Voicing Pod © Luke O'Donovan
As part of our 20th-anniversary celebrations this year, we released a special series of podcasts exploring the events, installations and built projects that took place across the London Festival of Architecture this June.
Building Sounds is a monthly podcast exploring London through conversations with built environment professionals, artists and designers to unlock the city's secrets and explore its lesser-known spaces.
This June, the team were sent around the city to explore some of the LFA projects on location. From arts engagement and revamped sports pavilions in Barnet, to seating in the Royal Docks and sculptural installations in Central London - the city was our Oyster. Give the episodes a listen below. You can find transcripts for all conversations on Spotify.
On location: Meet this year's Pews and Perches designers
In its fifth and final edition, the London Festival of Architecture's Pews and Perches design competition delivered 6 new bespoke public benches scattered around the Royal Docks. The competition called for architecture and design students, recent graduates and emerging practitioners to deliver bench proposals that explore creative ways to use and reuse materials and take inspiration from the Royal Docks, its proximity to the water and the communities who live there. To find out more about the project, head to lfa.london/pews.
On location: How community power and collaboration are shaping Barnet
Barnet is one of London's largest boroughs, but existing public transport links can make cross-borough connection difficult. Join Sophie Roberts (LFA Senior Programme Manager), Synthia Griffin (Arts and Culture Manager, London Borough of Barnet) and Becky Lyon (Barnet-based Artist and Researcher) to discuss how the council has been harnessing arts and culture initiatives to improve east-west connectivity and build a unified cultural identity. Head to lfa.london/barnet to find out more about the programme.
On location: Exploring sculptural installations in Central London
One of the London Festival of Architecture's key missions is to platform the work of emerging designers, showcasing the sustainable and forward-thinking design that's happening in universities, collectives, classrooms and small practices across the city.
This month, the Festival is back with two installations in Gaggenau's Wigmore Street showroom by designer Titilayo Abiola, who's going to talk you through her inspirations for each of the two pieces. Head to lfa.london/gaggenau for more.
Live from the Voicing Pod
As part of their series of built interventions across The City of London, Urban Radicals installed a Voicing Pod at the base of the Lloyd's Building, exploring the idea of public space as a platform for creativity and debate. Find out more about the project at lfa.london/squaremile and explore the conversations below.
Live from the Voicing Pod: Seed Storytellers - a conversation on migration and belonging
Live from the Voicing Pod: Lived space - Rights to the street
Live from the Voicing Pod: MACCA (NTS Radio) 'Bringing the Outside In'
