Best Metropolis and SURROUND Podcasts (2025)

1
Measuring What Matters in Product Design 33:50

6d ago33:50

33:50

What makes one product more sustainable than another? It’s a question that anyone concerned with their impact on the planet must confront. How do we choose the right couch, coffee machine, flooring, tiles, or curtain wall system—so that we’re doing the most good for both people and the environment? That’s the question Lisa Gralnek has been working …

1
Timber: Why Architects Are All in on Wood 36:13

1M ago36:13

36:13

If there’s one defining trend in American architecture over the last decade, it’s the rediscovery of wood as a construction material. Mass timber buildings—made from large wooden panels, columns, and beams—are rising across North America, with developers racing to construct the tallest wooden tower. A new contender, the 32-story Edison in Milwaukee…

1
AI and the Future of Low-Carbon Buildings 35:22

2M ago35:22

35:22

Buildings account for 40 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. If you’re an architect, or a frequent listener to this podcast, you already know that. But in their new book, Build Like It’s the End of the World, Sandeep Ahuja and Patrick Chopson frame buildings and carbon emissions in a way that might change how you think about it: “Buildings off…

1
Biophilia: Design Powered by Nature 34:49

3M ago34:49

34:49

Biophilic design might be trending on social media, but it’s far more than an aesthetic—it’s a transformative approach to creating spaces that make us happier, calmer, and healthier. In this episode of Deep Green: Deep Cut, METROPOLIS editor in chief Avinash Rajagopal dives into the science and philosophy behind biophilic design with Bill Browning,…

1
Avi’s Sneak Peek into Deep Green: Deep Cut Edition 7:14

4M ago7:14

7:14

In this bonus episode of Deep Green, host Avi Rajagopal reflects on the thought-provoking questions that have defined the show (Can bio-based plastics truly save the planet? Is recycling our hope for the future?) as he offers a glimpse into the exciting upcoming season, Deep Green: Deep Cut Edition. Listen and revisit standout moments from past epi…

1
Sense of Space now on The Surround Network 44:03

5M ago44:03

44:03

Enjoy Sense of Space by Turf now available on all podcast platforms. An architect and designer are on a journey to help their community understand the nuances of designing for the built environment. Join Ella Hazard and Faraz Shah through questions and conversations while they explore all the stuff we interact with as designers, architects, and peo…

1
Sense of Space now on The SURROUND Podcast Network 44:04

5M ago44:04

44:04

Enjoy Sense of Space by Turf now available on all podcast platforms. An architect and designer are on a journey to help their community understand the nuances of designing for the built environment. Join Ella Hazard and Faraz Shah through questions and conversations while they explore all the stuff we interact with as designers, architects, and peo…

1
In Good Company: Partnering to Make an Impact with Textiles 19:33

9M ago19:33

19:33

Join us live from NeoCon 2024 as we dive into the transformative world of sustainable textiles with our special guests, Dean Lindsley, VP of Pallas Textiles, and Geraldine Blanchot, founder of Limn and Loom. This episode explores the groundbreaking textile collection "In Good Company," which embodies a new paradigm of responsible manufacturing, ind…

1
Office Furniture’s Climate Impact 37:41

10M ago37:41

37:41

What is Office Furniture’s Role When it Comes to Climate Impact? In 2018, Americans threw out 12.1 million tons of furniture—and nearly 80 percent of that ended up in landfills. And the problem may not be where you think it is. Fast-furniture folks get a bad rap, right? It turns out that's not the biggest problem with furniture. Eight million or so…

1
Powerful NeoCon 2024 Takeaways 17:31

11M ago17:31

17:31

What did we learn during NeoCon 2024? In the final episode of this year’s NeoConversations series, SURROUND producer Hannah Viti turns the tables on this year’s host, inviting Rajagopal to share his top takeaways from NeoCon—and what they mean for the future of interior design. You'll also hear from Gia Kieu, the winner of SnapCab's Be You Pod Desi…

1
The Power of Diverse Perspectives 34:42

11M ago34:42

34:42

How can we create a better future through inclusive design? In his episode of NeoConversations, host, and editor-in-chief of METROPOLIS Avi Rajagopal sits down with design powerhouses and speakers at this year’s NeoCon—Cheryl Durst, executive vice president and CEO of IIDA, and Jason Pugh, principal design manager and global director of diversity e…

1
The Power of Our Senses 28:30

11M ago28:30

28:30

How can we engage touch, smell, sound, and sight for more meaningful design? In this episode, host and editor-in-chief of METROPOLIS Avi Rajagopal sits down with Faraz Shah, senior manager of brand marketing and communications for Turf; Ella Hazard, managing director of Arktura Ventures; and Carolyn Noble, principal and director of design at Ames D…

