Stand Tall with Rachel Bell

Today, I’m joined by a true industry trailblazer, Smith Mordak. Smith is an award-winning architect, engineer and writer, working across disciplines to realise a regenerative economy and built environment. As former Director of Sustainability & Physics at Buro Happold, a one-time steering committee member at Architects Declare, and a current board member of the Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy (to name just a few of their past and present roles) – Smith has a long-standing reputation for driving industry action on climate change. Their work in this field began a new chapter in July 2023 when Smith was appointed Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC). In this episode, we talk about driving forward strategies for an equitable transition to a sustainable built environment, some of the cultural and political levers needed to enable change, and the importance of breaking down industry silos. Smith also offers up some valuable tips for maintaining personal optimism and resilience in the face of global crisis. Hope you enjoy the listen. Resources https://ukgbc.org/https://ukgbc.org/news/turning-the-tide-against-business-as-usual-ukgbcs-systems-change-programme/https://cusp.ac.uk/https://www.waterstones.com/book/governing-the-commons/elinor-ostrom/randall-calvert/9780521405997 https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/314162/the-dawn-of-everything-by-wengrow-david-graeber-and-david/9780141991061 https://thenapministry.comLinkedIn: Smith Mordak, UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) Twitter: @SmithMordak @UKGBC Instagram: @smithmordak About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Welcome back to Stand Tall. This episode’s a bit different to our usual conversations. Today, I’m excited to share my own stand tall moment with you. Back in April 2023, I travelled to Malawi to lead a Women’s Partnership Challenge trip with Orbis Expeditions, a travel company specialising in sustainable tourism. The 10 day trip is for women, of all ages and backgrounds, who itch to have real purpose in their adventure. From a wildlife safari and eco-island stay to partnerships with female entrepreneurs and students - each experience is designed to benefit the local people, economy, and environment. But the trip also aims to take travellers out of their comfort zones with personal challenges including a hike up Malawi’s highest mountain. This really was a trip of a lifetime and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to share my experiences with you. I hope you enjoy listening to the moments I captured during my time there. Resources https://www.orbis-expeditions.com/https://www.orbis-expeditions.com/womens-partnership-challenge-malawihttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2007620/12643659https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/blantyre-limbe/https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/thyolo-tea-estates/https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/mount-mulanje/https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/liwonde-national-park/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agj3Msy7wqkhttps://www.malawitourism.com/experiences/lake/https://bluezebra.mw/Twitter: @OrbisExp Instagram: @orbisexp About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

I’m thrilled to welcome Neil Pinder to the show today. Neil is an award-winning educator and activist on a mission to demystify and diversify the architectural profession. For over 25 years, Neil has taught in a number of inner-city schools and is currently Head of Product Design and Architecture at Graveney School in south London, where he introduced Architecture to the curriculum. He is a trustee of Thornton Education Trust and Blueprint for All (formerly the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust). He’s an honorary professor at the Bartlett School of Architecture, and also an Arkwright interviewer for a prestigious engineering scholarship. However, Neil is perhaps best known for the many initiatives he has spearheaded to inspire and support a new and diverse generation of young designers into the creative industries. These include Celebrating Architecture, HomeGrown Plus, GLAM (Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Architecture and me) and the transatlantic architectural exchange programme NY-LON. In this episode, we talk about the importance of creativity in education, the power of early role models, plus why networks matter. And, we of course dig deeper into Neil’s wonderful world of initiatives designed to make architecture more accessible and representative of wider society. Resources https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/neil-pinder-wins-aj100-contribution-to-the-profession-award-2022https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257922356_Developing_the_next_generation_of_Black_and_Global_Majority_leaders_for_London_schoolshttp://www.rocagallery.com/education-architecture-and-the-trojan-horsehttps://www.thorntoneducationtrust.org/https://www.blueprintforall.org/https://open-city.org.uk/Neil’s Initiatives https://homegrownplus.co.uk/https://homegrownplus.co.uk/project/ny-lon-2022/https://architecturefoundation.org.uk/events/celebrating-architecturehttps://homegrownplus.co.uk/project/glam-goes-global/LinkedIn: neil-pinder-817786a3 Twitter: NeilPinder5 Instagram: @homegrownplus @celebratingarchitecture @glam_goes_global About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Today, I’m joined by Robbie Turner - Director of Inclusion & Diversity at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). He was appointed by the RIBA in November 2022 to “ensure the architecture profession – and its systems and structures – are underpinned by inclusive values, actions, and policies”. Robbie is a pharmacist by trade with extensive experience in pharmaceutical management. In 2018, he became Executive Director of Member Experience at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and spent four years developing their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy. Only months into his current role with the RIBA - and as a newcomer to the industry - I was keen to chat to Robbie about his move into architecture, his first impressions of the profession and the current state of EDI, as well as his plans to deliver positive change over the coming years. Resources https://www.architecture.com/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv8VZVP5csAhttps://www.waterstones.com/book/white-fragility/robin-diangelo/9780141990569Twitter: @RobbieMTurner @RIBA LinkedIn: robbie-turner-b57a5827 About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Katie McManus is a Graduate Surveyor at HBD and winner of the 2018 Women in Property National Student Awards. In this episode we talk about the importance of supporting the next generation through initiatives like Regeneration Brainery, being mindful and believing in yourself, resisting the ‘pressure to post’ on social media, and the impact - 3 years on - of winning the National Student Awards. Stride Treglown proudly co-sponsored Season 1, published under the Women in Property podcast title: The Word. During her year as National Chair of Women in Property, Rachel was joined by brilliant guests including Alice Lamb, Priya Shah, Chris Brown, Kate Webb, Annie Marston, and Katie McManus. About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Annie is a Building Physicist at Hydrock and a passionate advocate of climate-positive engineering. In this episode we talk about working on both sides of the Atlantic, the climate crisis and her commitment to sustainability, encouraging young people into engineering disciplines, changing how we look at our building stock, and finding the joy in everyday life. Stride Treglown proudly co-sponsored Season 1, published under the Women in Property podcast title: The Word. During her year as National Chair of Women in Property, Rachel was joined by brilliant guests including Alice Lamb, Priya Shah, Chris Brown, Kate Webb, Annie Marston, and Katie McManus. About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

