Grow Places
Welcome to the Grow Places podcast where we explore the virtuous circle of people growth and place.
Brought to you by Grow Places and hosted by our Founder, Tom Larsson. These short conversations with industry leaders and community figures share insights on the built environment and open up about their purpose and what drives them on a personal level.
Thank you for listening. For more information please visit our website; www.growplaces.com and connect with us @WeGrowPlaces across all social channels.
We cover topics such as real estate, property development, place, urban design, architecture, social value, sustainability, community, technology, diversity, philanthropy, landscape design, public realm, cities, urban development, people, neighbourhoods, anthropology, sociology, geography, culture, circular economy, whole life carbon, affordability, business models, innovation, impact, futurism, mindset, leadership, mentorship, wellbeing.
See you next time!
Episodes
54 episodes
GP 54: Upskilling Local Government: with Pooja Agrawal of Public Practice
In this powerful episode of the Grow Places Podcast, Tom Larsson speaks with Pooja Agrawal, co-founder and CEO of Public Practice, a pioneering not-for-profit that places built environment professionals into local government roles to drive mean...
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40:01
GP 53: Architecture for Real Life: Over 35 Years of Stories with Paul Monaghan of AHMM
How do you actually deliver a school, an office, or a housing block and turn it into something extraordinary?In this episode, Tom Larsson speaks with Paul Monaghan, co-founder of AHMM, about a career spent designing buildings that shape ...
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38:54
GP 52: UK Politics, Housing, Growth: with Kevin McKeever of Lowick Group
In this episode, Tom Larsson is joined by Kevin McKeever, Managing Director of Lowick Group, a leading strategic communications and public affairs consultancy working at the intersection of development, politics, and community. Kevin also recen...
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40:20
GP 51: Place Personality: with Denz Ibrahim of Legal & General IM
In this insightful episode of the Grow Places Podcast, Tom Larsson sits down with one of the most forward-thinking voices in the UK real estate sector – Denz Ibrahim of Legal & General. As Head of Futuring & Place, Denz s...
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47:52
GP 50: How to Turn Big Ideas into Better Places: Architecture and Impact with Kai-Uwe Bergmann of BIG
In this milestone 50th episode of the Grow Places Podcast, host Tom Larsson sits down with renowned architect Kai-Uwe Bergmann, Partner at BIG, to explore the interplay between design, place-making, and global urban transformation...
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45:47
GP 49: How to unlock Co-Living: Redefining Urban Living with James Armitage-Hobbs of DP9
In this episode of the Grow Places podcast, Tom Larsson sits down with James Armitage-Hobbs, Director at DP9, to ask a big question: What role does co-living play in the future of our cities?They explore:
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32:34
GP 48: Can Architects Stay Relevant? AI and More with Keir Regan Alexander of Arka Works
In this episode of the Grow Places podcast, Tom Larsson sits down with Keir Regan Alexander of Arka Works to ask a big question: Can architects stay relevant in the age of AI?They explore:Why architects need t...
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50:54
GP 47: The Barbican: The Future of Culture and Place with Pip Simpson
In this episode of the Grow Places Podcast, Tom Larsson sits down with Pip Simpson, Director of Buildings and Renewal, at the Barbican. They explore the evolving role of cultural institutions in shaping cities, fostering creativity, and buildin...
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44:25
GP 46: Why Tribes Matter: Human Centric Real Estate Events with Rob Marten of SPACE+
In this episode of the Grow Places Podcast, we sit down with Rob Marten, co-founder of SPACE+, to explore why tribes — small, intentional communities — are at the heart of human-centric real estate events.Rob refle...
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39:01
GP 45: We Have To Change the Real Estate Industry and The World: with Kristian Kiis of Volcano
In this energising episode of the Grow Places podcast, Tom Larsson speaks with Kristian Riis—former rock musician and founder of creative placemaking agency Volcano —about the urgent need to rethink how we shape our cities, communities, and liv...