1
The Power of Storytelling 24:43

11M ago24:43

24:43

The former president of Walt Disney Imagineering, Bob Weis, knows a thing or two about narratives and design. In the kick-off episode of this year’s NeoConversations series, host and editor-in-chief of METROPOLIS, Avi Rajagopal, sits down with Weis, one of this year’s NeoCon keynote speakers, to discuss the power of storytelling in interiors. Curre…

1
Becoming a B Corp in a Fast Furniture World 21:50

1y ago21:50

21:50

The furniture industry has seen something of a transformation over the last decade with the rise of fast furniture: cheap, disposable pieces, often produced overseas with little to no oversight. Every year in the United States, about 12 million tons of furniture goes to waste, and 80 percent of that ends up in our landfills. In addition to contribu…

1
Is circularity worth pursuing? 17:16

1+ y ago17:16

17:16

Discover industry tools and resources for circular design, as Avi Rajagopal and Samantha Sager discuss actionable steps we can take toward tackling the challenges discussed throughout this season of Deep Green. How can we make an impact on an individual level? How can we educate ourselves and those around us? What organizations can we turn to for g…

1
How can we move materials toward circularity? | A bonus conversation with Andrew Dent 26:16

1+ y ago26:16

26:16

In this special bonus episode, Avi Rajagopal sits down with materials expert Dr. Andrew Dent. As executive vice president of research at Material ConneXion, which for 25 years has been empowering designers with access to innovative materials, Dent says he has seen increasing excitement from his clients around sustainability over the past decade. Bu…

1
Can biobased materials save us? 30:03

1+ y ago30:03

30:03

Learn how we can deepen the connection between the built environment and the natural world, as Avi Rajagopal and Samantha Sager discuss the third principle of circular design: regenerating nature. Navigating the complexities of where materials are derived from, how they are made, and what happens to them at the end of their useful life is crucial a…

1
Can we recycle and reuse our way out of our materials problem? 23:57

1+ y ago23:57

23:57

Explore the intricacies of material recycling, as Avi Rajagopal and Samantha Sager pick up where they left off last week, focusing on the second principle of a circular economy: circulating products and materials at their highest value. Are all materials suitable for recycling? How can we make sure that recycled or reused materials perform to the s…

1
Can architecture be circular? 19:04

1+ y ago19:04

19:04

What obstacles does our industry present to the dream of a circular economy? Join METROPOLIS’s Editor in Chief, Avi Rajagopal, and producer Samantha Sager as they begin to explore these challenges, beginning with how we can eliminate more waste and pollution from our processes. A&D culture is shifting away from building new (for the first time in 2…

1
The problem with design trends 16:31

1+ y ago16:31

16:31

Unpack the environmental impact of the building industry and the hurdles we face in reducing our carbon footprint with METROPOLIS’s' Editor in Chief, Avi Rajagopal, and producer Samantha Sager. They discuss how the sector is responsible for 40% of global carbon emissions and 30% of worldwide waste, and is the second largest consumer of plastics, pu…

1
Season 3 Trailer 1:09

1+ y ago1:09

1:09

A new season of Deep Green is on its way!On this season of Deep Green, we’re doing things a little bit differently: METROPOLIS Editor in Chief Avi Rajagopal is going to be sitting in the hot seat, and with him will be producer Samantha Sager. Join us as they have an honest conversation about the environmental impact of the building industry and the…

1
Moshe Safdie: The Future of Urban Density 15:22

1+ y ago15:22

15:22

Have you heard of the term biophilia or perhaps biophilic design? If you're an interior designer or you have a lot of interior design videos on your TikTok feed, you likely have. The word was popularized by a 1984 book by Edward O. Wilson, and he defined biophilia as the urge to affiliate with other forms of life. In recent years, designers have ta…

1
Daphany Rose-Sanchez: Solar Energy for the People 23:26

1+ y ago23:26

23:26

On average, it costs about $2.95 per watt for a home solar system. So, a 6-kilowatt system, about the size you'd need for an American home, would set you back around $17,700. If you factor in solar incentives, like the Federal Solar Credit, that number can come down to about $12,400. The annual savings on your utility bills after installing a home …

1
Katie Ackerly: Sustainability in Affordable Housing 17:19

1+ y ago17:19

17:19

An estimated 100 million people globally don’t have a home. Experts say we need to be building 96,000 homes for them every day, or 3 billion people will end up without adequate housing by 2030. But 39 percent of the world’s carbon emissions come from the building industry, and people living in poverty are among the most vulnerable to the catastroph…

1
Carol Ross Barney: Design for the Public Good 34:54

1+ y ago34:54

34:54

Renowned architect and Chicagoan Carol Ross Barney joins host Avi Rajagopal for our Summer Season premier. Ross Barney is a visionary about how people live their lives in cities—whether it's through public, hospitality, or education spaces. Chicagoans know her best for the transformative work she did on the city’s Riverwalk, just steps away from wh…

