Disegno Podcasts

10. How can we humanise AI through design?

AI technologies loom large in contemporary design discourse, but how well do we understand this new technology and the opportunities it presents? In recent years, IBM has been collaborating with Map Project Office and Universal Design Studio to design both AI hardware and the physical environments it inhabits, with the aim of making the technology more transparent and approachable. In this episode of Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office, host Oli Stratford is joined by Maya Murad and Ryan Mellody from IBM, as well as Emilie Robinson and Lilsl du Toit from Map and Universal to discuss spatial design for new technologies, the dangers and opportunities of AI, and the necessity of catering to clients with different informational needs, from developers to scientists.

This podcast was made for Map.

Design Stories London

A live recording of How women might move design forward and engender social change through creative practice, a panel discussion recorded at the Royal College of Art in London on 19 September 2024.

The panel was part of Design Stories London, a collaboration between London’s Royal College of Art and Warsaw’s SWPS University, supported by the British Council and Polish Cultural Institute London. It was hosted by Disegno's editor-in-chief Oli Stratford, and featured Alicja Bielawska, a visual artist and assistant professor at SWPS; Ewa Klekot, a professor of anthropologist with SWPS; Joyce Yee, a Professor of Design and Social Innovation at Northumbria School of Design; and Teal Triggs, a professor, historian and writer around graphic design at the Royal College of Art.

This podcast was made for the RCA and SWPS University.

9. Where Next? Why is a screen not an object?

Screens dominate contemporary technology and the home, but we are regularly encouraged to see them as non-objects: glass voids that present a surface and nothing more. But what happens when we start to think of screens as objects in themselves, and how might we encourage more meaningful, intuitive interactions with technology by doing so? In this episode of Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office, host Oli Stratford is joined by Jake Weir, Fredrik Hellberg, Lara Lesmes, Rowan Williams and Rhiarna Dhaliwal to discuss the role of screens in design.

This podcast was made for Map.

8. Where Next? What should a product sound like?

Sound design is well established across music, film and media, although the field’s importance to product design and architecture has historically been overlooked. Yet given the central role that electrical devices play in our lives, how can the sounds they emit be tailored to make our everyday experiences more intuitive, friendly and integrated in our environment? In this episode of Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office, host Oli Stratford is joined by Chloe Glews from Map, Freddie Webb from Father, Emily Candela and Joseph Zeal Henry.

This podcast was made for Map.

Maison&Objet: A Natural Interface

We often think of technology and nature as separate things, but what happens when they come together? In this podcast, recorded live from the heart of Maison&Objet, host Oli Stratford discusses different approaches of combining technology and ecology with designers Simon Dupety, Suzanna Laskaridis and Felix Rasehorn. The episode digs into how new brands and young designers are seeking to create a more transparent, optimistic and less ecologically damaging design industry.

This podcast was made for Maison&Objet.

Maison&Objet: Conversations in Tech Eden

How can design connect to nature? At January's 2024 edition of Maison&Objet, Disegno created a pair of podcasts, recorded live from the heart of the fair, to interrogate this question. The first episode sees the journal's editor-in-chief, Oli Stratford, speak with Mathieu Lehanneur about Outonomy, an installation Lehanneur created as the fair's Designer of the Year. Lehanneur reflects on how his vivid yellow pavilion brings into question the binary ways we approach technology and nature, and instead encourages us to blur the lines between these two spheres.

This podcast was made for Maison&Objet.

7. Where Next? Has “creativity” been commoditised?

“Creativity” has become a buzzword – a tagline that brands and individuals deploy to describe how they approach business. But what do we mean when we use this word so freely, and what role can designers play within a business climate that already professes to be “creative”? In this episode of Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office, host Oli Stratford is joined by Mitzi Okou, Jay Osgerby, Andu Masebo and Oskar Smolokowski to discuss how our understanding of creativity is shifting to become more collaborative.

This podcast was made for Map.

Re-routing the City: Moving in Inclusive Directions

The built environment is rarely designed with physical, cognitive or intellectual disabilities in mind, leaving our cities difficult to navigate, unwelcoming, and potentially dangerous for large parts of the population. So what can be done to make moving around more inclusive for everyone? In the final episode of season one of Re-routing the City, host India Block invites guests Dom Hymas and Ruth Ross-Macdonald to discuss how new navigation technologies can create opportunities to improve and prioritise safe and comfortable mobility for all.

This podcast was made for Applied.

