Liam Young was once described by the BBC as "the man designing our futures". The Australian-born architect and director has carved a vibrant path through architectural discourse, standing at the intersection of design, technology, and media. A self-described "speculative architect", Young is the co-founder of thinktank Tomorrow's Thoughts Today, using vivid imagery and films to spark conversations about the future of the built environment, and the relationships between humans and machines, bits and atoms, artificial and natural. He also co-runs the Unknown Fields Division, a nomadic research studio that travels the world in search of landscapes that speak to his focus on global flows of materials, technologies, and ideas.
From his base in Los Angeles, where he leads the MS Fiction and Entertainment program at SCI-Arc, Liam Young spoke with ArchDaily's Niall Patrick Walsh on his life and work. The conversation unfolds as an investigation into Young's reading on the present and future of architecture, in both physical and virtual spheres, as well as a reflection on Young's most acclaimed works, including his Seoul City Machine film recently presented at the Shenzhen Biennale. For more information on Liam Young, visit his official website here, and see previous coverage of him on ArchDaily here.
Below, we have included a selection of videos and images of Young's work, which are referenced throughout our conversation.
