Long Story Short

Human Cities

An automated future? Making our cities more human... 

Cities of today would be unrecognisable just 10 years ago. But have these changes made our cities better places to live, move, work and play in? And what does the future look like, not only for us but for our children, grandchildren and generations to come? 

In the first episode of this new series Emma Nelson, freelance radio and TV presenter and reporter, hosts a conversation between two city experts and tech obsessives, Sandeep Kapoor, Innovation and Growth Lead at Arcadis UK, and James O’Malley, technology journalist and former editor at Gizmodo. They tell us why an automated world will work for us as people, no matter how we feel about it. Plus, we look at what the people who shape our cities need to do to make the future human.

Re-imagining Work

What will be the last profession left standing?

The way in which we work is changing at a rate never seen before. But what does this mean for how and where we work, and even the sort of work we will be doing? With a third of jobs expected to be wiped out in the next three decades, we ask what the last profession left standing will be.

In this episode Emma Nelson, freelance radio and TV presenter and reporter, hosts a conversation with Lara Potter, Workforce for the Future Director at Arcadis UK, and Julia Hobsbawm OBE, author and leading voice on the world of work. They share their theories and experiences on why everything is changing so fast and what we can all do to keep up and stay relevant.

Future Mobility

Humans vs robots. What is the role of humans in the future of driving? 

Driverless cars are on their way. Are we ready for them? In this episode we take a deep dive in to this emerging technology, exploring what people really think and how we can cut through the buzzwords to understand the impact on people and communities. We ask, is this really a good thing?

Our guests are three people shaping the path for autonomous vehicles, Natalie Sauber from Arcadis UK, Luke Rust from Immense Simulations and Kat Hannah from Lendlease. Emma Nelson, freelance radio and TV presenter and reporter, hosts the conversation, examining whether driverless cars mean transport for all and looking at what our cities need to do to get ready for them.

The Million-Pound Tree

Should nature’s benefits come for free?

Everyone loves green spaces. Whether it’s a park, community garden or playing field, they are crucial to escaping the stress and pollution of our busy lives. But, do they do enough for a city?

In this episode, we examine our natural assets and explore how natural capital, the basic conditions for human existence, builds a bridge between the environment, the economy and the communities in our cities. If we don’t factor it in to all our city planning, do we risk threatening our quality of life and wellbeing for future generations?

Faster, Better Homes

Would you buy a home built in a factory? ​

The scale of the housing crisis is well-documented; we all know the UK needs more homes. But what if there was a faster way to build better, more eco-friendly housing? ​

This episode looks at whether modular, construction – in which homes are built in a factory and then assembled on site - could be the answer? And if it is the panacea we’ve been looking for, why aren’t all our homes being built in this way? We challenge some of the biggest misconceptions around modular development. From embedding new skills to solving societal issues around deprivation and housing poverty, we ask to what extent modular development could change how we build our homes, now and in the future? ​

Our guests speakers are Ben Adams from Arcadis, Jez Sweetland from Bristol Housing Festival, Richard Hyams from AStudio Architects, Richard Brown, Centre for London and soundbites from Harriet Harriss at the Pratt School of Architecture, NYC. ​

Community Spirit

Do you love where you live? 

Whether a park, a building, a town or city, people and communities thrive when the spaces they live, work and play in are designed to meet their changing needs.

This special episode was recorded in front of a live audience. Our guests Kat Hanna, Peter Hogg, Clare Wood and Andrew Tuck talk about what makes a great place. From historical places designed by and for able-bodied white men, to current trends of communal living – do we need to be riskier in designing and updating our spaces for the benefit of the whole of society?

Find out what Arcadis’ latest research shows about the five most important things to consider when creating a place in our newest report Liveable Places.

Apart but Connected. Is remote working here to stay?

The world of work is changing – and faster than we ever anticipated. With the spread of COVID-19 rapidly accelerating a massive societal shift towards home working, we ask whether now is the ideal time for businesses to think about making some more permanent changes, once the crisis is over?

Could this be the end of the traditional, desk-bound 9-5, and what does this mean for how we’ll do our jobs in future? BBC journalist Emma Nelson chats with our guests, Suzanne Lloyd from Arcadis and Charles Hecker from Control Risks exploring how “from-my-home-to-your-home” conversations are rewriting our relationship with colleagues and clients. They explore how our employers are reacting to this sudden upsurge in demand for smarter, agile and more flexible working.

And with our cities having previously been hubs for industry and commerce, could this new world of work change how we use our cities in future?

Staying local. Will our town centres thrive again?

Imagine the town centre of the future and the changes that need to be made to achieve it: what will it look like? Who will it serve and what part does it play in its community?

Urban centres are, and should be, responding to the needs of their communities, the challenges of changing retail habits, declining footfall, and the need for greater flexibility in our spaces.

In light of COVID-19, how can local high streets recover and take advantage of people’s changing behaviours and values in relation to supporting local businesses, reducing travel and being more sustainable? 

Our guests David Jobling, Director at Arcadis and Bill Grimsey, from the Grimsey Review, discuss this and more in the first episode of a new series of Long Story Short.

Series Two trailer

Welcome to the second series of Long Story Short, the Future Cities podcast from Arcadis UK. Series one was all about the way we live, work, play and thrive in our cities. But like many things, in the wake of COVID-19 we are refocusing. So in this series we examine the huge changes the world is going through as it slowly starts to reopen and societies try to reclaim a little normality. 

 

Protect the NHS. What's the future of healthcare?

From the Government slogan - “Stay home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives.” - to the 8pm Clap for Carers, the NHS has been front and centre of the fight against COVID-19. But has our relationship with our national health service changed? And what have we learnt from the pandemic that could change the future of healthcare provision?

 

With capacity threatening to reach breaking point, the speed at which the seven Nightingale Hospitals were established showed us just how much can be achieved in a short space of time, by working together. But even though the immediate health crisis may have abated through efforts to protect the NHS, critical patient issues such as cancer, diabetes and mental health care still need to be addressed.

 

From providing new beds to working more closely within communities, is the NHS up to the challenge? And what role should we be playing in looking after our own health and wellbeing to help protect the NHS? Chris Waine from Arcadis and our guests Richard Noble and Robert Hakin from Leeds Teaching Hospital discuss the future of healthcare and more in the episode nine of the Long Story Short podcast series.