Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

Stride Treglown

Welcome to Stand Tall with Rachel Bell. Stand Tall is candid conversations with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, and engineering. Your host is Rachel Bell, Director of Partnerships at Stride Treglown and established role model for women in the construction industry. The podcast follows in the spirit of Rachel’s personal mantra 'Stand Tall' which is about inspiring and supporting others to face fears and try something new. Expect fast-flowing conversations about life, careers, and defining moments. And stay tuned for the quick-fire questions towards the end for pearls of wisdom, advice and humour!

All episodes

Best episodes

Seasons

Top 10 Stand Tall with Rachel Bell Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Stand Tall with Rachel Bell episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Stand Tall with Rachel Bell for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Stand Tall with Rachel Bell episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

"Change can happen" - Smith Mordak, Chief Executive of UKGBC

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

11/21/23 • 40 min

Today, I’m joined by a true industry trailblazer, Smith Mordak.
Smith is an award-winning architect, engineer and writer, working across disciplines to realise a regenerative economy and built environment.
As former Director of Sustainability & Physics at Buro Happold, a one-time steering committee member at Architects Declare, and a current board member of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy (to name just a few of their past and present roles) – Smith has a long-standing reputation for driving industry action on climate change.
Their work in this field began a new chapter in July 2023 when Smith was appointed Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC).
In this episode, we talk about driving forward strategies for an equitable transition to a sustainable built environment, some of the cultural and political levers needed to enable change, and the importance of breaking down industry silos.
Smith also offers up some valuable tips for maintaining personal optimism and resilience in the face of global crisis.
Hope you enjoy the listen.
Resources

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) https://ukgbc.org/
UKGBC Systems Change Programme https://ukgbc.org/news/turning-the-tide-against-business-as-usual-ukgbcs-systems-change-programme/
Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity https://cusp.ac.uk/
Governing the Commons by Elinor Ostrom https://www.waterstones.com/book/governing-the-commons/elinor-ostrom/randall-calvert/9780521405997
The Dawn of Everything – A New History of Humanity by David Graeber and David Wengrow https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/314162/the-dawn-of-everything-by-wengrow-david-graeber-and-david/9780141991061
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey https://thenapministry.com
The Nap Ministry @thenapministry on Instagram

LinkedIn: Smith Mordak, UK Green Building Council (UKGBC)
Twitter: @SmithMordak @UKGBC
Instagram: @smithmordak

About Stand Tall
Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.
The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

My adventures in Malawi: Purpose. Partnership. Empowerment.

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

09/14/23 • 34 min

Welcome back to Stand Tall. This episode’s a bit different to our usual conversations. Today, I’m excited to share my own stand tall moment with you.
Back in April 2023, I travelled to Malawi to lead a Women’s Partnership Challenge trip with Orbis Expeditions, a travel company specialising in sustainable tourism.
The 10 day trip is for women, of all ages and backgrounds, who itch to have real purpose in their adventure.
From a wildlife safari and eco-island stay to partnerships with female entrepreneurs and students - each experience is designed to benefit the local people, economy, and environment.
But the trip also aims to take travellers out of their comfort zones with personal challenges including a hike up Malawi’s highest mountain.
This really was a trip of a lifetime and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to share my experiences with you. I hope you enjoy listening to the moments I captured during my time there.

Resources

Orbis Expeditions https://www.orbis-expeditions.com/
Sign up to The Women’s Partnership Challenge to Malawi in April 2024 https://www.orbis-expeditions.com/womens-partnership-challenge-malawi
Stand Tall with Rachel Bell: Kate Webb, Owner of Orbis Expeditions & The Responsible Safari Company https://www.buzzsprout.com/2007620/12643659
Blantyre: Malawi’s second largest city https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/blantyre-limbe/
Thyolo (pronounced “Cho’lo”) Fair Trade Tea Estate https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/thyolo-tea-estates/
Mount Mulanje https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/mount-mulanje/
Liwonde National Park https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/liwonde-national-park/
Rainbow Hope Secondary School – STEM Build Malawi Documentary by IET https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agj3Msy7wqk
Lake Malawi https://www.malawitourism.com/experiences/lake/
Blue Zebra Island Lodge https://bluezebra.mw/

Twitter: @OrbisExp
Instagram: @orbisexp

"Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Architecture, and Me" - Neil Pinder, Educator & Activist

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

06/09/23 • 34 min

I’m thrilled to welcome Neil Pinder to the show today. Neil is an award-winning educator and activist on a mission to demystify and diversify the architectural profession.

