Hoare Lea Exploration Podcast: Recent Episodes
Hoare Lea
Welcome to the Exploration podcast from Hoare Lea: a place for curiosity, creative thinking and conversation. Each episode, join Andrew Bullmore and a variety of guests as they discuss the big topics shaping society, planet, and the built environment.
In this episode, our guest host Frances Brown (Associate Director, Hoare Lea) chats to physicist and Faculty of Engineering material scientist Dr Jessica Wade of Imperial College London. Having also become known as a ‘Wikipedian’ and advocate for unsung scientists including women in STEM, Jess has written thousands of online bios for those deserving of recognition and was awarded a British Empire Medal in 2019 for services to gender diversity in science.
In this episode, Ellie Griffiths chats to Yewande Akinola – an engineer, consultant and Innovate UK ambassador recently awarded an MBE for services to innovation and industry diversification – whose human-centric built environment journey began with modelling her dream house from her mum’s living room.
In this episode, our host Ellie Griffiths chats to Alan Mosca, co-founder and chief technology officer at nPlan – a machine learning-based platform that forecasts and predicts outcomes of construction, engineering and infrastructure projects. As well as the capability for innovation through optioneering, improving efficiency, and the flywheel that AI can give to designers, we discuss sustainability and energy consumption cost-benefit analysis, efficient AI chips of the future, and cautionary tales.
Alan offers his perspective on concerns about bias in data sets, plus a new bias that he believes is soon to come, arising from models trained on the output of other models, and the risk of this ‘hallucinatory’ knowledge being perpetuated. It’s thought-provoking stuff.
Imagine Eastenders without its community hotspots: the Queen Vic, the cafe, the market, the square. It’d be a lot harder for the main characters to mix, right? In this episode, Ellie Griffiths chats to Amir Hussain, the Bradford-born founder/CEO of Yeme Tech, about building inclusive communities.
Amir uses his geospatial mapping platform to intelligently and compassionately bring people together in the real world – seeking out innovative built-environment solutions that inform place regeneration and facilitate connection, especially in challenged areas.
Hear about his journey from traditional to tech; the localisation of place performance; the acceleration of Carlos Moreno’s 15-minute neighbourhood and surrounding criticism; ‘stranded’ buildings; ESG benchmarking, and more.
In this episode, our host Ellie Griffiths hears from The Royal College of Art’s Rama Gheerawo – an inclusive design innovator who has used his skillset to address societal issues around ageing, healthcare, ability and diversity. Together they discuss human-centric healthcare design today and juggling its multiple demands, as well as the importance of healthcare placement, localisation and access, getting comfortable with uncertainty, non-binary thinking and leadership models based around empathy, clarity and creativity.
In this episode, our host Ellie Griffiths chats to Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon – mathematician, computer scientist and co-founder of social enterprise Stemettes – about our sector today and Anne-Marie’s own prodigal trajectory through it, including her road-to-Damascus moment, as well as the labour involved with changing cultures, and enriching the quality of the solution.
In this episode, our host Ellie Griffiths chats to Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon – mathematician, computer scientist and co-founder of social enterprise Stemettes – about our sector today and Anne-Marie’s own prodigal trajectory through it, including her road-to-Damascus moment, as well as the labour involved with changing cultures, and enriching the quality of the solution.
In this episode Alex chats to Charlie Blair, of Gravitricity, about the development of a storage technology based on a simple principle: raising and lowering a heavy weight.
Offering some of the best characteristics of lithium batteries and pumped hydro storage, Charlie shares the journey so far for this novel innovation that will enable existing grid infrastructure to go further in a renewable energy world.
We hear from Professor Michele Barbour, the University of Bristol’s Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Innovation – a new role created just six months ago. Following a recent study which has found that the university’s spinout companies generate higher average returns on investment than those of any other UK university, Michele shares her own experience in founding a spinout.
We hear from Vanessa Murray, who founded Mentoring Circle to address the gender diversity gap at the property industry’s senior leadership level – by partnering newly qualified female professionals with top female leaders. The organisation welcomes its second intake on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2022.
Vanessa discusses with Hoare Lea Directors Jo Edwards and Sara Quaglieni their experience of mentoring for the scheme, as well as getting comfortable with not knowing all the answers, and articulating ambitions out loud. Together they talk confidence, reverse mentoring and the importance of symbiotic learning through the next generation, and how we reconcile positive discrimination with a robust meritocracy.
A digital detox is a common new year’s resolution, and the planet needs one on an industrial scale – our everyday internet actions contributing considerably to the climate emergency.
While the huge shift to the virtual plane feels like a good thing – a Zoom meeting is less environmentally harmful than travelling 200 miles to a colleague’s office – it’s all relative. Data centres, which house computer systems and process our digital doings, are responsible for major emissions. At the same time, the pandemic highlighted our need for digital connection, so what can we do to reduce the repercussions? Design differently.
With our sector lead Anders Eklund, the University of Lancaster’s Professor Adrian Friday and Dr Kelly Widdicks discuss their paper assessing carbon accounting in ICT. Together they talk healthier practices, minimising consumer impact, corporate responsibility and the good news story around energy-harnessing ideas in data centre design.
Recorded as we launched our nine-day fortnight work initiative, our Director of People and Development, Erica Coombs-Prole, talks to Stephanie Corking, Co-Owner and People Director at Laws of Attraction. Together they discuss the intersection of workplace with wellbeing, how enhancing professional relationships in a way that positively impacts culture can improve operational growth, and implementing solutions to support positive mental health and work-life balance.
