Designing Dublin: Learning to Learn

For the final episode of our Love the City series, Micheál and John Conroy joined John to discuss their experiences over the course of Love the City and the learning’s, which they will take into the future. Each team member reviews the 8 projects featured in the Prototype Extravaganza in a few short minutes with John and Micheál giving their thoughts and perspectives on them also. A tidy wrap-up to Love the City’s radio experience on Near FM, we hope the listeners enjoyed the episodes as much as the team did! Thanks to Near FM for broadcasting our work, John O’Shea for making it all happen and keeping the conversations flowing and everyone for tuning in and downloading the podcasts!

Podcast Week Eleven

This week’s radio show highlights Tara and Brain discussing the final three prototypes for the Market’s Area. It features interviews with Lindsay discussing his Broadcasting People prototype, which begins to show the identity of the Markets Area and Eimear’s project called 10 Enterprises/10 Days/10 Tests which explores how enterprise can be used to transform an area. Tara also discuses her project on ownership, called Microcosmic Intervention and how the prototype has developed, evolved and transformed. Lastly, Brian and Tara discuss the prototype extravaganza coming up next Wednesday, where each project will be up and running in the Market’s Area.

Podcast Week Ten

Michéal and John, building on Shane and Mary’s introduction to prototyping last week, further developed the topic of prototyping. At the start, they briefly review key insights from the Street Conversations held in the Market’s Area. These conversations led us to discover the 11 ‘Lack’s of…’. Vincent shares his project on the ‘Lack of diversity and vibrancy’ and explains the process he undertook to get to his prototype and his plans for the coming weeks. Michéal also explains his ‘Lack of interactions’ and the prototype he is undertaking. Lastly, John runs through his and Una’s project which covers the ‘Lack of safety’ and ‘Lack of navigation’. An excellent run-down on the projects and their prototypes, this episode can’t be missed!

Podcast Week Nine

Shane and Mary were on the airwaves this week, discussing the topic of the day – prototyping! They review the 11’Lack’s of…’ and the prototype for each, discussing the steps taken to get to the prototype and also giving insights into the marrying of projects along the way. It features a clip from Nuala, discussing her prototype to address the ‘Lack of knowing the system of the area’. Mary reviews her project on the ‘Lack of linkages’ and how her prototype has developed. Finally, Shane discusses the ‘Lack of appeal’, and how the project has progressed to the prototype stage. Shane and Mary reveal all of our most precious secrets to prototyping in this show, there is so much to learn!

Podcast Week Eight

It was the turn of Brian, who was born to have his own radio show, to take the airwaves this week discussing the Love the City: Out Loud volunteer group. Out Loud supports people who have a project that will create positive change in the City to push and develop the idea, build and run prototypes and hold meetings and publicise events. They meet every Wednesday evenings to further each project. For the show, Brian features interviews with Peter, our KaosPilot intern who championed the project before Christmas, and Jean, founder of Design Twentyfirst Century and her experience of entrepreneurship in the City. He also discusses where the Out Loud group came from, where it is now and the relationship between the Out Loud projects and the Markets area, all in classic entertaining Brian style!

Podcast Week Seven

Vincent and Lindsay, Batman and Robin, Sharkey and George, explored the topic of Enterprise in the City with the listeners of Near FM on Saturday. The third and final theme to emerge form the Discovery Phase of Love the City, Enterprise is what makes a City tick. Or is it? Lindsay and Vincent debate this, the meaning of enterprise and share with listeners an interview with Amy Neale, Programme Manager of the National Digital Research Centre. Enterprise is one of the most intriguing aspects of the Market’s area, with a diverse and entrepreneurial spirit emanating from the area. One of the 11 ‘lacks of…’ is the ‘lack of ease to start a business’. What this ‘lack of…’ means and the concept behind it is explored through an interview with the project guardian, Eimear. Finally, the dynamic duo discuss exciting enterprising initiatives in the City and share their learning’s so far.

Podcast Week Six

Tara and Linnea’s turn at the radio couldn’t come soon enough, especially with the exciting topic of movement in the City! This week’s radio show takes you through the project theme of movement, one of the three themes, which emerged from the Discovery phase of the project, along with Living and Enterprise, as one of the challenges Dublin faces. Tara and Linnea, with the able support of John, explore what movement means in the broadest sense – not just transport but movement of goods, information, people. They interview fellow team member, Una, who has a background in transportation design and strategy, to give her perspective on the topic. They discuss how the buildings in the City are affected by the scale and speed of movement, and vice versa, as well as the trend for cycling in Cities. Peter Leonard, who is a former DD 1.0 team member and now working on a Grafton Street regeneration project is also interviewed. They review the scheduled conversations held in November, where movement was debated with key stakeholders of the City. Finally, they focus on the Markets Area as an example of movement. Jam-packed with information, Tara and Linnea bring the topic of movement to life! Catch the podcast by clicking below!

Podcast Week Five

What does living mean beyond habitation? What makes a liveable City? How does history effect how we live in a City? These are the weighty questions Vincent and Tara discuss with John in this weeks near fm broadcast. Living is one of the three themes, which emerged from the Discovery phase of the project, along with Enterprise and Movement, as one of the challenges Dublin faces. Vincent and Tara debate what living means, interviewing Donal Ó Fallúin, one of the minds behind, ‘Come Here to Me!’ a popular blog about the life, culture and history of Dublin City. They also review the scheduled conversations held in November, where living was debated with key stakeholders of the City. Finally, they focus on the Markets Area as an example of living, with it’s rich history and closely knit communities. This episode is not to be missed! Catch the podcast by clicking below!

Podcast Week Four

This week on the near fm radio show, Una and Nuala discussed the exhibition of ‘100 exciting things you didn’t know about the city centre’. Giving the audience insights into where the concept of the exhibition came from and the process of making it; from asking people for their hidden gems to refining the final 100, to building the exhibition. The team also disclose their own personal favourites and ask the listener’s to send in theirs too. Una, Nuala and John also share their personal top 10 hidden gems, and why! A lively, conversational and revealing discussion not to be missed!! You can catch the podcast anytime, by clicking below!

Podcast Week Three

Building on the discussion of who is Designing Dublin last week, the radio team for week two, of Lindsay and Mary, focused in on Designing Dublin’s current project entitled Love the City. They explained the project’s working area and initial site study research and brought listeners through a discussion on how and why the Markets area was chosen for Love the City. They also highlighted two interviews – one with Michael Stubbs, Assistant City Manager, who has a unique perspective on the City and the Markets area, as well as a second one with Brian Swann, Deputy City Architect, who worked on the Smithfield development, which is closely linked to the Markets area.

Mary and Lindsay, in the course of an hour, explain gleefully the work we are focusing on at the moment, sharing their experiences and learning’s so far. A high-octane and entertaining show, if you missed it you can listen to the podcast below:

Podcast Week Two