1
Avi’s sneak peek into our Summer Season 5:53

2y ago5:53

5:53

In this bonus episode of Deep Green, host Avi Rajagopal expresses his heartfelt thanks to our dedicated listeners for their support throughout the recently concluded mini season. Rajagopal unveils an impressive roster of upcoming guests planned for our Summer Season, which will kick off with a conversation with renowned architect Carol Ross Barney …

1
Sustainability Visionaries: Paola Antonelli on the Power of Design to Shape the World 37:01

2y ago37:01

37:01

In this inspiring episode, host Avi Rajagopal is joined by Paola Antonelli, the senior curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art and the museum's first director of research and development. Together, they explore the transformative power of design in addressing critical global issues and the various projects Antonelli has been …

1
Live from NeoCon 2023 17:39

2y ago17:39

17:39

Amy Devers guides listeners through audio collected at the fantastic NeoCon Podcast Studio, powered by SURROUND and sponsored by SnapCab. From First NeoCon-ers and IIDA CEO Cheryl Durst to ThinkLab Trendspotters and moss walls—this episode is jampacked with NeoCon gems. NeoConversations is part of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Check out other amazi…

1
Sustainability Visionaries: Sharon Prince on Building a Forced Labor–Free Future 33:23

2y ago33:23

33:23

In this eye-opening episode, host Avi Rajagopal welcomes Sharon Prince, CEO and founder of Grace Farms, who discusses the pressing issue of modern-day slavery in the construction sector and her foundation's efforts to combat it through its Design for Freedom Initiative. Prince highlights the importance of ensuring fair labor conditions and the ethi…

1
Our 5 Bold Predictions for NeoCon 2023 9:17

2y ago9:17

9:17

The bets are in! In this episode, host Amy Devers delivers the top five big predictions we heard from across the design industry for this year’s NeoCon. Do the predictions in this episode match yours? Let us know in person at the NeoCon Podcast Studio powered by SURROUND and sponsored by SnapCab. Register for NeoCon, find the full list of programmi…

1
Sustainability Visionaries: John Woelfling on Making Sustainability More Accessible 39:11

2y ago39:11

39:11

In this thought-provoking episode, the first of three conversations in our Sustainability Visionaries series, host Avi Rajagopal is joined by John Woelfling, a principal at Dattner Architects, to discuss affordable housing and sustainability but also, more broadly, finding ways to let the best ideas in architecture serve the most vulnerable populat…

1
Navigating NeoCon: Keynotes, Presentations and CEUs - Oh, My! 31:25

2y ago31:25

31:25

Keynotes, Presentations, and CEUs - all on today's episode of NeoConversations. Amy Devers chats with Joseph Cephas, SVP, Novita, about his experience at NeoCon and the panel he's moderating, before breaking down all the keynotes and presentations this year's NeoCon has to offer. After that Amy meets with Meredith Campbell, Host of The Learning Obj…

1
A Practical Guide to NeoCon 21:14

2y ago21:14

21:14

Amy Devers welcomes NeoCon veteran AJ Paron, host of Once Upon A Project, to sift through the best onsite strategies and practical tips for surviving NeoCon—hint bring comfortable shoes. Then a lesson in NeoCon history and some insider intel about THE MART from Lindsey Martin, Director of NeoCon marketing. NeoConversations is part of the SURROUND p…

1
The Carbon Footprint of Wood Buildings 49:17

3y ago49:17

49:17

When layers of wood are put together in a specific way—usually glued together—they make for a material that has the structural strength of steel. And, surprisingly, is fire-proof. We're not talking log cabins but a specific kind of wood material commonly known in architectural circles as mass timber.Portland International Airport’s new main termina…

1
Affordable and Sustainable Housing 40:32

3y ago40:32

40:32

If we want to fight climate change, improving or retrofitting an existing building often makes more sense than tearing it down and building a new one. But which buildings does it make sense to retrofit?The Tower Renewal Partnership in Toronto argues that we should spend time retrofitting the buildings that make an impact in regular people's lives: …

1
Future100: The Next Generation of Sustainability 52:13

3y ago52:13

52:13

Should one of the United States's most iconic bridges, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, be turned into a cicada farm to raise insects for food? Yes, if you ask David Rico Gomez, who is graduating this year with a degree in architecture from the California College of the Arts.David is one of the Metropolis Future100, the 100 students we selecte…

1
Water as a Battery 42:05

3y ago42:05

42:05

In 2020, a FIFTH of all the energy generated in the United States came from renewable sources. That means wind, hydroelectric, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy are slowly but surely winning. Combined, they surpassed nuclear and coal-based energy for the first time in history. As we move toward cleaner sources, we have to get even more efficien…