In this episode recorded specially for COP26, Andrew talks to Dr Melissa Marselle, an Environmental Psychologist at the University of Surrey. They discuss how our psychological wellbeing intersects with contact to nature, and the principles of biophilic design and biodiversity promotion in supporting positive mental health.
In a special edition recorded live during our firm’s internal Digital Engineering Week, Andrew hosts a panel of industry experts to explore how utilising data will help steer the future of engineering and project delivery towards a construction industry that’s efficient, human-centric and planet-positive
In this episode Andrew is joined by Grant Prosser, Development Delivery Manager at Wales & West Housing, and William Box, Director of Carnego Systems. Together they discuss the impact of data monitoring in ensuring net-zero-carbon homes can become a reality, and delve into the success of Wales’s first energy-positive and affordable housing development, Rhiw Cefn Gwlad,
In a special edition recorded for this year’s International Women in Engineering Day, our guest host Rachel Bell is joined by four female engineers at Hoare Lea, spanning all stages of their careers. Together they discuss everything from their journey into engineering and women who inspired them, to the future of our industry and even the cleanliness of the ladies’ loo at project sites!
In this episode Andrew is joined by Zane Putne, Senior Architect at Noviun, and Rama Venchard, Director at Silica Associates to discuss the evolving needs of SEN schools. Together they explore how Special Educational Needs (SEN) school design can create dedicated environments that allow pupils to feel safe, learn about their emotions, and develop life skills
Join Andrew for part 2 of his chat with two experts in extreme environments. We hear from Scott Parazynski (American physician and a former NASA astronaut, who completed five Space Shuttle flights and seven spacewalks) and Kelvin Murray (Professional Diver and Expedition Leader who has undertaken exploratory missions on every continent and ocean on our planet). The pair talk teamwork and the new perspectives provided by extreme exploration.
Andrew is joined by Dipesh Patel, Director of Pattern Design, and Associate Director Luke Harrison, to talk all things stadium. Together they discuss the complexities of sustainable design for extreme climates, honouring local culture, and their excitement about the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup, where recent project Ahmad Bin Ali stadium will take centre stage.
Join Andrew as he chats to Julie Hirigoyen, Chief Executive of UK Green Building Council, the country's leading NGO campaigning for a sustainable built environment. Julie shares her unique insight into the ever-evolving perception and importance of sustainability, and how the built environment can create healthier, more equitable societies while protecting and enhancing our natural world.
Andrew chats to David Adams, CEO of ADS Independent Living Solutions. Together with his wife, he created the Smile Homes concept: a person-centric home that’s truly bespoke to the individual needs of people with learning challenges, autism, mental health challenges or physical differences – those who are often constrained to living in unsuitable settings or in the care of their families. He talks about his vision for inclusivity, technology, modularisation, and the individual and societal benefits of people with additional need being able to live independently
In this episode Andrew chats to Dr Abdullahi Sheriff about the transformation of the healthcare sector. He shares his inspiring vision for better approaches to problem solving, along with insight into person-centred healthcare, collaboration, and the sector’s technological advancement.
Join Andrew as he chats to Wayne Hemingway, one of Britain’s most influential designers. As co-founder of Red or Dead, creator of the award-winning Hemingway Design, and current Design Advocate to the Mayor of London, he is a man on a mission. Determined to realise his philosophy of always improving the things that matter in life, here he shares his vision for social-led place-making, human-centred housing design, and how we must create a more purpose-driven construction industry.
In this episode, Andrew talks to two film-industry giants: Nick Smith, President of Blackhall Studios, and David Godfrey, a Consultant on major studio developments across the globe. Together, they share their unique perspective on what the future holds for UK film and TV, their time spent as Directors of the pioneering Pinewood Studios, and how the creation of quality spaces is more vital than ever.
In this episode Andrew chats to the pioneering Helle Søholt: a Founding Partner and current CEO of Gehl Architects. Together they discuss everything from human-centric design, data-driven knowledge and planning, to the transformation of global cities in light of the current pandemic.
Join Andrew as he chats to two experts in extreme environments about preparation and training: Scott Parazynski, an American physician and a former NASA astronaut, who completed five Space Shuttle flights and seven spacewalks; and Kelvin Murray, a Professional Diver and Expedition Leader who has undertaken exploratory missions on every continent and ocean on our planet. Look out for part 2 coming later in the year where the pair talk teamwork and the new perspectives provided by extreme exploration.
In this episode, Andrew chats to world renowned English architect Stephen Hodder. Together they discuss his unique journey with Hodder + Partners, and explore a variety of hot topics – from resilience and refurbishment to net zero carbon ambitions. Stephen also shares more about his latest project, RHS Bridgewater, which was named as a top 20 alternative ethical destination for 2020.
This episode, we hear from two key designers of the Social Contact Pod – a collaborative project launched in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. We discuss what makes this unique pod – which allows families to spend valuable time with loved ones without the risk of contamination – so special, and how spaces that promote human and connection with our natural environment are likely to become more important than ever.
In this episode Andrew is joined by Dr Adrian Ivinson, Chief Operating Officer of the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI). They discuss the transformative way the institute is approaching research into early diagnosis, prevention and treatment for dementia, and the part design plays in making it possible.
In this episode Andrew is joined by James Ford and Louise Wille of Hoare Lea's sustainability team as they discuss the issues and considerations surrounding the creation of value for sustainable development.