For the last 21 years Chris had led igloo Regeneration, an ethical property developer and the UK’s first real estate B Corp, to deliver some of the most recognised, impact-driven schemes in the UK. Throughout 2021, Chris was a UK Built Environment Climate Ambassador to COP26.In this episode we talk about purpose and B Corp, his role at COP26 and the actions we all need to take before COP27, making a big difference through the work we do and embracing altruism. Stride Treglown proudly co-sponsored Season 1, published under the Women in Property podcast title: The Word. During her year as National Chair of Women in Property, Rachel was joined by brilliant guests including Alice Lamb, Priya Shah, Chris Brown, Kate Webb, Annie Marston, and Katie McManus. About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Launched by Priya in December 2017, BAME in Property is an organisation for those passionate about increasing ethnic diversity in the property and planning sectors. We discuss the incredibly important work Priya is doing through her organisation, along with her love of travel and learning, changing the narrative around periods, and why people need to overcome the fear of talking about race and diversity. Stride Treglown proudly co-sponsored Season 1, published under the Women in Property podcast title: The Word. During her year as National Chair of Women in Property, Rachel was joined by brilliant guests including Alice Lamb, Priya Shah, Chris Brown, Kate Webb, Annie Marston, and Katie McManus. About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

On International Women’s Day, I am delighted to launch Season 3 of Stand Tall with my first guest Susannah Walker. In 2021, Susannah - along with Imogen Clark - co-founded Make Space for Girls, a charity that campaigns for better public spaces for teenage girls. Research shows that girls and young women are overwhelmingly excluded from public spaces. Parks and multi-use game areas are often planned and designed for stereotypical boys. Think skateparks, BMX tracks and football pitches. As a result, parks are dominated by boys, and girls are left feeling unwelcome, insecure, and often unsafe. Susannah and her colleagues are on a mission to turn this around. Through research and engagement, Make Space for Girls is working to ensure the voices of girls and young women are heard in the planning process. In this episode, I ask: what does better look like? Is there a one-size-fits all solution? And, how can councils, developers and design professionals embrace change so that public spaces are more inclusive, not just for girls but for everyone. Resources https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGY0arU-U2U https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/what-does-better-look-like https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/resources/report-on-brickfields-park-bath https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/case-studies/vienna https://www.makespaceforgirls.co.uk/case-studies/umea https://www.sportengland.org/guidance-and-support/facilities-and-planning/design-and-cost-guidance/active-design https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contentsTwitter @MakeSpaceforGi1 Instagram @make_space_for_girls LinkedIn susannah-walker-9b22603b About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Season 3 returns in March 2023 to bring you more fast-paced and candid conversations with trailblazers across property, architecture, construction, and engineering. Discover the journeys they have taken to get where they are now and hear about their Stand Tall moments. About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Joining me for the final episode of Season 2 is Martin Prince-Parrott. Martin is the Founder and Managing Director of SUB\URBAN WORKSHOP which he describes as a ‘thoroughly modern ESG-led real estate developer’. With an award-winning architectural background and a firm belief that property should enrich lives, Martin is on a mission to transform the suburbs by creating healthy, low-carbon, and tech-enabled communities. In this episode, we discuss ‘future-fit’ cyborg buildings, sustainable development as a ‘team sport’, the next phase of diversity in property, and his forthcoming book which reveals the relationship between healthy cities and the pounds and pence. So, let’s meet Martin... Resources https://www.wearesuburbanworkshop.com/ https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/opinion/do-we-need-a-new-word-for-retrofit https://www.deepmind.com/ https://www.propertyweek.com/analysis/the-next-frontier-in-diversity-is-levelling-the-field-of-senior-leadership/5121412.article https://stream.liv.ac.uk/hetfqpt3 Twitter @MPrinParr / @SubUrbanREDev Instagram @mpp_property / @suburban_re LinkedIn martin-prince-parrott-esg-developer-architect About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

