Andres Jacques — Desert Island Buildings

DESERT ISLAND BUILDINGS

A podcast about the architecture of our lives.

This podcast is based on the seminal BBC Radio 4 Show, Desert Island Discs, which was first launched in 1942. In that show, influential figures ranging from actors, musicians, writers, athletes, and the occasional architect, are asked to select 8 songs that form the “soundtrack of their lives”.

Instead, we have adapted this format to ask our guests to share “the architecture of their lives” by selecting five buildings that are most relevant to their work, have altered their design approach, or that have left them baffled, inspired, angry, or lost for words.

The discussion aims to reveal how our guest’s background education, culture, and upbringing have shaped their identity and their approach to architecture.

What are the key moments that have impacted their architectural vision, what keeps them motivated, and what concerns them most today?

Desert Island Buildings is hosted by Joshua Bolchover and Kent Mundle.

Episode Archive:

01
02
03

Andrés Jaque
Go Hasegawa
Hua Li

Desert Island Buildings is a
District Development Unit project.

01 Andrés Jaque

Founder of Office for Political Innovation
Dean of Columbia GSAPP

Selection:

Pieris House
Minnette de Silva (1952)
Jameos del Agua
Cesar Manrique (1973)
Barcelona Pavilion Basement
Circi, Ramos, Morales (1926/1989)
Lily House
Joseph Paxton (1850)
Embassay of the Dolphins
Ant Farm (1974)

Listen on Spotify

This episode was recorded as a part of a lecture series at the University of Hong Kong in 2024.

Pieris House - Minnette de Silva (1952)

Minnette de Silva

Pieris House - Minnette de Silva (1952)

Jameos del Agua - Cesar Manrique (1973)

Phantom: Mies as Rendered Socieity (Andrés Jaque)

Lily House - Joseph Paxton (1850)

Pornified Homes (Andrés Jaque)

Embassay of the Dolphins - Ant Farm (1974)