Urban Forecast

Hosted by Ackroyd Lowrie

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100

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Oct 2026

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About the show

The show where Ackroyd Lowrie's co-founders and directors, Oliver Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd talk to the people defining the future of our cities. Discussing their background, what drives them and the insights they have learnt along the way. This is a show for investors, developers, planners, consultants and anyone who is interested in how we will work, live and play in the cities of the future and what that means for the property market today.

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November 9, 2026Episode 1640 min

Antonio Canero on PRYZM: The Future of AI and Architecture

Could AI make traditional architectural software obsolete? What happens when you can create a 3D building model, produce drawings and explore design changes simply by telling AI what you want? In this episode of Urban Forecast, Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd are joined by Antonio J Canero Santisteban, founder of PRYZM, to explore how artificial intelligence could transform architectural design and the future of BIM. Antonio explains how PRYZM combines site information, 3D modelling and AI-assisted workflows in a browser-based platform, allowing architects and developers to move from site analysis into design without switching between multiple applications. The conversation explores whether traditional software such as Revit will remain essential, why architects should retain control over AI-generated proposals, and how natural language could change the way designers interact with buildings. Oli also shares his experience of using AI to recreate his own house, explore an extension and generate architectural drawings, raising some big questions about the future of architectural software. Antonio then demonstrates PRYZM using a real site in Barcelona, showing how site constraints, building envelopes, massing, walls and windows can be explored within the platform. Could the future of architecture be less about drawing and modelling, and more about communicating design intent? And if AI takes care of the repetitive work, what does that mean for the architect? Watch the full episode of Urban Forecast to find out. Disclaimer: Pryzm has evolved significantly since recording in September 2026. KEY TAKEAWAYS AI could fundamentally change architectural software. The ability to create models and drawings through natural language raises questions about how architects will use traditional BIM tools in the future. PRYZM connects site analysis with architectural design. Its browser-based platform combines available geographical and planning data with 3D modelling, allowing users to explore sites and begin designing in one environment. AI doesn't make the final design decisions. Antonio explains that PRYZM uses AI to interpret information and propose actions, while its software engine creates geometry and the user retains control. Design intent could become more important than individual modelling commands. Rather than manually adjusting every wall, architects could increasingly describe what they want to achieve and work with AI to explore solutions. Revit's dominance could face new challenges. As software becomes easier and cheaper to develop, architectural practices may have more opportunities to create or adopt alternative design tools. BEST MOMENTS "It will not be the decision maker. Never." Antonio Canero "Sometimes it's actually way slower to describe." Antonio Canero "The unglamorous work goes to the machine." Antonio Canero VALUABLE RESOURCES https://pryzm.so/ EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT Policy vs Viability: Mike Moon Unpacks the Future of London Development https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fPIn7AXA50 Cllr Ross Garrod: Putting Merton on the Map https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJkNSzbmukU ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram : @urbanforecastpodcast LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/urban-forecast-podcast Email: info@ackroydlowrie.com

October 26, 2026Episode 1548 min

Policy vs Viability: Mike Moon Unpacks the Future of London Development

Planning policy is changing faster than at any point in recent memory, and developers in London are left asking which rules they should actually follow. In this episode of Urban Forecast, Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd are joined by Mike Moon, Planning Director at Marrons, to unpack the wave of reform hitting the industry: the new NPPF, the Draft London Plan, the National Scheme of Delegation and the push towards grey belt development. Mike explains the growing tension between national and regional policy, why London’s housing target sits around 300,000 homes short of assessed need, and what the new density matrix and tall buildings rules mean for sites across the capital. The conversation also covers viability, the shake-up of the Central Activities Zone, unspent Section 106 money, and how better use of data and AI could make planning faster and fairer. If you’re a developer, landowner or built environment professional trying to make sense of the new planning landscape, this is essential listening. KEY TAKEAWAYS Every site needs a second look. Mike believes the scale of recent planning reform means almost every development site in London should be reappraised, with density now the first question officers will ask. National and London policy are pulling in different directions. The NPPF tells regional and local plans not to add requirements beyond national standards, yet the Draft London Plan layers on extra energy, fire and lift requirements that cumulatively hit viability. London is planning for far fewer homes than it needs. The NPPF assesses London’s need at around 850,000 homes over the plan period, while the Draft London Plan commits to roughly 550,000, citing viability and infrastructure constraints. “Policy compliant means viable” is a tough new reality. Under the NPPF, developers can no longer overpay for land and then use viability to negotiate away policy requirements. The cost of compliance has to be priced in from day one. Height is getting more prescriptive. The new density matrix and just 17 locations supported for tall buildings could leave a policy gap between 12 and 30 storeys, with many schemes likely to settle at six storeys to avoid the Gateway process. Delegated decisions should speed things up, with caveats. The National Scheme of Delegation will move most applications to officers rather than committees, but councils will need more resource, standardised pre-app feedback and template Section 106 agreements to see real gains. The CAZ is being split. The Draft London Plan introduces a core CAZ focused on jobs and economic output, alongside a mixed-use CAZ where housing can sit alongside offices, opening the door for outdated office stock to be repurposed. Infrastructure funding is the missing link. Billions in Section 106 money sits unspent nationally. Mike argues developer contributions should feed directly into major strategic infrastructure projects that unlock new homes. BEST MOMENTS “All of these planning changes mean almost every single development site needs to be reappraised.” “There are so many areas of the planning process that can be streamlined and save you potentially months, if not years.” “We just need a London plan that’s more evidence based, really robustly led by viability, because that’s going to be the key factor for any development over the next ten years.” “You’re looking at sites with a fresh pair of eyes on exactly how far you can push density.” VALUABLE RESOURCES https:// www.ackroydlowrie.com EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT Cllr Ross Garrod: Putting Merton on the Map From Architects to Developers: Caswell & Dainow ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram LinkedIn Urban Forecast website Email: info@ackroydlowrie.com

October 5, 2026Episode 1432 min

Cllr Ross Garrod: Putting Merton on the Map

In this episode of Urban Forecast, Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd sit down with Cllr Ross Garrod, Leader of Merton Council, to talk about what it really takes to shape a London borough. Ross grew up in Mitcham and returned to local politics after the pandemic left him feeling powerless as decisions were made in Westminster. He explains how Merton is building council homes again for the first time in a generation, why the council stepped in to buy affordable homes and get a stalled gasworks scheme moving, and how selling a council-owned business for £186 million cut historic debt and funded a new legacy fund for residents. The conversation also covers temporary accommodation, London's Borough of Sport, the future of shopping centres, and the one national policy change that would make his job easier. It's a candid, practical look at local leadership for anyone working in property, planning or architecture. KEY TAKEAWAYS Ross came back to politics after Covid, having felt powerless watching Westminster decisions affect his community. Volunteering as a vaccinator helped, but he wanted to be part of the decision making. Merton has claimed the title of London's Borough of Sport. Free swimming for under 16s and over 65s, free tennis courts and funded parkruns have helped around 6,000 to 7,000 residents become more active. The council is building affordable homes itself again for the first time in a generation. It starts with 75 homes delivered with L&Q on former council car parks and a disused tin church site, and a ten-year housing delivery programme is on the way. Merton's housing approach has three parts: self-delivery on small sites, partnerships with private developers on larger sites, and acquisitions to kickstart stalled schemes. The former Mitcham gasworks scheme of almost 700 homes was approved with no affordable housing because of viability. The council chose to buy the affordable element to get work started on site. Selling the council-owned business CHAS for £186 million cleared historic debt, which saves around £11 million a year. It also helped fund Morden regeneration and a £15 million Pride in Merton Legacy Fund that residents can bid into. Merton has cut temporary accommodation numbers by 4%, against a London average of around 1%. It is buying street properties so residents can stay in the borough. Asked what national policy he would change, Ross picked skills and resourcing in planning departments. Without them, the target of 1.5 million homes won't make it through the system. BEST MOMENTS "What I would always say to developers or people that do want to build in Merton is don't forget the residents that already live there." "We're going to have to use every power, soft power, hard power, that we can use to really deliver those homes." "There's no point going to market if it's going to fall flat on its face." "If someone had a blueprint, I'm sure we would all try and take it." VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.ackroydlowrie.com EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT From Architects to Developers: Caswell & Dainow Good Cities, Better Lives with Nicholas Falk of URBED ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram LinkedIn Urban Forecast website Email: info@ackroydlowrie.com

September 21, 2026Episode 1335 min

Good Cities, Better Lives with Nicholas Falk of URBED

In this episode of Urban Forecast, Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd sit down with Nicholas Falk, Founder Director of URBED, for a wide ranging conversation spanning five decades of urban regeneration. From his early career at Ford and McKinsey to founding URBED with backing from Lord Sainsbury, Nick traces the projects that shaped his thinking, including Rotherhithe, Covent Garden, King's Cross, Hulme and the Jewellery Quarter. He shares the story behind URBED's 2014 Wolfson Economics Prize win, his ABC framework for successful placemaking (ambition, brokerage and continuity) and his outspoken views on the New London Plan, greenbelt development and where Britain's next generation of new settlements should go. It's a masterclass in patient, practical city building from someone who has spent a lifetime doing it. Nicholas has also shared some further resources for anyone who wants to dig deeper after listening. There's a seven minute video on the transformation of King's Cross, plus a free copy of his book Why Not Social Cities?. His organisation URBED has recently launched a new website, urbedtrust.org, where all of URBED's reports and publications are freely available. Nick also gave us a preview of his latest project, Oxford Digital Intelligence, which combines different types of spatial data to help identify the best areas for growth, an approach that builds directly on the data led thinking he discusses in the episode. KEY TAKEAWAYS Nick's shift from business and economics into the built environment began in San Francisco, where he saw redundant buildings repurposed into thriving workspace and retail, sparking a lifelong belief that cities should make the most of existing resources rather than build new His early career at Ford taught him that success comes from segmenting markets and copying what works, a principle he later applied to urban regeneration rather than risky reinvention Practical, hands on projects in Rotherhithe in the 1970s, including the Brunel Exhibition Project and the Industrial Buildings Preservation Trust, showed him that people change their minds by seeing real examples, not by being told URBED was founded with funding from Lord Sainsbury after Nick's Fabian pamphlet on the inner city economy caught his attention, and went on to work on Covent Garden, Little Germany in Bradford, the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham and Hulme in Manchester URBED's 2014 Wolfson Economics Prize winning entry argued that new settlements should grow existing cities rather than start from scratch, funded through patient capital and land value uplift rather than relying solely on home ownership Nick is highly critical of how UK government picks sites for new towns, arguing for a data led approach he calls digital intelligence combined with genuine community engagement, which he is currently testing in Oxford His decades long, largely informal involvement in King's Cross illustrates his theory of balanced incremental development, where each stage reduces risk and increases value, starting with the public realm before the buildings follow He distils his approach into three principles, ambition, brokerage and continuity, arguing that the biggest barrier to successful regeneration in Britain is a lack of long term consistency compared with cities like Manchester or examples from Germany and the Netherlands BEST MOMENTS "It was that idea of reusing redundant buildings that really got me going, because I've long felt that to succeed, cities have to make the most of their existing resources and empty buildings." "I remember Jim Callaghan, who was prime minister, came down to Rotherhithe, and I heard him afterwards, after spending ten minutes talking to a silversmith, saying we've really been too hard on the small business. That exemplified my idea that people change their mind by seeing things." "I've spent my life trying to create models, not only ideas, but practical examples of what works... I'm still agonising as I get to the end of my life, which is why so many good ideas fail to go beyond the pilot. That, to my mind, is the challenge." "I was told, oh, it's the Queen's favourite airfield. I said, well, the Queen's going to die someday." VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.ackroydlowrie.com ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT https://urbanforecast.ai/ Email: info@ackroydlowrie.com

