#25 - Walker Larson

About this episode

Angus and Walker Larson discuss architecture, cultural criticism, and the intersection of beauty and human flourishing in modern cities.

In this epsiode, Angus enjoys a wide-ranging conversation with writer and cultural critic Walker Larson. The two discuss Walker's journey from teaching literature and history at a classical academy to becoming a full-time freelance writer, novelist, and author of the Substack newsletter The Hazelnut . From there, the discussion dives into Walker's article "A Case for Beauty in Our Cities," exploring why so much modern architecture and infrastructure feels sterile or ugly compared to older European cityscapes, and how that connects to deeper questions about human nature, spirituality, and the body–soul composite. Angus and Walker talk about Bauhaus, Brutalism, new urbanism, and specific projects like the Guatemalan development Cayalá, as well as the influence of thinkers like Christopher Alexander, Aristotle, Aquinas, C.S. Lewis, and others. The conversation closes with a candid exchange about Catholicism, technology, AI, and what genuine human flourishing might require today.

People in this episode

Host: Angus

Guest: Walker Larson

Topics covered

• architecture
• urbanism
• cultural criticism
• human flourishing
• Catholicism
• technology

Keywords

• modern architecture
• Brutalism
• Bauhaus
• new urbanism
• human nature
• spirituality
• freelance writing
• Catholicism
• AI

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Hazelnut

Books & works: A Case for Beauty in Our Cities

Places: Guatemala, Cayalá

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