6. Where Next? Can e-vehicles help the car turn onto a new road?

What does mobility mean in the 21st century? In this episode of Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office, host Oli Stratford is joined by designers Will Verity, Dr. Jiayu Wu, Andy Wheel and Liam Young to discuss how autonomous and electric vehicles are softening the barriers between private cars and leisure spaces.With a rising interest in how we spend our time in cars, does the car itself need to be redesigned? And who is best positioned to create the new infrastructures, spaces and behaviours that these vehicles will demand?

This podcast was made for Map.

Re-routing the City: The New Rules of the Road

In the second episode of Re-routing the City host India Block is joined by Tim Fendley and Julia Thrift to discuss the ways in which different road users occupy public space. The conversation ranges from the positive impacts that well-designed roads can have on health, to the need for governments to take more holistic, long-term approaches to creating safe and comfortable cities for all. Can pedestrians, cyclists, cars, scooters and others co-exist in urban spaces harmoniously? How do modern wayfinding systems such as Legible London deter vandalism? And do we need a new code of conduct to ensure everybody can enjoy and use these spaces safely?

This podcast was made for Applied.

Re-routing the City: Navigation and Neuroscience

In this inaugural episode of Re-routing the City host India Block is joined by Tim Fendley and Kate Jeffery to discuss the science behind our sense of direction. From discussion as to whether rats and humans share a universal internal compass to the study of yellow as a naturally understood warning colour, the conversation moves in multiple directions to ask: can design help our brains move more smoothly through busy spaces?

This podcast was made for Applied.

Maison&Objet: Oasis with Muller Van Severen

In this Disegno podcast, Fien Muller and Hannes Van Severen of Belgian design studio Muller van Severen are interviewed about their Oasis installation for the upcoming Maison&Objet trade fair – a cocoon-like pavilion designed to offer visitors to the fair a moment of peace and respite. Oasis is conceived of as a total composition, not an exhibition, and will be filled with Muller Van Severen’s past projects as well as new objects and works – presenting them all together as a family. Oasis is a celebration of over a decade of the studio’s work, which frequently challenges object typologies and functions.

This podcast was made for Maison&Objet.

Tweaking is Optional

In this Disegno podcast the journal’s deputy editor India Block is joined by designers Marcel Wanders, Yves Béhar, Anahita Mekanik, Frederik Duerinck and Clark Scheffy to discuss how designers and brands can strike up purposeful partnerships with artificial intelligence. Speaking live from Milan Design Week 2023, the panel explores the implications, opportunities and frictions of the design industry beginning to embrace AI.

This podcast was made for Moooi. 

5. Where Next? Should we make friends with tech?

In this fifth instalment of  Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office, host Oli Stratford is joined by Laura Lebeau, Soomi Park, Zoe Schladow, and Bas van de Poel to ask how technology can be more sensitively embedded into people’s homes and whether it should be. While many examples of ambient technology are austere and built around black screens, the introduction of more playful physical forms, figurative details, and emotional software suggests routes that might help establish these devices in our everyday lives. Can making friends with tech products give them more longevity, and what are the ethical complexities around privacy and trust that designers of less obtrusive tech might have to consider?

This podcast was made for Map.

4. Where Next? Can design break the plastic taboo?

To kick off season two of Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office, host Oli Stratford is joined by Rosalie McMillan, Peter Griffith, Seetal Solanki and Richard Stevens to unpick the complexities, biases and attitudes surrounding the use of plastics. While our heavy reliance on plastic, especially single-use plastic, is an undeniable problem for the planet, is the material currently being dismissed too quickly in critical discourse? For a material that has been variously vaunted and vilified, is it time we began building a healthier, more honest relationship with the plastic resources surrounding us? The panel explore what might need to change for industry and consumers to reassess the value of plastic, and in turn, use it more carefully and appropriately.

This podcast was made for Map.

3. Where Next? Are designers done with stuff?

In this third instalment of Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office, host Oli Stratford is joined by Natsai Audrey Chieza, Afaina de Jong, Nick Rolls and George Garner to discuss the shifting roles of designers, and to ask whether the discipline is done with stuff. With a rise in digital products and services, new social and commercial models, and dynamic shifts in how we live and work, how is design responding? Studios are now being called upon to design everything from a company’s systems and workflows, through to developing strategies for clients that prioritise creativity. In response to these changes, how has the role of “the designer” evolved and remained relevant to businesses?

This podcast was made for Map.