For over 25 years, Neil has taught in a number of inner-city schools and is currently Head of Product Design and Architecture at Graveney School in south London, where he introduced Architecture to the curriculum.
He is a trustee of Thornton Education Trust and Blueprint for All (formerly the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust). He’s an honorary professor at the Bartlett School of Architecture, and also an Arkwright interviewer for a prestigious engineering scholarship.
However, Neil is perhaps best known for the many initiatives he has spearheaded to inspire and support a new and diverse generation of young designers into the creative industries. These include Celebrating Architecture, HomeGrown Plus, GLAM (Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Architecture and me) and the transatlantic architectural exchange programme NY-LON.
In this episode, we talk about the importance of creativity in education, the power of early role models, plus why networks matter. And, we of course dig deeper into Neil’s wonderful world of initiatives designed to make architecture more accessible and representative of wider society.
Resources

Architects’ Journal, Neil Pinder wins AJ100 Contribution to the Profession award https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/neil-pinder-wins-aj100-contribution-to-the-profession-award-2022
Report - Developing the next generation of Black and Global Majority leaders for London schools by Rosemary Campbell-Stephens https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257922356_Developing_the_next_generation_of_Black_and_Global_Majority_leaders_for_London_schools
Education, Architecture and the Trojan Horse by Neil Pinder for the Roca Gallery http://www.rocagallery.com/education-architecture-and-the-trojan-horse
Thornton Education Trust https://www.thorntoneducationtrust.org/
Blueprint for All https://www.blueprintforall.org/
Open City https://open-city.org.uk/

Neil’s Initiatives

HomeGrown Plus https://homegrownplus.co.uk/
NYLON https://homegrownplus.co.uk/project/ny-lon-2022/
Celebrating Architecture https://architecturefoundation.org.uk/events/celebrating-architecture
GLAM Goes Global https://homegrownplus.co.uk/project/glam-goes-global/

LinkedIn: neil-pinder-817786a3
Twitter: NeilPinder5
Instagram: @homegrownplus @celebratingarchitecture @glam_goes_global

Welcome to Stand Tall: a two minute catch up with Rachel Bell

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

01/27/23 • 2 min

Season 3 returns in March 2023 to bring you more fast-paced and candid conversations with trailblazers across property, architecture, construction, and engineering. Discover the journeys they have taken to get where they are now and hear about their Stand Tall moments.

$Stand Tall with Rachel Bell - “Leave things better than the way you found them” – Martin Prince-Parrott, Founder of SUB\URBAN WORKSHOP$

“Leave things better than the way you found them” – Martin Prince-Parrott, Founder of SUB\URBAN WORKSHOP

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

11/30/22 • 30 min

Joining me for the final episode of Season 2 is Martin Prince-Parrott.
Martin is the Founder and Managing Director of SUB\URBAN WORKSHOP which he describes as a ‘thoroughly modern ESG-led real estate developer’.
With an award-winning architectural background and a firm belief that property should enrich lives, Martin is on a mission to transform the suburbs by creating healthy, low-carbon, and tech-enabled communities.
In this episode, we discuss ‘future-fit’ cyborg buildings, sustainable development as a ‘team sport’, the next phase of diversity in property, and his forthcoming book which reveals the relationship between healthy cities and the pounds and pence.
So, let’s meet Martin...
Resources

SUB\URBAN WORKSHOP: https://www.wearesuburbanworkshop.com/
Martin’s rethinking of the word ‘retrofit’ is examined by the Architects Journal:
https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/opinion/do-we-need-a-new-word-for-retrofit
DeepMind - Solving intelligence to advance science and benefit humanity: https://www.deepmind.com/
In episode 141 of PropCast: The Property Podcast,
Martin expresses his views on diversity in the property industry and says, whilst it has come a long way, there is still much more to do: https://www.propertyweek.com/analysis/the-next-frontier-in-diversity-is-levelling-the-field-of-senior-leadership/5121412.article
University of Liverpool ‘Park-onomics: The Value of Healthy Places’ guest lecture by Martin Prince-Parrott:
https://stream.liv.ac.uk/hetfqpt3

Twitter @MPrinParr / @SubUrbanREDev
Instagram @mpp_property / @suburban_re
LinkedIn martin-prince-parrott-esg-developer-architect

“Small is beautiful, small is best” – Rob Delius, Head of Sustainability at Stride Treglown

