Talking Architecture & Design

Australia is facing one of its biggest housing challenges in decades, with the federal government's National Housing Accord aiming to deliver 1.2 million new homes by 2029. But what if the biggest obstacle isn't planning approvals, land supply, or even skills shortages? 
A major new report from RMIT University, prepared for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, argues that the industry's chronic boom-and-bust cycles are the real culprit—creating labour shortages during the good times, losing skilled workers during downturns, and ultimately reducing both productivity and build quality. 
Joining us for this episode is the report's lead author, Associate Professor Andrea Sharam from RMIT University, to unpack why Australia's housing system needs structural reform if we're serious about delivering more homes.

For decades, airport lounges were viewed simply as waiting rooms for premium travellers. Today, they're something much more sophisticated—extensions of airline brands, wellness spaces, workplaces, hospitality venues and, increasingly, destinations in their own right.
But what actually makes a great airport lounge? How do architects and designers balance luxury with durability, privacy with openness, and local identity with a consistent global brand?
Joining us in this episode are Joanna Ho, interior designer, and Rosie Morley, principal architect from Hassell, who share with us their extensive experience designing airport lounges and aviation hospitality environments.

According to PhD graduate Isabel Lasala, who is also an architect and landscape architect, and one of the directors of Lasala & Lasala Design Studio, "Cemeteries have long been central to our relationship with death, traditionally viewed as sacred and static places. 
"But what if we reimagined cemeteries as dynamic, hybrid spaces shaped by time, memory, and ecological processes?  
"Rather than viewing their gradual decay as failure, we could explore design-driven alternatives that merge the contrasting forces of grief and play, transforming decay into a catalyst for civic engagement. 
"This approach could inspire innovative design strategies for revitalising forgotten urban spaces, creating a new type of urban environment that bridges grief and play, memory and adaptation."
In this episode, we talk to Isabel about applying urban design ideas to a necropolis.

In this episode, sponsored by Autex Acoustics, we talk with Tamara White from Warren and Mahoney (WAM), whose work spans creating environments that support human performance, connection, and healthier futures. 
We discuss how designers are redefining what sustainable spaces look and feel like — and what that means for the people using them.” 
Our theme is on how can architects and designers create spaces that are not only environmentally sustainable, but actively support human health, wellbeing, performance, and connection? 
This conversation also explores the evolving relationship between sustainability and wellbeing across workplace, airport, and hospitality design and will examine how designers are responding to changing expectations around equity, flexibility, resilience, and the human experience. 
This podcast is brought to you in association with Autex Acoustics, proud sponsors of our 2026 Sustainability series of podcasts.

Drawing from his local and overseas architecture experience, recently appointed Plus Studio principal John Walsh, in this episode, unpacks how shared-use, hybrid buildings—blending education, civic, and commercial functions—are redefining how we design for density, community, and long-term value. 
From navigating security and adaptability to stretching the design brief for greater impact, this conversation looks at how architects can respond creatively to the pressures of urban growth.