2. Where Next? Are e-vehicles a wrong turn?

In this second instalment of Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office, host India Block is joined by Dr. Destiny Thomas, Dan Hill, Emilie Robinson and Andrea Rosati for a panel discussing the future of mobility. Electric vehicles hold huge potential as society aims to cut its reliance on fossil fuels, but this is not the only issue facing mobility. Our cities are clogged with private vehicles, with public space taken away from pedestrians and allocated towards road infrastructure. Can the drive to redesign vehicles create opportunities to enact more radical change? How can we design more pedestrian-focused cities – and forms of mobility – that provide greater human value than simply getting from A to B?

This podcast was made for Map.

Maison&Objet: Palais Exotique with Cristina Celestino

In this Disegno podcast, the journal’s editor-in-chief Oli Stratford speaks with architect Cristina Celestino about the ideas infusing her Palais Exotique installation for the upcoming Maison&Objet. The pavilion has been erected at the heart of the fair and will provide a space dedicated to decoration and colour, traits traditionally prized within fashion design that frequently face a more muted response within architecture. Celestino sets out her case for Palais Exotique as an unashamedly tactile area where traditional craft will be pushed to the forefront.

This podcast was made for Maison&Objet.

1. Where Next? Is “old” a dirty word in design?

In this inaugural episode of Where Next? Conversations with Map Project Office the panel ask questions about the fetishisation of newness in design. Host Oli Stratford is joined by guests Richard Stevens, Mads Kogsgaard Hansen, Priya Khanchandani and Hella Jongerius as they discuss how the industry might adopt a different approach, in which products accrue in value as they age, are built around modular principles, and are designed to be easily repaired and upgraded. With society seeking to urgently reduce waste, is it time we stopped being so afraid of the “old”?

This podcast was made for Map.

Maison&Objet: Franklin Azzi on retro futures

In this Disegno podcast, the journal’s deputy editor India Block speaks to architect Franklin Azzi about Retro Futur, his new installation for Maison&Objet that tackles the past and future of office spaces. Speaking from his Paris-based studio, Azzi discusses building flexibility, crisis design, and what a good office should smell like.

This podcast was made for Maison&Objet. 

Maison&Objet: Paris reopens

Disegno's editor-in-chief Oli Stratford catches up with Maison&Objet’s managing director, Philippe Brocart, to talk about the return of the trade fair to Paris this September, the reopening of the French capital, and how over a year of disruption has helped Maison adapt and create new approaches to programming for the design industry.

This podcast was made for Maison&Objet. 

Introducing Words on Wood

Welcome to the forest is the first episode of Words on Wood, a new podcast from AHEC made in collaboration with Disegno. Offering a deep dive into some of the big issues surrounding forests and how these affect design and architecture, you can listen to the whole series by subscribing to Words on Wood, available on all major podcast platforms.

Introducing The Crit

Introducing a new fortnightly podcast from Disegno, the Quarterly Journal of Design. The Crit takes the best design stories from around the world, pulls them apart, and looks at what’s really going on underneath.

Salone Postponed

Disegno’s editorial staff discuss the Salone del Mobile’s decision to postpone its 2020 edition following the outbreak of coronavirus in north Italy. This episode is produced by Evi Hall and edited by Kristina Rapacki.

Flexible Spaces, Flexible Minds

Disegno’s editor-in-chief Oli Stratford is joined by neuroscientist Dr Jack Lewis and Michael Held, design director at Steelcase, to discuss the relationship between our bodies and minds, and how both movement and environment can shape how we think and feel in the workplace. This episode is produced and edited by Evi Hall and was recorded at the Steelcase showroom in London. Music by Zapsplat.

The Decade in Design: A Partial Review of the 2010s

Join Disegno's founder Johanna Agerman Ross, editor-in-chief Oli Stratford, and deputy editor Kristina Rapacki for a discussion of the 2010s in design. What was the single most important design typology of the decade? How did the role of the designer change? Is the starchitect dead? And why so many biennales? This episode is produced by Evi Hall, with editing and fact checking by Kristina Rapacki. The podcast tile is designed by Zlata Djienova, and features an image by Teresa Giannico. Erratum: In the podcast, Fiskars's history of ironwork is dated back to the 18th century, when in fact the village's first ironworks were established in 1649.

Ethical Production

Listen to highlights from a conversation about sustainable production between fashion designer Reet Aus, ceramic artist Eva Spoof, and Matthew Grant from the design studio Dust London. The talk, which was held at the Finnish Institute on 20 September, is moderated by Disegno's editor-in-chief Oli Stratford. This podcast was made in collaboration with NID and was supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and Ministry of Culture of Estonia. This podcast was recorded during a live talk hosted by NID and Disegno at the Finnish Institute in London during London Design Festival 2019.