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

10/31/22 • 34 min

This week, I’m joined by my friend and colleague Rob Delius who is Head of Sustainability at Stride Treglown.
Earlier this year, Rob completed an epic 1250 mile walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End. For three months he lived alone and largely off grid, walking up to 20 miles each day and sleeping in a tent most nights.
Since his return to work in August, I’ve been keen to invite him onto the show to find out more about his adventure: the highlights, the challenges, and the revelations...
Rob has always been passionate about sustainability and placemaking - and we cover some of his many ‘big ideas’ in this conversation – but it’s clear to me that this trip has intensified his sense of responsibility to nature and people, something which is already feeding into his work as an architect and change-maker.
Tune in to be utterly inspired.
Resources

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-salt-path/raynor-winn/9781405937184
Landlines by Raynor Winn: https://www.waterstones.com/book/landlines/raynor-winn/2928377094997
Walking with Plato: A Philosophical Hike Through the British Isles by Gary Hayden: https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781786071057
Unlost – Gail Muller: https://gailmuller.com/my-book-unlost/
Rob Delius’ JOGLE trip photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/196031146@N02/
Ken Yeang – Malaysian architect: https://www.ribaj.com/culture/hindsight-ken-yeang-hamzah-yeang-climate-action-ecological-design
52 Big Ideas for Bristol: https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/52-big-ideas-for-bristol/
Therapeutic City Festival: https://stridetreglown.com/the-therapeutic-city-festival-launches-in-bath/
Waters of Bath: http://www.watersofbath.org/
Sinking House: https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/sinking-house/
Climate Action Relay: https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/climate-action-relay/
Architecture IS: https://www.architectureis.org.uk/about
Urban greening pop up exhibition in Bath: https://twitter.com/RobDelius/status/1583466218304200704

Twitter @RobDelius
LinkedIn robert-delius-9a299912

“What has got us here, will not get us there” – Alice Williams, VP Strategy at Schneider Electric

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

09/29/22 • 38 min

My guest today is Alice Williams, Vice President of Strategy at Schneider Electric – a global company leading the digital transformation of energy management and automation for greater efficiency and sustainability.
Alice has a fascinating background. Initially training as an aeronautical engineer, she worked her way up through the ranks of the British Army, specialising in intelligence and reconnaissance work. In 2019, she transitioned into the world of business and has since become a key voice for gender equality and female representation in traditionally male-dominated industries.
Stay tuned for discussions around squiggly career paths, “model” soldiers, STEM blinkers, and invisible women.
Resources

Schneider Electric UK: https://www.se.com/uk/en/
Squiggly Careers podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/squiggly-careers/id1202842065
The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity by Lynda Gratton & Andrew Scott: https://www.100yearlife.com/
PwC study: Women in Work 2022 - Building an inclusive workplace in a net zero world: https://www.pwc.co.uk/economic-services/WIWI/pwc-women-in-work-index-2022.pdf
TECH LIVE London: Recrafting the STEM narrative with Alice Williams (ref: female fashion designer who makes clothes using orchids): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvbS-NfL1IE
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez (book): https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/
Visible Women with Caroline Criado Perez (podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/visible-women-with-caroline-criado-perez/id1627229311
Amblers Sophie Ladies Safety Shoe (site shoes exclusively designed for women by diversity champion, Sophie Lydia Smith): https://safpro.co.uk/product/amblers-sophie-ladies-safety-shoe/

LinkedIn: alice-williams-15a312162
Twitter: @SchneiderUKI
Instagram: @schneiderelectric

"Building a more equitable profession" - Robbie Turner, Director of Inclusion & Diversity at RIBA

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

04/28/23 • 36 min

Today, I’m joined by Robbie Turner - Director of Inclusion & Diversity at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
He was appointed by the RIBA in November 2022 to “ensure the architecture profession – and its systems and structures – are underpinned by inclusive values, actions, and policies”.
Robbie is a pharmacist by trade with extensive experience in pharmaceutical management. In 2018, he became Executive Director of Member Experience at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and spent four years developing their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy.
Only months into his current role with the RIBA - and as a newcomer to the industry - I was keen to chat to Robbie about his move into architecture, his first impressions of the profession and the current state of EDI, as well as his plans to deliver positive change over the coming years.

