S3 Ep 2 - Peter Barber The Housing Crisis Hero

Can architecture help solve the housing crisis? Acclaimed London architect Peter Barber thinks it can, and he's proving it one street at a time.

Tim and Kevin head to London to meet one of Britain's most admired architects, whose award-winning work is rethinking what social and affordable housing can be.

From his remarkable King's Cross studio, where every wall is lined with hand-built architectural models, Peter explains why the best neighbourhoods aren't created by grand gestures, but by streets where people get to know each other and communities are given the chance to flourish.

Peter shares his vision for tackling one of society's biggest challenges, exploring why familiar housing forms still have so much to teach us, what we've lost in the pursuit of home ownership, and why he believes governments already know how to solve the housing crisis. They simply need the courage to act.

Thoughtful, passionate and quietly optimistic, Peter makes a compelling case that better housing isn't just possible, it's already being built.

Plus, after discovering that Kevin's lifelong musical heroes were staying in the very same hotel, Tim embarks on a mission to persuade him to say hello. It turns out even "that bloke from Grand Designs" gets starstruck.

This episode will make you happy.  Listen now if you aren't already.

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Big Design Adventure is proudly sponsored by the Australian Institute of Architects (@institute_architects_aus) and is produced with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (@alastairswaynfoundation) in Australia. The Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) in the UK and New Zealand Institute of Architects (@nziarchitects) in New Zealand. 

 

Hosts: Tim Ross and Kevin McCloud
Guest: Peter Barber (@peterbarber12)
Big Design Adventure is produced by Modernister Films on Wallumedegal land, Australia.
Executive Producer: Shelley Kemp
Audio Production: Madeline Joannou – Mylk Media
Music: Kit Warhurst (@kitwarhurst)

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