September 7, 2026Episode 1250 min

Inside the Draft London Plan with Dominic Grace

In this episode of Prop Views, Nick Cuff and Oli Lowrie are joined by Dominic Grace to unpack three of the summer's biggest property stories. They start with Sadiq Khan's draft London Plan, debating whether its shorter length makes it bolder or simply more prescriptive, and dig into the housing targets, density matrix and affordable housing thresholds that will shape the capital for the next twenty years. From there, they turn to Prologis's recommended £14 billion takeover of Segro, the UK's largest REIT, and what it says about the shrinking pool of listed real estate businesses. Finally, they assess Angela Rayner's return to the housing brief, her early decisions on major schemes, and whether she has the appetite for the radical intervention the sector says it needs. A candid, occasionally blunt conversation about what it actually takes to get Britain building. KEY TAKEAWAYS Sadiq Khan's draft London Plan, published 16 July, is nearly half the length of the 2021 version but Oli Lowrie argues it is more prescriptive, not less, particularly on building heights and density The plan targets 558,000 new homes and reintroduces density matrices tied to height, with a baseline of four to nine storeys across most of the city and 100 metre towers permitted in only 17 locations Dominic Grace calls the plan a "pathetic effort" for a market in crisis, arguing it needs radical intervention rather than incremental tweaks Modelling referenced in the episode suggests only around 23 per cent of scenarios stack up financially once affordable housing requirements are applied, with a potential £28.3 billion funding gap for affordable housing delivery Prologis has agreed a recommended £14 billion takeover of Segro, creating a combined business with roughly £269 billion of assets under management and expanding Prologis's European footprint by 47 per cent The deal highlights how few listed UK real estate businesses remain, with private equity increasingly stepping in to fill the gap Angela Rayner's return as housing secretary gets a mixed scorecard from the hosts, who cover her early decisions including consent for the Truman Brewery redevelopment and rejection of 3,500 homes and a stadium at Ebbsfleet over safety concerns The episode ends on a rare positive note, with Building Safety Act gateway approval rates now at 91 per cent, up from around 25 to 30 per cent in the early years BEST MOMENTS "I'd liken it to a lady who, in polite society, just fainted in an Edwardian parlour, and someone gets out the smelling salts. What we actually need is a defibrillator, wired up to the mains, to shock the system back into delivering housing." — Dominic Grace on the draft London Plan "I don't think it is bold. I think it's kind of more prescriptive. This version of government finds writing a plan that's pro development quite hard to be pro developer." — Oli Lowrie "It's extraordinary how little we really understand about that world. When something like this happens, it's a bit of a jolt." — Dominic Grace on the Prologis and Segro deal "The Building Safety Act approval rate is at 91 per cent. It was 25 or 30 per cent for the first couple of years. That's basically a coin toss. Now it's up at 91 per cent and it's happening faster." — Oli Lowrie

