Speechification

There are relatively few regular design or architecture shows on the world’s radio. There’s the subject of this entry below; Japan’s J-Wave has one; Melbourne’s Triple R has the excellent The Architects; KCRW in Santa Monica hosts the monthly “DNA”; and NPR’s syndicated weekly Smart City. But that’s about it, as far as I know (comment below if you know more). The BBC has certainly never committed to a regular show, despite its array of networks. The Architects is probably the best for architecture, but for a general magazine programme about design, architecture, urbanism and related issues, ABC Radio National’s weekly ‘By Design’ is pretty hard to beat.

It’s fronted by Alan Saunders, who also presents their weekly philosophy programme The Philosopher’s Zone, and he’s an excellent presenter, with the rich sonorous voice beloved of speech radio. A somewhat fruity sybaritic pom, he will always find room for an item on lingerie, bikinis or gastronomy, and really, who can blame him. That food is often considered might seem odd for a show ostensibly about design and architecture, yet the issues of craft, detail, provenance, supply chain management, lifecycle thinking, organic production, sustainability and branding are all evident here, just as they are in the wider field of design. So all credit to the show for its open mind. They describe it as a show “about how we shape our world”, which is just about right.

The slightly daggy music breaking up each section - “And now, trends and products” - is as endearingly Radio National as dear old Alan’s plummy tones and wry delivery. But the show has developed nicely into enquiring, considered, well-informed and smart round-up of genuinely interesting design, architecture and urbanism developments, with an emphasis on home (Australia) but a view to the world..

The latest show repeats a good interview with Danish architect Jan Gehl, on re-orientating Sydney’s centre towards people, a not terribly enlightening item on video games, and a slightly creepy tour around Alain de Botton’s home in West London (it’s de Botton that’s creepy; the ‘through the keyhole’ format works surprisingly well on radio.) The previous featured one of those swimwear items that Saunders perhaps spends a little too much time on, but also some fascinating discussions of molecular food, how our notion of comfort, cleanliness and convenience has changed and the mobile home.

But the show before, broadcast just before Christmas as an annual ‘Best Of …’, provides a good overview of what the show covers: the excellent Elizabeth Farrelly of the Herald rambles slightly about her new book Blubberland (desire, beauty, happiness, obesity, cities - together at last); a good look at sustainable vs. endangered building materials; the paradoxes in the world’s food supply; and a great piece on prefabrication, by an architect who’s studied the automative and aeronautical industries for inspiration.

ABC Radio National: By Design 22/12/07 (mp3)

Developing speechification’s Christmas theme, here’s one of four 15-minute docs about Christmas preparations. This one was recorded on a famous goose farm in Worcestershire. It’s an unpretentious programme but you couldn’t find a better snapshot of Britain right now: food, class, labour, rural economics, immigration… It’s all here (and the farm’s matriarch sounds exactly like a posh French & Saunders character). Here’s an MP3 (and here’s an earlier episode - about a nativity play - that’ll make you cry: MP3).

Due to popular demand we proudly present Who Ate All The Pies? programme two. Featuring Forfar bridies (which are strictly more like pasties than pies, but let’s not be difficult.) More splendour from Ian McMillan. (MP3 here.)

Stung by Steve’s comment about the recent lack of activity here I’ve reached deep into the archive and dragged out a gem. The first of Ian McMillan’s glorious series of fifteen minute programmes about pies. It features the ultimate - the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie. The sound quality is slightly iffy but it’s well, well worth listening to. I only have programmes one and two, does anyone have the rest? I can’t even find a programme page for it on the bbc site, so I don’t think we’ll get anything from there. (MP3 here)