This week, I’m joined by my friend and colleague Rob Delius who is Head of Sustainability at Stride Treglown. Earlier this year, Rob completed an epic 1250 mile walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End. For three months he lived alone and largely off grid, walking up to 20 miles each day and sleeping in a tent most nights. Since his return to work in August, I’ve been keen to invite him onto the show to find out more about his adventure: the highlights, the challenges, and the revelations… Rob has always been passionate about sustainability and placemaking - and we cover some of his many ‘big ideas’ in this conversation – but it’s clear to me that this trip has intensified his sense of responsibility to nature and people, something which is already feeding into his work as an architect and change-maker. Tune in to be utterly inspired. Resources https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-salt-path/raynor-winn/9781405937184 https://www.waterstones.com/book/landlines/raynor-winn/2928377094997 https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781786071057 https://gailmuller.com/my-book-unlost/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/196031146@N02/https://www.ribaj.com/culture/hindsight-ken-yeang-hamzah-yeang-climate-action-ecological-design https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/52-big-ideas-for-bristol/ https://stridetreglown.com/the-therapeutic-city-festival-launches-in-bath/ http://www.watersofbath.org/ https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/sinking-house/ https://stridetreglown.com/initiatives/climate-action-relay/ https://www.architectureis.org.uk/about https://twitter.com/RobDelius/status/1583466218304200704 Twitter @RobDelius LinkedIn robert-delius-9a299912 About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

My guest today is Alice Williams, Vice President of Strategy at Schneider Electric – a global company leading the digital transformation of energy management and automation for greater efficiency and sustainability. Alice has a fascinating background. Initially training as an aeronautical engineer, she worked her way up through the ranks of the British Army, specialising in intelligence and reconnaissance work. In 2019, she transitioned into the world of business and has since become a key voice for gender equality and female representation in traditionally male-dominated industries. Stay tuned for discussions around squiggly career paths, “model” soldiers, STEM blinkers, and invisible women. Resources https://www.se.com/uk/en/ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/squiggly-careers/id1202842065 https://www.100yearlife.com/ https://www.pwc.co.uk/economic-services/WIWI/pwc-women-in-work-index-2022.pdf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvbS-NfL1IE https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/visible-women-with-caroline-criado-perez/id1627229311https://safpro.co.uk/product/amblers-sophie-ladies-safety-shoe/ LinkedIn: alice-williams-15a312162 Twitter: @SchneiderUKI Instagram: @schneiderelectric About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

In this episode of Stand Tall, we turn the spotlight on issues close to many people’s hearts: mental health, mindfulness, design quality, life post-pandemic… and how you can write a book – by accident! That by no means sums up my guest, Ben Channon, but does give you a quick overview of the many topics we cover in this fascinating interview with “The Mindful Architect”. Ben is an architect and Director at Ekkist, author, TEDx Speaker, WELL Accredited Professional, and co-founder of The Architects’ Mental Wellbeing Forum. His insights and experiences really resonated with me, and I hope they do with you too. Resources www.ekkist.co https://www.wellcertified.com/ https://www.ribabooks.com/Happy-by-Design-A-Guide-to-Architecture-and-Mental-Wellbeing_9781859468784https://www.ribabooks.com/-4The-Happy-Design-Toolkit-Architecture-for-Better-Mental-Wellbeing_9781859469866 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ_qNV20IvY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtwJlQlGfxY https://www.amwf.co.uk/Twitter: @mindfularchi, @_ekkist Instagram: @benchannon, @_ekkist LinkedIn: ben-channon-04295267 About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

My first guest for Season 2 is Natascha McIntyre Hall, Visionary Regeneration Specialist, Speaker and Place Futurist. Many of you will know Tasch currently as Head of Regeneration at Gleeds, and in her previous roles delivering massive transformation projects. In this episode we talk about Mindful Regenerist, bringing the fun back in to work and building on community legacies. Tasch is confident, honest and funny. I loved having this conversation and hope you enjoy the listen. Resources MindfulRegenerist.comhttps://www.visitestonia.com/en/rotermann-quarterhttps://goo.gl/maps/awGX5RAKWsvbyECx8https://tipnerwest.portsmouth.gov.uk/About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Kate is passionate about balancing long term charitable giving with opportunities for growth via tourism and adventure. In this final episode of season one we talk about lessons of perseverance and resilience, long term investment in communities, just getting (sh)it done and finding the “magic and tingle” in new experiences. Stride Treglown proudly co-sponsored Season 1, published under the Women in Property podcast title: The Word. During her year as National Chair of Women in Property, Rachel was joined by brilliant guests including Alice Lamb, Priya Shah, Chris Brown, Kate Webb, Annie Marston, and Katie McManus. About Stand Tall Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction. The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation. Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall