Episode 5: Feeling Empowered in Public Space

Public Spaces for All

Simply because space is deemed ‘public’ does not mean it is automatically or inherently inclusive. In this episode, our guests Pippa Catterall and Adam Bray share their views on how we can create public spaces that are truly safe and welcoming, and how we can all feel empowered to use them.

We get to the fundamental conversation around who has power in public spaces – from the people who design them to the organisations who often claim them, and how design can signal and encourage everything from authority to equality. We also discuss the tension between the desire – and need - to blend into society while simultaneously championing diversity and inclusion.

Pippa Catterall is Professor of History and Policy at the University of Westminster, editor of National Identities and Chair of AIDS Memory UK. She has published widely on subjects including heritage, the development of the media, constitutional history, and international relations. Reflecting her role as a member of Westminster’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, her recent research focuses upon the relationship between inclusivity and public space. This resulted in the report and film on Queering Public Space that, with Ammar Azzouz, she published in 2021.

LinkedIn: Pippa Catterall

Adam Bray is a Director at Savills and heads up the place-shaping team within London, helping deliver programmes of cultural activity at sites across the capital including King’s Cross, London Bridge City and The Leadenhall Building. He is particularly active in areas of diversity & inclusion and community engagement, with an interest in how this translates into business environments. He enjoys helping shape places which foster collaboration between people and communities and exploring ways in which people interact with the built environment in new, unexpected and creative ways.

LinkedIn: Adam Bray

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Design Meets Insight is hosted by Namrata Krishna, Design Strategy Lead at Heta. This episode is guest curated by Nicky Wightman, Director of Emerging Trends at global real estate business Savills. The podcast is edited by Jon Mardlin. Lorraine Chan makes original illustrations for each episode. You can see them at www.hetaarchitects.com.

We’d love to hear from you, so please get in touch at studio@hetaarchitects.com, or find us on LinkedIn at

Linkedin: Namrata Krishna

Linkedin: Nicky Wightman

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 4: Skate City - How This Urban Sport is Sparking Change

Since the 1970’s, skateboarding has evolved to become increasingly inclusive and accessible, which in turn has shaped public realm in our cities to be more diverse, dynamic, and vibrant.

For this episode we spoke to Iain Borden, Vice-Dean Education and Professor of Architecture & Urban Culture at The Bartlett, UCL about how and why skateboarding has changed, and how accommodating its culture and community in the public spaces we design can be incredibly valuable.

Iain Borden’s research explores how architecture and cities are experienced and re-used by the public. In particular, he has completed an in-depth study of the urban practice of skateboarding, looking at how skateboarders adopt modern cities as their own pleasure-ground, creating a culture with its own architecture, clothes, attitudes and social benefits. His most recent book is called Skateboarding & the City: a Complete History (2019).

Instagram and Twitter: @iainborden

Listen on Spotify, Acast or Download MP3

Listen to the podcast

Design Meets Insight is hosted by Namrata Krishna, Design Strategy Lead at Heta. This episode is guest curated by Nicky Wightman, Director of Emerging Trends at global real estate business Savills. The podcast is edited by Jon Mardlin.

We’d love to hear from you, so please get in touch at studio@hetaarchitects.com, or find us on LinkedIn at

Linkedin: Namrata Krishna

Linkedin: Nicky Wightman

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 3: The Power of Public Art

For this episode on public art, we’ve brought together Leyla Fakhr and Lee Bofkin, who come from very different art backgrounds but who are both equally passionate about the power of art to bring people together and enrich our lives. They discuss creating art for the built environment, what we mean by ‘community engagement’, and the role of art in shaping our individual and collective identities.

Leyla Fakhr works as a curator, producer and advisor. She is the founder and director of Art Square Projects, an agency that develops contemporary art projects and commissions with special focus on diversity within Public Art.

Dr. Lee Bofkin is the co-founder of Global Street Art, a leading multi-channel platform dedicated to supporting street art and artists. Global Street Art’s Agency is the UK’s leading supplier of Hand-Painted Advertising (HPA), winning several Cannes Lions and Drum OOH awards.

Listen on Spotify, Acast or Download MP3

Listen to the podcast

Design Meets Insight is hosted by Namrata Krishna, Design Strategy Lead at Heta. This episode is guest curated by Nicky Wightman, Director of Emerging Trends at global real estate business Savills. The podcast is edited by Jon Mardlin.

We’d love to hear from you, so please get in touch at studio@hetaarchitects.com, or find us on LinkedIn at

Linkedin: Namrata Krishna

Linkedin: Nicky Wightman

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.