Tables: Designing New Forms of Curation

Is curation restricted to museums and galleries? Or can the discipline be extended into the wider public realm? In 2018, the Istanbul Design Biennial launched its fourth edition. Themed "A School of Schools", the biennial sought to tackle ways in which design and education might better support one another. One of the projects launched in Istanbul, in partner with the British Council, was Tables, an ongoing series of dinners and discussions exploring new formats for curation. Led by Jana Scholze, a curator of contemporary design and associate professor at Kingston School of Art, Tables is an exploration of how of critical discussion might exist outside of gallery and museum settings. In this special podcast episode from Disegno and the British Council, Scholze sets out the aims and aspirations of the project. Featuring Jana Scholze and Cansu Cürgen.

London Design Festival 2019: Odds and Ends

Disegno's editorial team discusses installations and exhibitions at the 2019 edition of the London Design Festival. In this fourth and final episode, Disegno's editorial team picks up some loose ends: Martino Gamper's Disco Carbonara installation at Coal Drops Yard; Masters of Disguise from the collectible design gallery Seeds; and Lines Form Surface by Mentsen. This episode contains language which may not be suitable for children. Music by Zapsplat.

Clothing and Globalisation: Autonomy and Molas in Panama

Alisa Ruzavina visits the Guna Yala province of Panama to learn about Mola textiles. In collaboration with local women, she explores the ways in which fashion and craft can be made more sustainable in the context of a global economy. This podcast is a collaboration between Disegno and the British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

London Design Festival 2019: Design and Research

In this episode, Disegno's editorial team has picked out a number of research-driven projects: Chipsboard, shown as part of Material of the Year at the London Design Fair; James Plimmer's Flohaler, nominated for the Rado Design Prize; Bio Iridescent Sequin by Elissa Brunato, exhibitited as part of CSM's Designing for Turbulent Times display; and the Fleet Fountain by Michael Anastassiades for the London Fountain Company, which has finally found a permanent home in Brompton. Music by Zapsplat.

London Design Festival 2019: Reuse and Reclamation

Disegno's editorial team discusses installations and exhibitions at the 2019 edition of the London Design Festival. This episode covers three projects using recycled or reclaimed materials: A Second Life by Matter of Stuff, Please Be Seated by Paul Cocksedge, and A Boundless World: In the Face of Tradition by Attua Aparicio Torinos at MDR Gallery. Music by Zapsplat.

London Design Festival 2019: Design and Public Archives

Disegno's editorial team run the rule over the opening installations and exhibitions of the 2019 London Design Festival. The team look at Sam Jacob, Big Chief Desmond Melancon, and Non-Pavilion at the V&A, as well as Please Sit at Fenton House. Music by Zapsplat.

reSITE: A Conversation About Cities

How do we make our cities more liveable and loveable? Who should we include in discussions about the city, and how can we turn those conversations into concrete action? Disegno speaks to reSITE and Manifesto Market founder Martin Barry about his work in the field of urbanism, ahead of reSITE's annual conference. This podcast was recorded live in Manifesto Market, a food and events space in Prague which has risen out of reSITE's working philosophies. reSITE's 2019 conference reGENERATE takes place in Prague 19-20 September. Speakers include Yosuke Hayano of MAD Architects and Design Indaba's Ravi Naido.

Weaving and Memory: Backstrap Looms in the Philippines

Weaver Michelle Stephens and academic Rachel Kelly explore the varied weaving practices found across the Philippines, and how to document the country’s local techniques and patterns for prosperity. This podcast is a collaboration between Disegno and the British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

Ceramics and Community: Porcelain-Making in Jingdezhen

Researcher Xiaofang Zhan visits Jingdezhen, the ceramic centre of China, and discusses the industrial changes the city and surrounding region have undergone in the late 20th century. This podcast is a collaboration between Disegno and the British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

Textiles and Linguistics: Script as Pattern in Kinshasa

Designer Jess Kilubukila explains the inspiration behind his use of the pan-African Mandombe script on traditional Kuba textiles in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. This podcast is a collaboration between Disegno and the British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

Smelting and Folklore: Ore to Steel from Ireland to Japan

Artist and blacksmith Katie Surridge explores traditional smelting techniques in Ireland and Japan, taking listeners on a journey through the processes and folklore associated with metalworking. The Residency podcast is a collaboration between Disegno and the British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Special thanks to Leszek Sikon at Kingdom Forge.

