What Builds Us

In our second episode of Season Two, we are sniffing around all about smell! Brian and Sean work through the unsung but important role of smell in understanding space and the city, and then chat with Dr. Kate McLean. Kate has developed a process of "smellmapping" urban environments, and we talk through this approachable and insightful practice and the amazing maps that result. Thanks again to Kate for talking with us!

For more info on Kate's work, head to her website https://sensorymaps.com/.

For the first episode of Season Two, we talk all about sight! Sean and Brian introduce the theme of the season, and then talk through how sight is regarded by so many people as the primary sense for understanding space and the built environment. To gain a different perspective, we are joined by architect Chris Downey, who lost his sight during his career. Huge thanks to Chris for talking with us!

It's the last episode of season 1! Seantel and Brian close out with an excellent conversation with Rob Trumbour, our good friend, professor, and fine artist. We leave the constraints of scale behind to discuss the impact of with time and memory in our understanding of spaces and places.

Thanks to everyone who helped us make season 1! Every single person who talked to us, listened to the show, or spread the word around means a lot to us. Keep an eye out for news about season 2!

In this penultimate episode of Season 1, we discuss the way that gender and race play into our experience of space, at a variety of scales. Our conversation is helped greatly by Caroline Light, the Director of Undergraduate Studies at Harvard University's Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, who was so kind to share some time with us. Thanks to Caroline for bringing an expert voice to this complex topic!

This week we sit down with our friend and professor John Ellis. We focus on his work in the city of Cotonou, Benin, collaborating with a former student and the local community to build a design studio that " utilizes citizen participation to empower local communities through the regeneration of public spaces". Thanks again to John for talking with us!

  This week we reconnect with Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman, an urban anthropologist currently working in Philadelphia. She calls herself a "professional people-watcher", and our conversation revolves around the vibrant spaces in cities between buildings. Let us know which spaces in your neighborhood you love!

Interior public space is so interesting, we wanted to talk about it twice! We talk about some great spaces we have been too or are familiar with, from the Netherlands to Seattle to Germany and more. Send us examples of interior public spaces you really love!

Back out into the city we go! This week, Seantel and Brian tour three types of interior public spaces with our good friend Ivan. He is not a trained architect, and serves as a thoughtful and inquisitive neutral voice as we go to a coffeehouse, a public library, and a university building. Thanks again to Ivan for walking around with us!

This week Brian and Seantel sit down with professor and author Anne-Catrin Schultz for a conversation about layering in architecture! We discuss how design happens in layers of material, time, and memory, and how having general architecture knowledge can change your perspective on the built environment. Thanks again to Anne-Catrin for joining us!

This week Seantel and Brian leave the confines of the studio and head out to the city! We talk about design at 100 square feet, through the lens of PARK(ing) Day, and hear from a variety of voices about great, small-scale moments in the public realm.

 Thanks for coming back to What Builds Us! This week, Brian and Seantel talk design at 10 square feet, including how your brain relates to other people, the ramifications of personal space, the interpersonal dynamics at play in the home, and Seantel's thesis.