The Youtopia Podcast
By Lauren-Lois
The Youtopia PodcastFeb 16, 2021
The Youtopia Series - Power to the People with Tanya Chiganze
EPISODE 2 - In this episode, we’re talking collective action and organising with our guest, Tanya Chiganze from Decolonising Architecture Bath. We’ll be unpacking what ‘Power to the People’ means to us in the educational context, and what student action against the educational institution looks like today.
Follow Decolonise Architecture Bath on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook to stay updated with future projects.
The Youtopia Series - Futurescapes with Neba Sere
EPISODE 4 - The final episode in the Youtopia mini-series is titled ‘Futurescapes’. We’ll explore the role of the architect in designing for tomorrow's communities through a Youtopian lens. "Social architects" seek to improve the liveability and safety or environmental impact of their own communities. I’m joined by Neba Sere, one of the co-founders of Black Females in Architecture and a social architect in her own right.
To find out more about Neba Sere and her network, follow her on twitter @nebasere or Instagram @blackfemarc or via the website - https://linktr.ee/blackfemarc
For more information on the Youtopia series, visit http://youtopia.online
The Youtopia Series - Convivial Responsibility with Neil Pinder
EPISODE 3 - Today we're talking 'Money + Power + Control', and the concept of convivial responsibility. This is the idea of what we as a society owes each other - be that economically, or in terms of resources. Here I wanted to tackle one of the most important resources, knowledge – who holds the keys and the ability to shape the information that we share, how it is shared, and who has access to it...
I’m joined by Neil Pinder, who shares his insights as an architectural educator and the unconventional journey he took to create his career. Neil has been an educator in London for over 25 years and works to introduce architecture to students at different stages in their education.
He founded "Celebrating Architecture" with Venetia Wolfenden, as well as 'HomegrownPlus' and 'GLAM goes Global'. Since officially launching at the RCA in 2018, and over the last two summers, Celebrating Architecture has hosted workshop days at London pavilion structures for 175 young people from ALL backgrounds (‘non-traditional’ and ‘traditional’).
Follow Neil Pinder @homegrownplus on Instagram or watch this clip to find out more.
The Youtopia Series - Vive La Revolution! with Boni Adeliyi
EPISODE 1 - In our first episode, we're talking architecture + revolution with Boni Adeliyi.
Revolutions are not new to society, and in the hundreds of protests that were staged globally in 2020, the same sentiment, the passionate cry of ‘vive la révolution’ or ‘viva la revolución!’ was heard again through the mouths of the protesters that gathered to march for various causes. Today’s motto: ‘No Justice? No Peace!’.
In this episode, we discuss the effectiveness of protests for changing social conditions, taking up space in the public realm and the importance of location in relation to protest.
The Youtopia Series - Teaser Trailer
My name is Lauren-Lois - currently I’m studying a Master's in Architecture, and I’m excited to share this mini-series with you. More information + resources can be found on http://youtopia.online
Contact me via laureenarte@outlook.com, or find me on Instagram @larchitiste.
TRANSCRIPT:
You’re probably wondering what this podcast is all about, it began as the research topic for my master’s thesis, but I decided to switch the format from pen, to paper, to audio. I created this podcast as a tool for visualising Youtopia in tomorrow’s society, I’m analysing architecture at points of social change, and observing the ways we design places as a result of that.
It’s youtopia not utopia because in an ideal society, the spaces we build and design should be reflective of you, and whatever identity you represent. This is architecture for social empowerment, and social equality.
I’ve got a couple of guests that are gonna help me along the way, these guests have been chosen because they’ve organised protests, they’re disrupting educational barriers, they’ve created campaigns, they’re forming networks...They’re going to share their stories, challenges, achievements, and aspirations; and we’re just going to discuss how the work they do positively disrupts the ‘system’ and creates opportunities for change.
Hopefully, this inspires listeners to tap into their own fields and interests to create Youtopias of their own.