Rephonic
Artwork for Design Emergency
Architecture
Africa
Disability Inclusion
Design Accessibility
Democracy
Healthcare
Education
Sustainability
United Nations Development Programme
Venice Architecture Biennale
Humanitarian Projects
Climate Change
Data Visualization
Refugee Crisis
Indigenous Design
Redesigning Work
Design
Tilting the Lens
UNHCR
Prison Design

Welcome to Design Emergency, where the design curator Paola Antonelli and design critic Alice Rawsthorn will introduce you to the inspiring and ingenious designers whose success in tackling major challenges – from the climate emergency and refugee crisis, to ensuring that new technologies affect us positively, not negatively – gives us hope for the future.

Follow our Instagram @design.emergency t... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes56Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DesignArtsNewsPolitics

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Artwork for Design Emergency

Latest Episodes

What are the most important challenges for architecture today? And what will they be in the future? One of the most influential architects of our time, David Chipperfield, talks to our cofounder, Alice Rawsthorn, about the urgent need to respond to a... more

Francis Kéré, architect, educator, builder, and one of the most compelling advocates for architecture as a force for dignity, participation, and social transformation. Kéré’s architecture begins with people and for a building to exist, it has to trav... more

In this episode of Design Emergency, Alice Rawsthorn and Paola Antonelli explore how craft has evolved into a powerful force for social, cultural, and environmental change. 

Design, art, and craft have had a long, complex relationship. For most of h... more

What is the future of the printed book? Does it have one? And, if so what will it consist of? Who better to answer this than the woman who is inconstestably the greatest book designer of our time, the brilliant Irma Boom. In this episode of Design Em... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

David Chipperfield
Renowned architect, founder of David Chipperfield Architects
David Chipperfield Architects
Episode: David Chipperfield on Architecture’s Priorities
Diebedo Francis Kéré
Architect
Kéré Architecture / various international projects
Episode: Francis Kéré on Building Stories
Irma Boom
Brilliant Dutch book designer
Independent designer
Episode: Irma Boom on the Future of Book Design
Maya Bird-Murphy
Chicago-based social designer and educator
Mobile Makers
Episode: Maya Bird-Murphy on Architecture and Communities
David Gissen
Architect, historian, theorist, professor of architecture, and director of the Ph.D. program at Yale University.
Yale University
Episode: David Gissen on the Architecture of Disability
Tosin Oshinówò
Nigerian architect and Chief Curator of the Shajar Architecture Triennial
Oshinówò Studio
Episode: Tosin Oshinówò on Designing Africa’s Future
Hilary Cottam
Pioneering social designer and activist
Episode: Hilary Cottam on Redesigning Work
Sadie Red Wing
Dakota Lakota graphic designer, researcher, and educator
Arizona State University, University of Minnesota
Episode: Sadie Red Wing on Indigenous design
Julia Watson
Designer, ecologist, and activist, author of 'Lo-TEK Water'
Taschen
Episode: Julia Watson on Design and Water

Hosts

Paola Antonelli
Design curator and co-host, frequently discussing design's social and political dimensions.
Alice Rawsthorn
Design critic and co-host, known for critical analysis of craft, technology, and global design cultures.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 61 ratings
  • Unsophisticated Pandering

    Hard to believe this is the standard for design professionals associated with globally-recognized institutions. But, that is not so surprising in our contemporary world.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Spark Kent
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A few impressions suggest the show blends culture with activism in thoughtful ways.
Critical listeners appreciate the global design perspectives and host expertise.
Some listeners feel the episodes skew high-level; guests and case studies remain intriguing.
Positive buzz around spotlighting overlooked women designers and craft traditions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#28
United Kingdom/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#199
Canada/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#21
Italy/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#42
Germany/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#103
Australia/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#236
France/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Irma Boom on the Future of Book Design
Q: Can you discuss the influence of historic exemplars like Vitruvius on your practice?
Boom talks about how historical books with commentary around original texts inspire her to create multi-layered, self-aware designs where the book acts as a complete, coherent object.
Irma Boom on the Future of Book Design
Q: So Irma, welcome to Design Emergency, and tell us about Book Activist.
Boom explains that Book Activist is about real, tangible books—printing on paper and binding—rather than PDFs, underscoring her commitment to the materiality and democratic nature of the printed book.
Beatriz Colomina and Mark Wigley on Biotic Architecture
Q: What did the pandemic teach us about space, safety and health, and what did it not teach us?
The pandemic highlighted that people's microbiomes had an effect on their survival rates, emphasizing the importance of microbial health in architecture.
Maya Bird-Murphy on Architecture and Communities
Q: Why did you decide to launch Mobile Makers?
Maya shares that her experiences in the traditional architecture field revealed a lack of engagement with social issues, prompting her to create Mobile Makers as a solution.
Maya Bird-Murphy on Architecture and Communities
Q: Could you begin by describing how you discovered design, and why you decided to focus on developing new approaches to design education?
Maya describes her upbringing in Oak Park, Illinois, surrounded by Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, which sparked her interest in architecture. She realized many communities lacked access to design awareness, influencing her decision to focus on architecture education.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Design Emergency

What is Design Emergency about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful series exploring design as a force for social good, with conversations spanning architecture, craft, book design, biotic environments, and technology. Episodes feature leading practitioners and critics discussing human-centered approaches, material culture, and design's role in education, memory, and climate resilience. The host duo often foregrounds underrepresented contributors and global perspectives, framing design as activism, care, and community-building rather than mere aesthetics. Listeners can expect rich case studies, multidisciplinary insights, and invitations to rethink everyday objects, spaces, and systems through a design lens.

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How many listeners does Design Emergency get?

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What are the audience demographics for Design Emergency?

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How many subscribers and views does Design Emergency have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Design Emergency?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Design Emergency:

1. Time Sensitive
2. Homing
3. Design Matters with Debbie Millman
4. London Review Bookshop Podcast
5. The Week in Art

How many episodes of Design Emergency are there?

Design Emergency launched 4 years ago and published 56 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Design Emergency?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Design Emergency?

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What guests have appeared on Design Emergency?

Recent guests on Design Emergency include:

1. David Chipperfield
2. Diebedo Francis Kéré
3. Irma Boom
4. Maya Bird-Murphy
5. David Gissen
6. Tosin Oshinówò
7. Hilary Cottam
8. Sadie Red Wing

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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