mailbag, and Housing from Talkin Socialism

First we hear a statement from the UK based anonymous collective Architectural Workers about the ongoing strikes. We also hear from a participant in the picket line about how architecture students are organizing in support of the strikes. 

Then! We answer your listener questions about buildings with Ann Lui and Craig Reschke in our mailbag segment. 

Lastly, the interviewing tables turn when we air a clip of Andre Callot interviewing Keefer Dunn from the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America podcast “Talkin’ Socialism” - be sure to listen and subscribe to Talkin Socialism here - the upcoming episode on housing will be jam packed with good stuff! (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/talkin-socialism/id1329585447?mt=2)

Episode 16 - Feb 3, 2018

This episode of Buildings on Air! First, we talk about the challenges and opportunities of preserving Chicago's most spaceship-like buildings with School of the Art Insitute of Chicago AIADO department director Jonathan Solomon and preservationist Elizabeth Blasius. 
Then we revisit the Architecture Lobby's campaign against Trump's border wall and immigration policies with Lobby members James Heard and Tyler Taylor.
And lastly, we answer your listener questions about buildings in our mailbag with Craig Reschke and Ann Lui of Future Firm!

Episode 15 - Jan 6, 2018

This episode of Buildings on Air we talk technology, answer your questions about buildings, and air a talk from MASContext about John Portman.

First we talk to architect, author, professor and technologist Phil Bernstein about the challenges and opportunities automation and our digital tools have in store for architects. Check out his column at Architect’s Newspaper https://archpaper.com/2018/01/mass-timber-architects-rethink-basic-services/

Then, our regular mailbag correspondents are out of town but Bridgeport architecture super stars Nicholas Cecchi (www.nicholascecchi.com) and Emily Handley (www.pointplanepattern.com) step in to answer your questions about buildings! Check them out on instagram at @playitfaster and @handleyemily

Then lastly we air a talk by Charles Rice from our friends at MASContext about the legacy of John Portman. If you want to follow along with the images check out the website here: http://www.mascontext.com/events/mas-context-fall-talks-2017/mas-context-fall-talks-2017-charles-rice/.

Episode 14 - Dec 2nd, 2017

First up, Marianela D'Aprile will discuss her article (and light up the haters) published in Common Edge titled "The Politics of Architecture Are Not a Matter of Taste." Then Steve Vance of Streetsblog Chicago and Chicago Cityscape will join the show to discuss how information can help us grapple with the forces of politics and economy in Chicago. Then we'll be joined by Paola Aguirre of Borderless Studio who will discuss the civic-action jumpstarting City Open Workshop series that she organizes in addition to her other recent work. Then as always we round out the show with the Mailbag segment where Ann Lui and Craig Reschke answer your questions about architecture.