Humanity is at a key moment in a larger story, one in which we are willfully manipulating both our global environments as well as our human bodies. The first is changing the makeup of the physical spaces we occupy and the second, the very body that perceives that space. At this intersection are the physical boundaries that define architectural space. Both our environments and our bodies are therefore open for design, and architecture has swerved in a new direction.
Created in response to these changes is a new podcast, “Night White Skies” w/ Sean Lally: A podcast about architecture's future, as both earth's environment & our human bodies are open for design. The podcast is about conversations with designers, engineers, and writers on the periphery of the architecture discipline, engaging in these developments from multiple fronts. Though the lens of discussion is architecture, it is necessary to engage a diverse range of perspectives to get a better picture of the events currently unfolding. This includes philosophers, cultural anthropologists, policy makers, scientists as well as authors of science fiction. Each individual’s work intersects this core topic, but from unique angles.
Climate and energy (harnessing, storing, deploying) and the human body (bioengineering, wearable technologies) are often seen as two distinct yet influential industries advancing new research, startup companies, and consumable products on what feels like a daily basis. But architecture is in a prime position to engage and influence this ongoing work because our discipline exists at their intersection - material manipulation and how one perceives those resultant physical boundaries. The architectural discipline of course does more than borrow technologies from outside industries or simply enforce policy developed beyond our field. The architect gives novel shapes to spaces, and tests organizational and spatial implications that each reflect and influence the cultural and technological tones of the day.
The podcast looks to stimulate discussions not only within architecture but the general public as well in order to expand, inspire and spark the imagination - advancing the political and environmental significance of energy and bioengineering today.
And though I’m sure it hasn’t come across in the last 400 words, these conversations are also intended to be just a bit... fun...
New episodes are available on NightWhiteSkies.com, Itunes & Soundcloud each Monday.
Sean Lally is the founder of Weathers, and author of The Air from Other Planets, A Brief History of Architecture to Come.