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38:40
GP 44: Unlocking Major Regeneration: with Sophie Rosier of Savills
In this episode of the Grow Places Podcast, host Tom Larsson sits down with Sophie Rosier, Head of London Mixed Use, Development, at Savills to explore the evolving landscape of city-making. From her early days at Television Centre to leading c...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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36:51
GP 43: Regeneration Needs Trust: Partnerships with Kat Hanna of Avison Young
In this new episode of the Grow Places Podcast, we explore one of the most critical but often overlooked elements of successful regeneration: trust.Kat Hanna, Co-Managing Director (London) at Avison Young, joins us to talk about h...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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38:33
GP 42: What Really Affects Quality of Life? with Adam Hinds of LifeProven
What if we told you that the biggest driver of quality of life in a building isn’t space, location, or sleek design – but how connected people feel to each other?In this thought-provoking episode of the Grow Places Podcast, Tom ...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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48:57
GP 41: Construction in Crisis? Exploring Challenges and Solutions: with Rachel Coleman of Turner & Townsend alinea
Rachel Coleman, Head of Research at Turner & Townsend Alinea, takes us on a fascinating journey through the interconnected worlds of construction economics, data analytics, and place-making in this thought-provoking conversation.With...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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42:22
GP 40: PropTech’s Origin Story and What Next: with Faisal Butt of Pi Labs
In this episode, Tom Larsson speaks with Faisal Butt, founder of Pi Labs, about the evolution of PropTech and real estate venture capital. Faisal reflects on his journey from a tech-driven background to pioneering investments in property techno...
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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30:39
GP 39: What’s The Problem You Are Trying to Solve? with James Pellatt of Digital Trees
In this episode of the Grow Places Podcast, host Tom Larsson speaks with James Pellatt, founder of Digital Trees and former Director of Innovation at GPE, about the deep structural inefficiencies in real estate—and how data and technology can b...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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41:31
GP 38: Pleasure in The Simple Things: with Emily Wright of CREtech
In this episode of the Grow Places Podcast, host Tom Larsson sits down with journalist and CREtech's Head of Content, Emily Wright, to explore the evolving narratives around real estate, design, and the human experience of ...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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44:27
GP 37: Where Two Things Meet Something Else Happens: with Tom & James Teatum of Noiascape
Welcome to the Grow Places Podcast, where we explore the virtuous circle of people, growth, and place. Hosted by our founder, Tom Larsson, this episode takes a deep dive into architecture, development, and urban living with Tom...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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43:43
GP 36: Finding a Voice to Grow Places: with Angela Crowther of Arup
Discover the transformational power of purposeful design with Angela Crowther, a director at Arup, as she shares her journey from engineering to master planning and how her work in post-tsunami Indonesia reshaped her perspective on community re...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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35:16
GP 35: Urban Integration from Policy to Pavements: with Lucy Musgrave of Publica
In this episode of the Grow Places Podcast, host Tom Larsson is joined by Lucy Musgrave, founder of Publica, to explore the intricate relationship between urban policy, design, and real-world impact.From shaping Lond...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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46:39
GP 34: Beyond the Gloss: Authentic Visual Place Storytelling: with Nicholas Worley of Fletcher Priest Architects
In this episode of the Grow Places Podcast, host Tom Larsson speaks with Nicholas Worley, partner at Fletcher Priest Architects and a passionate photographer, about the power of authenticity in visual storytelling for architecture...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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36:29
GP 33: Economics to Reflect Modern Life: with Leading Economist Bridget Rosewell CBE
Discover how traditional economics is being reshaped to meet the complexities of modern life with the pioneering insights of Bridget Rosewell CBE. Bridget shares her journey from the classrooms of Oxford University to leading infrastructure pro...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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43:34
GP 32: Will your business survive the future? With Richard Pickering of Cushman & Wakefield
Be as provocative as you dare towards the Real Estate Industry ... Will your business survive the future?Discover the future of real estate with Richard Pickering, the Head of Innovation for Cushman & Wakefield in the EMEA region. E...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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46:35
GP 31: Every Project Needs a Good Client: with Colm Lacey of Soft Cities and NCC
Every project needs a good client, so today we hear from one! Colm Lacey, whose deep experience being a Client on built environment projects in public housing and education for entities such as Brick By Brick, provides the insights...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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41:24
GP 30: Empowering Female Talent: with Vanessa Murray of The Circle Partnership
Ever wondered how to empower female talent in real estate ?Join us as Vanessa Murray, a former music student turned senior asset manager, shares her inspiring journey from having zero industry connections to managing high-profile projec...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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38:38