Lee Ivett: Blueprint for a new architecture.

About this episode

Lee Ivett discusses the need for reform in architectural education and practice in the context of current challenges facing the profession.

In the 193rd episode of this here A is for Architecture Podcast , Lee Ivett joined me for a second time, 1591 days since his last appearance here. Now a Professor and Head of the London School of Architecture , and still an active architect, I wanted to speak to Lee to discuss architectural education and practice life. As architecture’s professional bodies push for recognition and reform, whilst governments – or their financial backers – who knows - seemingly push back, it appears like the profession is at an inflection point. Lee argues for a radical shift in how we train the next generation and, with style, describes the urgent need for a more responsive, integrated education. Stuck in a world of materials, flows, logistics, finance, risk and policy, architecture is a cumbersome beast. But, I think Lee would suggest, it’s also too important to abandon in favour of neoliberal indifference and a ‘trust the market’ fundamentalism if we are to retain or remake good urban space. Instead, in a world of rapid change and technological shocks, architecture has to move beyond both aesthetics-first or tech-fix positions and towards critical inquiry and research-led architecture that tries…

People in this episode

Host: Ambrose Gillick

Guest: Lee Ivett

Topics covered

• architectural education
• architecture practice
• professional reform
• urban space
• critical inquiry
• research-led architecture

Keywords

• architecture
• education
• urban space
• professional bodies
• neoliberalism
• critical inquiry
• research-led

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: London School of Architecture, Baxendale, Other People’s Dreams

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