Episode 273: Ellen Rosengren-Johnson on why good hospitality design should matter to us all

In this episode, we’re joined by Jerome Frost, the Global CEO of Arup and former Head of Design and Regeneration for the London 2012 Olympic Delivery Authority—a role that helped transform East London and redefine how major sporting events can deliver long-term urban and social value.As Brisbane accelerates preparations for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we’ll discuss what lessons can be drawn from London 2012 and other global events, how design thinking can shape Brisbane’s legacy, and how thoughtful planning can ensure Olympic investment benefits communities for decades to come.

In this podcast, Sarah Butler, a partner with Holding Redlich, specialising in intellectual property (IP), commercial and technology law, and media and advertising regulation across a range of industries explains why intellectual property still often overlooked in construction contracts, despite the sector becoming more design-led and digitally enabled?

Foolscap Sydney Studio Director Ellen Rosengren-Johnson brings a unique international perspective to Australian design, having spent a decade in Norway delivering award-winning hospitality and residential projects before returning home. Her work is defined by a deep commitment to collaboration with local makers, craftspeople, and suppliers – a skill she’s currently bringing to life in the boutique retail fit-out for Alpha60 in Sydney (due to be completed in spring 2025).In this interview, Ellen explains the sheer importance and enduring legacy of hospitality design done well.

The latest episode of Talking Architecture & Design features John Czechowski, Senior Associtae at Gray Puksand, whose career spans more than three decades of shaping public and multi-use precincts across Australia. Born in Canada and trained at the University of Toronto, with formative studies in Florence and Paris, his practice has stretched from infrastructure and stadia to high-rise living and large-scale master planning.In this conversation, Czechowski reflects on how precincts have evolved from purely functional places into community-defining spaces. He explains the delicate balance between commercial viability, accessibility and cultural identity, stressing the importance of listening to community voices rather than treating consultation as an afterthought. The discussion also explores the unseen decisions that shape the built environment, from long-term material performance and compliance to the role of pathways and in-between spaces that guide how people experience a precinct.Technology, climate resilience and cultural diversity are all pressing forces in design, and Czechowski offers insight into how these will influence the next generation of projects. This podcast is brought to you in association with Moddex, proud sponsors of our 2025 Commercial series of podcasts.

Dr Caroline Noller is a qualified quantity surveyor, Climate Active Product assessor, and past, MECLA benchmarking working group Chair, ALCAS board member and EPD Australia board member and holds a phD in the Built Environment.These days Dr Noller provides independent oversight and technical assurance for the Rebuilt Product Carbon Footprint methodology and governance platform. Drawing on her career in life cycle assessment, carbon science, and software innovation, she verifies data integrity and ensures Rebuilt’s outputs align with international standards.In this episode, Dr Noller explains the Brave New World of fully declared and verified clean, green building products.This podcast is brought to you in association with Autex Acoustics, proud sponsors of our 2025 Sustainability series of podcasts.

Damien Crough from prefabAus, a recognised leader and advocate for Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in Australia. As Co-founder and Executive Chairman of prefabAUS, Damien has been instrumental in positioning the organisation as the national peak body for offsite construction. Under his leadership, prefabAUS has grown from a grassroots initiative into a respected and influential voice shaping policy, driving research, and fostering collaboration across government, industry, and academia.We also have Martin Fenn, Chief Delivery Officer at PT Blink, a construction technology company transforming the delivery of multi-storey buildings. He leads the strategic rollout of its rapid-assembly kit-of-parts platform, partnering with developers to accelerate projects, mitigate delivery risk, and generate measurable commercial advantage through innovation.He also serves as the MMC Lead for Oceania with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the world’s largest professional body for construction management.In this interview, they explain how  Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is the future of a sustainable house building sector in Australia.This podcast is brought to you in association with Moddex, proud sponsors of our 2025 Commercial series of podcasts.

“Technology is often seen as the answer, but I believe design is the real answer. Technology is there to enable and to empower.”Xavier De Kestelier is a global Head of Design and leader of Hassell’s design technology and innovation team, which sets strategy and advises on the tools and knowledge the international design firm needs to succeed. Both an architect and technologist, Xavier harnesses technology to create more powerful, future-focused design solutions. That means he’s responsible for overseeing Hassell’s work in computational design, building information modelling, visualisation and virtual reality worldwide. Over the past decade Xavier has forged a reputation as an industry leader in the exploration and adoption of parametric design and digital fabrication. Most recently, he was behind Hassell’s concept for a ​‘home’ on Mars – part of NASA’s 3D Printed Habitat Challenge.A TED talker and regular speaker at major design and tech events, Xavier is also a director of Smartgeometry, a non-profit, global educational network for computational and digital design specialists.He talks exclusively top Talking Architecture & Design about the future of lunar design.

As CEO of City West Housing, Leonie King leads a committed team that develops affordable housing and provide housing services to some 1,600 residents in metropolitan Sydney.In this episode, Leonie King will be talking about affordable homes, funding, planning approvals, land costs, how can we get governmental outcomes for housing, private developers, and community housing providers working together to better to solve our housing crisis & much, much more.This podcast is brought to you in association with AWS, proud sponsors of our 2025 Residential series of podcasts.

Cathy Inglis AM is Group CEO for Think Brick, Concrete Masonry Association & Roofing Tile Associations Australia and is an experienced Materials Engineer and technical expert with nearly 30 years in the building industry with a focus on research, product development and product compliance.Cathy has worked in key leadership roles in management and business development with responsibility for research of new products, technical matters and leading innovation to improve the energy efficiency of operations and to create sustainable building products. Tone Wheeler is an Architect, author, educator and consultant with an abiding interest in environmentally sustainable design (ESD). Since 1986 he has been design leader at environa studio.Tone is a past chair of the AIA National Environment Committee & a past member of the Sustainability Committee. Tone was made AIA Life Fellow in 2022 for his contributions to the discipline and profession of architecture.In this episode, Cathy Inglis & Tone Wheeler explain how we can achieving greater urban density in Australian cities without compromising liveability while also embedding low-carbon materials.

Opacity is HDR’s annual global design review, bringing together diverse voices from across the design community to critically examine our best built and unbuilt work. It provides a platform for rigorous dialogue, sharpening our design conscience and pushing creative boundaries. In this episode, HDR's Melbourne Design Principal Alison Potter as well as Simon Fleet, who is HDR's Sydney Design Principal talk about Opacity, regenerative design framework, advanced data-driven capabilities, and a collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach and much, much more.