After the Showroom: The Realities of Sustainable Design

A conversation about the afterlife of products and furniture between FranklinTill’s Caroline Till, designer and Berlin University of the Arts lecturer Ineke Hans and Flokk’s Christian Eide Lodgaard, chaired by Disegno’s editor-in-chief Oli Stratford. This podcast was created in collaboration with Flokk. This podcast was recorded at the Flokk showroom in London in May 2019 during Clerkenwell Design Week.

Fashion and Identity: Design and the British-Bangladeshi Experience

Fashion designer Rahemur Rahman reflects on his childhood growing up as a Londoner with Bangladeshi parents, his upbringing’s influence on his work, and his desire to redefine what it means to be “Made in Bangladesh”. The Residency podcast is a collaboration between Disegno and the British Council, the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.

Salone del Mobile 2019

Disegno's editorial team come together to discuss their impressions from the 2019 Salone del Mobile, with discussion turning to sustainability at the Fiera and Paola Antonelli's Broken Nature at the Triennale. Music by Zapsplat.

Objects in Drag

A conversation about the gendering of objects and furniture between the University of Roehampton’s Nina Power, Betti Marenko of Central St Martins, and designers Nika Zupanc and Ab Rogers, chaired by Disegno’s editor-in-chief Oli Stratford. This podcast was recorded at the Moooi showroom in London in October 2018.

Re: Use

A conversation between Emeco's Gregg Buchbinder and the designer Michael Marriott about usage and reuse, chaired by Disegno's editor-in-chief Oli Stratford. This podcast was created in collaboration with Emeco. This podcast was recorded during a live talk hosted at SCP on 20 September 2018 during London Design Festival.

Material Visions

A conversation between Central Saint Martins' Carole Collet, Franklin Till's Caroline Till and Steelcase's John Small about the potentials afforded by material research and development, chaired by Disegno's editor-in-chief Oli Stratford. This podcast was created in collaboration with Steelcase. This podcast was recorded during a live talk hosted in Steelcase's Clerkenwell showroom on 24 May 2018 during Clerkenwell Design Week.

Designing Flyprint

A conversation with Nike's Bret Schoolmeester about the development of Flyprint technology, a means of 3D-printing running shoes. This podcast was created in collaboration with Nike.

Italian and Swedish Postwar Design

A conversation between Patrizia Moroso and Staffan Tollgard about the legacy of Italian and Swedish postwar design, chaired by Johanna Agerman Ross. This podcast was created in collaboration with Moroso and Staffan Tollgard Design Group. This podcast was recorded during the launch of Staffan Tollgard's Shapes and Sizes rug for Golran, on 16 November 2017.

Familiar Spaces

How familiar does the city around you feel? In collaboration with the British Council and The Finnish Institute. Chaired by Oli Stratford with Prof. Juhani Pallasmaa, Luca Picardi, Kate Goodwin, Maria Gasparian and Holly Lewis. This podcast was recorded at a live event at The Finnish Institute, London, on 20 May 2017. The event followed a walking tour of the King's Cross redevelopment.

The Future of European Design: Policy

Why aren't all economies circular? In collaboration with the British Council. Chaired by Joseph Grima with Sarah Mann, Carl-Johan Skogh and Vera Sacchetti. This podcast was recorded live at Atelier Clerici during Salone Del Mobile in Milan on 5 April 2017. It is the third of three podcasts about the future of European design, based on programming hosted by Disegno and the British Council. Read more about Disegno and the British Council's collaboration here (http://design.britishcouncil.org/blog/2017/mar/17/disegno-x-british-council/).

The Future of European Design: Industry

Can the European design industry survive a transition from free movement to protectionist values? In collaboration with the British Council. Chaired by Johanna Agerman Ross with Jan Boelen, Ineke Hans, and Orhan Nikšić. This podcast was recorded live at Atelier Clerici during Salone Del Mobile in Milan on 4 April 2017. It is the first of three podcasts about the future of European design, based on programming hosted by Disegno and the British Council. Read more about Disegno and the British Council's collaboration here (http://design.britishcouncil.org/blog/2017/mar/17/disegno-x-british-council/).

The Future of European Design: Education

Are overseas fees corrosive to transnational education? In collaboration with the British Council. Chaired by Oli Stratford with Sebastian Bergne, Alexis Georgacopoulos, and Tamar Shafrir. This podcast was recorded live at Atelier Clerici during Salone Del Mobile in Milan on 4 April 2017. It is the first of three podcasts about the future of European design, based on programming hosted by Disegno and the British Council. Read more about Disegno and the British Council's collaboration here (http://design.britishcouncil.org/blog/2017/mar/17/disegno-x-british-council/).