Resources

Royal Institute of British Architects: https://www.architecture.com/
Inspiring The Future #RedrawTheBalance. A film capturing how young children define career opportunities as male and female early in their education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv8VZVP5csA
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo https://www.waterstones.com/book/white-fragility/robin-diangelo/9780141990569

Twitter: @RobbieMTurner @RIBA
LinkedIn: robbie-turner-b57a5827

"It's time to make space for girls" - Susannah Walker, Co-founder of Make Space for Girls

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

03/07/23 • 29 min

On International Women’s Day, I am delighted to launch Season 3 of Stand Tall with my first guest Susannah Walker.
In 2021, Susannah - along with Imogen Clark - co-founded Make Space for Girls, a charity that campaigns for better public spaces for teenage girls.
Research shows that girls and young women are overwhelmingly excluded from public spaces. Parks and multi-use game areas are often planned and designed for stereotypical boys. Think skateparks, BMX tracks and football pitches. As a result, parks are dominated by boys, and girls are left feeling unwelcome, insecure, and often unsafe.
Susannah and her colleagues are on a mission to turn this around. Through research and engagement, Make Space for Girls is working to ensure the voices of girls and young women are heard in the planning process.
In this episode, I ask: what does better look like? Is there a one-size-fits all solution? And, how can councils, developers and design professionals embrace change so that public spaces are more inclusive, not just for girls but for everyone.
Resources

Make Space for Girls: https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/
LSE Cities: Are girls being designed out of public spaces?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGY0arU-U2U
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez (book) https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/
What does better look like? https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/what-does-better-look-like
Brickfields Park, Bath: Report on Engagement
https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/resources/report-on-brickfields-park-bath
Good practice case study: Vienna
https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/case-studies/vienna
Good practice case study: Umeå
https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/case-studies/umea
Sport England, Active Design Guidance 2023 [Draft] – “It’s basically guidance for creating what Caroline Criado Perez would call a ‘default male landscape’.” – Susannah Walker
https://www.sportengland.org/guidance-and-support/facilities-and-planning/design-and-cost-guidance/active-design
Equality Act 2010 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents
Parkwatch with Make Space for Girls is happening 27-29th May 2023. Follow them on Twitter and Instagram for regular updates.

Twitter @MakeSpaceforGi1
Instagram @make_space_for_girls
LinkedIn susannah-walker-9b22603b

“Be kind to yourself” - Ben Channon, The Mindful Architect

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

09/05/22 • 45 min

In this episode of Stand Tall, we turn the spotlight on issues close to many people’s hearts: mental health, mindfulness, design quality, life post-pandemic... and how you can write a book – by accident!
That by no means sums up my guest, Ben Channon, but does give you a quick overview of the many topics we cover in this fascinating interview with “The Mindful Architect”.
Ben is an architect and Director at Ekkist, author, TEDx Speaker, WELL Accredited Professional, and co-founder of The Architects’ Mental Wellbeing Forum. His insights and experiences really resonated with me, and I hope they do with you too.
Resources

Ekkist: www.ekkist.co
WELL Certification: https://www.wellcertified.com/
Happy by Design: A Guide to Architecture and Mental Wellbeing: https://www.ribabooks.com/Happy-by-Design-A-Guide-to-Architecture-and-Mental-Wellbeing_9781859468784
The Happy Design Toolkit: Architecture for Better Mental Wellbeing: https://www.ribabooks.com/-4The-Happy-Design-Toolkit-Architecture-for-Better-Mental-Wellbeing_9781859469866
TEDx Cardiff University: One Simple Idea to improve mental wellbeing world-wide (“Desking explained”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ_qNV20IvY
Paddy Pimblett, UFC London post fight interview (2:02): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtwJlQlGfxY
The Architects’ Mental Wellbeing Forum: https://www.amwf.co.uk/

Twitter: @mindfularchi, @_ekkist
Instagram: @benchannon, @_ekkist
LinkedIn: ben-channon-04295267

Show more best episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Stand Tall with Rachel Bell have?

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell currently has 16 episodes available.

What topics does Stand Tall with Rachel Bell cover?

The podcast is about Construction, Interview, Property, Design, Podcasts, Inspiration, Developer, Arts, Business, Careers and Engineering.

What is the most popular episode on Stand Tall with Rachel Bell?

The episode title '"Change can happen" - Smith Mordak, Chief Executive of UKGBC' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Stand Tall with Rachel Bell?

The average episode length on Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is 35 minutes.

How often are episodes of Stand Tall with Rachel Bell released?

Episodes of Stand Tall with Rachel Bell are typically released every 42 days, 1 hour.

When was the first episode of Stand Tall with Rachel Bell?

The first episode of Stand Tall with Rachel Bell was released on Aug 2, 2021.

Show more FAQ

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

Stride Treglown

Top 10 Stand Tall with Rachel Bell Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Stand Tall with Rachel Bell have?

What topics does Stand Tall with Rachel Bell cover?

What is the most popular episode on Stand Tall with Rachel Bell?

What is the average episode length on Stand Tall with Rachel Bell?

How often are episodes of Stand Tall with Rachel Bell released?

When was the first episode of Stand Tall with Rachel Bell?

Comments