August 24, 2026Episode 1137 min

From Architects to Developers: Caswell & Dainow

Charlie Caswell and Adam Dainow trained as architects but built their careers as small scale property developers, and on this episode of Urban Forecast they pull back the curtain on how that leap actually happens. They talk candidly about learning development the hard way, from early deals that lost money during Brexit to building a database of thousands of London sites by literally pinning locations on Google Maps while out running and cycling. Charlie and Adam explain why they deliberately stayed focused on 1 to 30 unit housing schemes rather than scaling into volume housebuilding, how they balance design ambition against commercial viability, and why they think the planning system, taxation and public perception of developers are holding back the small and medium sized housing that London desperately needs. It's an honest, sometimes funny conversation about risk, resilience and what it really takes to unlock tricky urban sites. KEY TAKEAWAYS Charlie and Adam both trained as architects before moving into development, and argue they now do more purely design focused work than they did in practice, because they get to choose the parts of the job they enjoy Development pays for value added rather than time spent, which was the fundamental shift that pulled them away from the hourly billing model of architecture Their first major deal nearly collapsed after Brexit caused a bank revaluation, teaching them early and painful lessons about de-risking and using other people's money carefully The business was built on proactive site sourcing, starting with Adam physically spotting plots while running and cycling, which evolved into a database of around 25,000 potential London sites They deliberately focus on schemes of 1 to 30 units because that scale allows site constraints to genuinely shape the architecture, rather than cookie cutter typologies Architects are rarely taught business skills, and Charlie and Adam feel the profession doesn't see itself as part of the wider property industry despite being entirely dependent on it Rising costs, lengthy planning timescales averaging 60 weeks, and taxes like CIL are described as major barriers stopping small and medium developers from delivering affordable housing Both remain committed to the 1 to 30 unit niche despite the toughest market conditions of their careers, believing the current downturn is cyclical rather than systemic BEST MOMENTS "You have to relook at stuff... your spreadsheet doesn't even work anymore" "Every day is a school day" "It's not the ambition to be the next Barclays" "There is no development school, you've got to kind of learn as you go" VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.ackroydlowrie.com EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT The Nuclear Bomb Moment in BIM Software with Antonio Gonzalez Viegas Don't Waste Buildings with Will Hurst & Leanne Tritton ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram LinkedIn Urban Forecast website Email: info@ackroydlowrie.com

August 10, 2026Episode 1029 min

The Nuclear Bomb Moment in BIM Software with Antonio Gonzalez Viegas

In this episode of Urban Forecast, Oli and Jon sit down with Antonio Gonzalez Viegas, CEO of That Open Company, for a sharp look at what's really disrupting the BIM software industry. Antonio dismantles the idea that big incumbents are untouchable, using his own "nuclear bomb" analogy to explain how AI has levelled the playing field between giants and small challengers. He breaks down why BIM software has always been brutally hard to build, why most software companies are still playing a game with no future, and how his open source project grew from a weekend hobby into a business now trusted by over a thousand companies, including some of the industry's biggest names. From turning down venture capital to explaining why even his competitors want to work with him, this episode is a clear-eyed look at where construction software is heading next. KEY TAKEAWAYS The BIM software market has stayed dominated by a handful of players for decades because it demands a rare mix of construction knowledge and advanced 3D and maths expertise AI has created a "nuclear bomb moment" where smaller firms can now seriously compete with entrenched incumbents who have spent decades accumulating technology Most BIM software companies are still trying to sell software as a standalone product, a model Antonio believes has no long-term future That Open Company's model flips the industry on its head, giving away the core technology for free and generating revenue through consulting, training and custom development Over 1,000 companies now build on That Open Company's open source technology, including major names such as Cesium, Bentley Systems, Acciona and Ferrovial Turning down multiple venture capital offers was a deliberate choice, built on the belief that forcing the business to be sustainable from day one is healthier long term Large incumbents such as RIB have no incentive to fight the technology, since it saves them the cost of building and maintaining their own 3D viewers in-house Building software is only half the problem, maintaining it over time is the far more expensive challenge, and open source spreads that cost across the whole industry BEST MOMENTS "The moment the nuclear bomb showed up, even a small country with no resources can suddenly be a huge threat to a big one." "Every BIM software company had either created or acquired their technology. Apply that to any other industry and it's absolutely insane." "I strongly believe that just selling software is not going to be enough." "The more open source we do, the more we thrive economically, and the more open source we can do." VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.ackroydlowrie.com EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT Don't Waste Buildings with Will Hurst & Leanne Tritton Barry Jessup on Building Places That Actually Work ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ackroydlowrie/reel/CpcSrjlDreV/ LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/company/urban-forecast-podcast Email: info@ackroydlowrie.com