1
Regenerative Interior Design 23:41

3y ago23:41

23:41

Interior designers work with stuff, day in and day out—chairs, tables, lights, countertops, tiles, wallpaper. The research company ThinkLab estimates that the average interior designer has over about 26 times the buying power of the average consumer. Of course, most interior designers are buying that stuff on behalf of their clients. But the key th…

1
Making Offices Carbon Neutral 38:28

3y ago38:28

38:28

When we think about the carbon emissions of buildings so far we’ve focused largely on two things: the emissions involved in operating the buildings and those involved in the building materials and construction. But there’s a third piece that we’ve largely overlooked, which is all the stuff inside the buildings: furniture, carpet, the lights, the se…

1
Can Buildings Be Like Trees? 33:50

3y ago33:50

33:50

In 2002, the architect William McDonough and the chemist Michael Braungart came up with a rather revolutionary idea. The duo had recently published their groundbreaking book, "Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things," and would go on to become leaders in the sustainability movement, In fact, they anticipated many aspects of what we today …

1
The Carbon Footprint of the Metaverse 33:29

3y ago33:29

33:29

Even if you don't care about technology, it's likely you've heard something about the metaverse. It's a sort of 3-dimensional, immersive internet that would take lots of technologies that exist already today, like video games, VR, and NFTs, and find a way to connect all of them.While our team was reporting on this new phenomenon for our January/Feb…

1
Can We Redesign Waste? 31:58

3+ y ago31:58

31:58

Waste is a complex issue. How we generate waste, what kinds of chemicals and materials are in our garbage, where we choose to dispose of it, and who is affected the most by the trash we generate—all of these things make waste reduction and management very challenging.But one thing is clear: if we think of our trash as simply worthless and dirty, we…

1
What is the Problem with Recycling Plastics? 33:35

3+ y ago33:35

33:35

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Aquafil, synthetic materials producer of Econyl.A couple of weeks ago, British prime minister Boris Johnson got into a bit of a pickle with some remarks ahead of the UN climate change conference, also known as COP26, which happened in Glasgow. A group of 8- to 12-year-olds met the prime minister at…

1
How Can We All Fight the Climate Crisis? 28:21

3+ y ago28:21

28:21

In this episode, produced in partnership with global flooring manufacturer Interface, Metropolis Editor in Chief Avi Rajagopal sits down with Dr. Katharine Wilkinson and Lisa Conway to discuss how we can all fight the climate crisis—emphasis on all.Dr. Wilkinson is an author, strategist, and teacher. Her books on climate include the best-selling an…

1
Can We Make the Suburbs Sustainable? 38:51

3+ y ago38:51

38:51

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced so many shifts and undercurrents in our world, and many are so subtle that historians will probably spend decades tracking and understanding them all. But some are not so subtle, if you know where to look at the data. Between April and June this year, construction of multifamily housing—apartment buildings and con…

1
How Can We Create Green Affordable Housing?, Part 2 29:19

3+ y ago29:19

29:19

In this sequel to our last episode ("How Can We Create Green Affordable Housing?"), we continue the conversation with Shelley Halstead, executive director of the nonprofit Black Women Build. Conventional wisdom holds that the answer to America's housing crisis has been—how can we build new homes, build them cheaply, build them fast, and build them …

1
How Can We Create Green Affordable Housing? 40:53

3+ y ago40:53

40:53

Most low-wage workers in the United States don't currently make enough to rent a one-bedroom apartment. Millennials aren't able to buy homes because they are, on average, poorer than their parents were at the same age. However, the last thing we need is to worsen the climate crisis as we solve America's housing crisis. Every time we build a new str…

1
What Should We Do for Clean Air? 37:49

3+ y ago37:49

37:49

It’s August 2021 and there's no clear end in sight for the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks, of course, to the Delta variant. The Centers for Disease Control in the U.S. has had to change its advisory a few times this year. Its most current advice: If you're in an area with high infection rates, wear a mask everywhere, whether you're vaccinated or not. If…

1
Can the Olympics Be Sustainable? 30:11

4y ago30:11

30:11

The Tokyo Olympics are underway—in the middle of a pandemic, with the Delta Variant of SARS COV-2 doing the rounds. But some analysts and activists have pointed out that the pandemic isn't the only problem with the Games. Tokyo wanted to host the most sustainable Olympics yet. The organizers promised recycled cardboard beds in the athlete's village…

1
Designing Branded Spaces 55:18

5+ y ago55:18

55:18

What does it take to effectively design brand character into a space? How can brand values and purpose be communicated through materiality, visual language, ambiance and experience? What’s in the tool kit needed to implement a design program company-wide? In this episode, Amy Devers talks to Renee Hytry Derrington, International Design Lead for For…

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Metropolis And SURROUND Podcasts

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