Architectural Democracy

30/04/2026

The latest article at the Toda Peace Institute of Japan talks about
"Democracy and the Spaces We Can No Longer Shape":

"Attention to democratic decline should therefore not stop at parliaments and presidencies. It should also turn toward planning departments, building codes, housing systems, public squares, unchecked public narratives that shape local development conflicts, and the slow privatisation of shared space. Democracy does not weaken only when constitutions fail. It also weakens when citizens cease to experience themselves as authors of their collective world.
And that experience is, in part, architectural."

Democracy does not live only in constitutions, elections and courts. It also lives in the places where people […]

13/04/2026

Today we recorded a podcast at the University of Sydney with Pedro Aibeo, Prof. John Keane, Prof. Nicole Gurran, and Prof. Dallas Rogers.

A very strong discussion on the ongoing research of Architectural Democracy.

Grateful to all for the generosity, seriousness, and sharpness of the exchange. The episode will be published soon.

27/01/2026

Civil rights are not only defended in law, they are built into space. From land acquisition and procurement to doors, streets, and civic buildings, architecture conditions privacy, free speech, due process, and freedom of assembly. This essay explores how acquisition, design, and construction can either expand democratic life or quietly undermine it.

Civil rights are not only defended in law, they are built into space. From land acquisition and procurement to doors, streets, and civic buildings, architecture conditions privacy, free speech, due process, and freedom of assembly. This essay explores how acquisition, design, and construction can ei...

25/10/2025

We’re thrilled to congratulate our dear friend Mona Schalin on being awarded the prestigious title of Academician of the Arts in the field of architecture, granted by President Alexander Stubb on the proposal of the Arts Council

Mona has long been a leading voice in architectural heritage, renovation, and conservation. Her work, from the award-winning renovation of the Käärmetalo building to cultural environment studies across Finland, reflects a profound dedication to preserving our built history while engaging communities in the process

We had the privilege of interviewing Mona one year ago on the Architectural Democracy Podcast. It was an inspiring conversation about architecture’s social role, heritage, and the responsibility of architects to foster meaningful public dialogue. You can listen to it here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ZbpvLkjncUXgKcL0STxfB?si=68FOpYGbRyK8qah3CBpIoA

Architectural Democracy · Episode

04/09/2025

NEW PODCAST EPISODE #20

“Gaza, Architecture & Cultural Erasure”
with UN human rights expert Chris Sidoti

What happens when war targets not just people, but identity, memory, and the built environment?

In this powerful episode of the Architectural Democracy Podcast, we speak with Chris Sidoti (UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory) about the destruction of schools, mosques, libraries, archaeological sites, and homes in Gaza, and why architecture is never neutral in conflict.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/n8QBdDId6FY

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0yJAUFFkuJh1TSGDHPmkTs?si=Iqob4_CdTti37Pw88OgxXg

Read the blog: https://www.aibeo.com/single-post/gaza-architecture-cultural-erasure-a-conversation-with-un-expert-chris-sidoti

Gaza TV News غزة الآن - Gaza Now Save Gaza Gaza City مدينة غزة Palestine Institute for Palestine Studies Al Jazeera English

29/08/2025

We just wrapped up an important conversation with Chris Sidoti, a human rights lawyer and former UN Commissioner, on architecture, heritage, and cultural erasure in Gaza.

Co-hosted with Mark Linder, this episode bridges legal, civic, and spatial perspectives in urgent times.

Stay tuned.

Palestine Institute for Palestine Studies United Nations Gaza TV News

19/06/2025

Architect Henrik Ilvesmäki joins the Architectural Democracy podcast to discuss the future of Finnish architecture. From restoration trends and modernist heritage to branding, climate anxiety, and AI in design, we explore how younger architects are reshaping the field.

Read and listen:

https://www.aibeo.com/single-post/architectural-democracy-podcast-15-branding-bias-the-future-of-finnish-architecture-with-henri



Article based on the Architectural Democracy's podcast interview (Episode #15, October 30th, 2024).In this episode recorded at Helsinki Open Waves' studio, Pedro Aibéo and co-host Mark Linder are joined by architect and educator Henrik Ylvesmäki. Fresh from meeting at a renovation project in Oulu,...

10/06/2025

🎙️ New Episode Alert
Architectural Democracy Podcast #18
"Win-Win Democracy: Perry Walker’s Participatory Playbook"

What if democracy was less about shouting and more about listening?

In this episode, Perry Walker—creator of Democs and the Win-Win Workout—joins us to explore how conversation can be the most radical democratic tool of all. From role-play kits to a pan-European Festival of Democracy, Perry shares his methods for turning strangers into co-creators of change.

🗣️ “Democracy is a three-legged stool: voting, representation, and conversation. And talk is the shortest leg.”

🎧 Listen & read the full blog:
👉

Perry Walker, co-creator of Democs and Win-Win Workout, joins the Architectural Democracy Podcast to explore why real democracy begins in conversation—not just voting. From participatory festivals to empathy-driven debate formats, Walker shares his vision for scaling meaningful public dialogue acr...

11/05/2025

We had the pleasure of sitting down with renowned Finnish architect Mona Schalin to explore a topic close to our mission at Architectural Democracy: democracy in urban planning

In this new conversation, we dive into how Helsinki is being reshaped—sometimes without citizens even knowing—and what role architects, planners, and residents can and should play in making urban development more transparent and participatory.

Mona offers candid and thoughtful reflections on the balance between public good and private interests, the importance of architectural heritage, and the urgent need to rethink how decisions about our cities are made.

📖 Read the article:
https://www.aibeo.com/single-post/democracy-in-urban-planning-power-participation-and-the-future-of-helsinki-a-conversation-with

🎧 Or listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ZbpvLkjncUXgKcL0STxfB?si=DnjNjQgXTXGVfG-T8jmTKw

Architectural Democracy · Episode