July 27, 2026Episode 941 min

Don't Waste Buildings with Will Hurst & Leanne Tritton

Should we still be demolishing buildings when the climate, housing and economic cases all point towards reuse? In this episode of Urban Forecast, co-hosts Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd are joined by Will Hurst, Managing Editor of Architects' Journal and Co-Founder of Don't Waste Buildings, alongside Leanne Tritton, Founder of ING Media, Chair of The London Society and Co-Founder of Don't Waste Buildings. Together, they explore why the UK's tax system continues to favour demolition over retrofit, how VAT is creating unintended consequences across the built environment, and why policy reform could unlock housing delivery, regeneration and economic growth. From RetroFirst and embodied carbon to planning reform, viability and the role of government, this is a fascinating conversation about what needs to change if we are serious about creating more sustainable places. Key takeaways • Reusing existing buildings should become the default, not demolition and rebuild. • The current VAT system often makes demolition financially more attractive than retrofit, despite higher environmental costs. • Policy ambitions such as Net Zero and the 1.5 million homes target cannot succeed without addressing the financial realities facing developers. • Better incentives, rather than additional regulation, could encourage more sustainable development across the UK. • Local authorities, government and the private sector all have a role to play in removing barriers to regeneration. • Consistent national policy would provide developers with greater certainty and encourage investment. • AI is helping organisations analyse vast amounts of built environment data, creating stronger evidence for policy change. • Collaboration across government, industry and campaign groups will be essential if meaningful reform is to happen. Best moments • "The whole tax system works against reuse of a building, which is the maddest thing ever." • "We should try and make reuse of existing buildings the default, not knock buildings down and start again." • "Every time you pick up a rock, you find some mad system that holds us back." • "You can't blame people for making those decisions when the system financially rewards demolition." VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.ackroydlowrie.com EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT Could a RIBA President Actually Change Architecture? Jay Morton Makes her Case Can Architecture Regain Its Influence? Russell Curtis Explains ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ackroydlowrie/reel/CpcSrjlDreV/ LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/company/urban-forecast-podcast Email: info@ackroydlowrie.com

July 13, 2026Episode 836 min

Barry Jessup on Building Places That Actually Work

In this episode of Urban Forecast, Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd sit down with Barry Jessup, Managing Director at Socius and Founder and Chairman of Populate, to unpack what genuine impact looks like in large scale urban development. Barry explains the thinking behind Socius, why long term capital and patient investors matter more than ever, and how Populate's place management model brings schemes to life once the buildings go up. The conversation ranges across planning reform, viability pressures, the clustering of life sciences and tech occupiers, and a bold prediction about the future of universities in a post AI world. A candid, wide ranging look at what it actually takes to build places that work commercially and socially. KEY TAKEAWAYS Socius was founded four years ago as a purpose led developer, shaped by Barry's earlier career at Lendlease and First Base and a desire to move away from short term thinking For Barry, "impact" spans environmental sustainability, community legacy, local enrichment and creating emotive, experiential places, not a single metric Despite shifting political rhetoric in the US, Barry sees no drop in UK institutional commitment to long term, impact led investment, and believes it matters more than ever Socius and Populate work in tandem: Socius as developer and investment manager on schemes typically worth £200 million to £1 billion, Populate as the place management arm that activates and animates the space Getting the mix of uses right depends heavily on location, and successful schemes need genuine, locally sourced community engagement from day one, not just a planning tick box Life sciences and tech occupiers cluster around talent, historically near universities, but Barry predicts further education colleges will grow in importance in a post AI world where judgment and experience outweigh raw knowledge Planning remains a major bottleneck, with local politics often fixating on housing numbers at the expense of wider mixed use benefits, and recent NPPF changes have barely moved the dial Real world examples including Mill Yard in Cambridge, the London Cancer Hub with Aviva and Botanic Place show that commercial strategy and network building often matter as much as architecture BEST MOMENTS "The economic delivery and the economic success of a project is 100% driven by the strength of the product to the occupier." "No longer is it just okay to provide the keys and provide the bricks and mortar, the relationships we are now seeing are more around partnership." "It's definitely an imprecise science, and we certainly don't claim to get it all right. We're certainly no crystal ball gazers." "Learning and skills are very important, but almost not in a post AI world, where knowledge is being commoditised at the touch of a button. What won't be replaced is judgment and experience." VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.ackroydlowrie.com EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT The AI District: Simon Ruck and Jonathan Kendall on Future-Proofing Oxford North Could a RIBA President Actually Change Architecture? Jay Morton Makes her Case ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ackroydlowrie/reel/CpcSrjlDreV/ LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/company/urban-forecast-podcast Email: info@ackroydlowrie.com

