Archello Podcast

In this episode Archello is in London with Alison Brooks, Principal and Creative Director of Alison Brooks Architects, the office she founded in 1996.

The works produced by Alison’s practice are experimental and sophisticated. The projects exhibit forms and materials that are sensitive to their neighborhoods yet unique enough to make one pause and appreciate a building that is unexpected, well designed and invigorating. The practice’s work has garnered awards that range from the RIBA house of the year to the Stirling Prize.

Listen as Alison speaks about her newly-published monograph, her constant process of experimentation, and the evolution of the practice of architecture.

In this episode Archello is in Shoreditch, East London with Simon Henley who is Principal of Henley Halebrown, the office he co-founded in 1995. The buildings realized by Simon’s practice engage with their surroundings and prioritize environmental responsibility.

There is clear a commitment both to craftsmanship and community engagement in the projects, which range from housing to offices but all which share a special focus on social spaces. Henley Halebrown’s projects are well recognized and have been honored with the Neave Brown Award for Housing and twice been shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize.
Listen as Simon speaks about starting his practice in the 1990s, his work on adaptive reuse projects, and the importance of community in architecture.

In this episode, Archello is in Paris with Odile Decq of Studio Odile Decq, who established her own office shortly after graduating from architecture school in Brittany in the 1980s.

Decq is a prominent French architect renowned for her bold, avant-garde designs. Her notable projects include the extension of the Macro Museum in Rome and the Phantom Opera Garnier restaurant in Paris. In addition to her architectural practice, she founded the Confluence Institute for Innovation and Creative Strategies in Architecture, which emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches in architectural education.

Listen as we Decq speaks about her background, her integration of striking forms with practical design, and her motivation for introducing a new model of architectural education in France.

In this episode we're in London with Patrik Schumacher, principal of Zaha Hadid Architects. Born in Bonn, Germany, Patrik studied philosophy, math and architecture in Germany and the UK before earning his PhD. In 1996 he co-founded the Design Research Laboratory at the Architectural Association in London, where he continues to teach today.
Patrik first joined Zaha Hadid Architects in 1988 and collaborated closely with the late Zaha Hadid to define the design approach of the firm, which produces visionary projects that range from cultural institutions, to transportation hubs and office towers in cities around the globe. Patrik is an architect that combines theory with practice to create new types of space and forms. Despite their complexity, the projects are surprisingly clean and legible.
Listen as we talk about Patrik's design process, his experience with Zaha Hadid, how he works with materials, and how he is using new technologies such as artificial intelligence to advance projects.

In this episode Archello is in Paris with Manuelle Gautrand. Manuelle is Principal Architect and Director of Manuelle Gautrand Architecture, the agency she founded in 1991.
Manuelle was born in Marseille and received her diploma in Architecture from l’Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Montpellier. She has led projects that range from housing to cultural centers and which experiment widely with form and material. In 2017 Manuelle was awarded the European Prize for Architecture, making her both the first female and the first French architect to receive the honor.
Listen as Manuelle describes her design process, the importance of participating in design competitions, how she works with materials, and the ways in which she uses new technologies in developing projects.