June 29, 2026Episode 728 min

The AI District: Simon Ruck and Jonathan Kendall on Future-Proofing Oxford North

In this episode of Urban Forecast, hosts Oli Lowrie and Jon Ackroyd are joined by Simon Ruck, Managing Director at Oxford North Ventures, and Jonathan Kendall, Partner at Fletcher Priest Architects, to explore one of the UK's most ambitious innovation districts in the making. Oxford North is a one-million-square-foot mixed-use development on the edge of Oxford, backed by Saint John's College, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and Stanhope. Far from a traditional science park, it has been conceived from the outset as a genuine piece of city -- one where homes, labs, offices, public park, arts, and amenity come together to create a place people actively want to be. Simon and Jonathan discuss the philosophy behind the project, the challenge of designing for a rapidly shifting market, how the team navigated Covid and the life sciences boom, and why the rise of AI is now reshaping what innovation districts need to deliver. They also reflect on the lessons drawn from places like Boston's Kendall Square, and what it really takes to attract and retain world-class talent in a highly competitive global landscape. KEY TAKEAWAYS Oxford North is deliberately positioned as an urban district, not a science park -- rejecting the car-to-desk model in favour of pedestrian movement, public realm, and chance encounters. The project is backed by an exceptional joint venture combining Saint John's College's academic vision, long-term capital from Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, and development expertise from Stanhope. Designing for uncertainty has been central throughout -- buildings needed to be adaptable enough to shift from offices to life science labs to AI facilities as demand evolves. Covid redirected rather than derailed the project. The life sciences boom accelerated interest in the site and prompted a rethink of the first phase buildings to accommodate wet lab functions. The AI wave is now driving new requirements around power, cooling, and security, with the team actively engaging Oxford University's world-leading computer science department. Amenity is the strategy, not an afterthought -- from a two-acre public park to Olafur Eliasson's first permanent UK artwork, the project is designed to draw in people with no connection to science at all. Serviced lab solutions are following the serviced office model, giving early-stage companies access to high-spec scientific infrastructure without heavy upfront commitment. The team drew heavily on Boston's Kendall Square, identifying that the most successful innovation environments sit at the boundary between academia and city life -- not inside a campus bubble. BEST MOMENTS "People arrive at work, head up into their office or labs and go again at the end of the day -- they've not really connected with anyone. So this turns that whole philosophy on its head." -- Simon Ruck "We were really keen to create an environment where small can be mixed next to large, and small might grow into large -- and both really want to be next to one another." -- Jonathan Kendall "There's got to be a reason for people to return to work. It can't just be Pizza Thursdays and hopefully people are going to come into the office." -- Simon Ruck "We've got to design for that uncertainty. We don't know whether technology will change the way we live and work, or the nature of the buildings we need." -- Jonathan Kendall VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.ackroydlowrie.com EPISODES TO CHECK OUT NEXT Could a RIBA President Actually Change Architecture? Jay Morton Makes her Case Can Architecture Regain Its Influence? Russell Curtis Explains ABOUT THE HOSTS Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us. CONNECT & CONTACT Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ackroydlowrie/reel/CpcSrjlDreV/ LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/company/urban-forecast-podcast Email: info@ackroydlowrie.com