Listen in as Richie Meldrum, the founder of Bare Brand Strat, chats to Paul Balfe and Kiel Tillman from Pennybridge Creative. Join them as they talk about all things brand and strategy - from their ways of managing client feedback, to sharing stories in advertising. Thank you Richie, Paul and Kiel for being a part of it, and to Matthew Haynes and T…

Tune in to a conversation between BATE and Martin, founders of ⁠By Fiction⁠, and Casey, the founder of ⁠Play⁠. They really get into the nitty-gritty of starting and scaling a studio — with plenty of practical insights throughout. Thank you BATE, Martin and Casey, and thank you to ⁠The Design Conference⁠ (TDC) for having us. If you liked this episod…

“If we can get 90% of it right, I'd be delighted if somebody else came up with the other 10% and built on that. That's the history of social housing, right? Standing on the shoulders of giants and keeping getting better and better and better. We're just part of that chain.” Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black wrap up their series on accessible housing w…

Listen in as Mat Bogust, Design & Managing Director of Think Packaging, chats with Kelvin Soh, founder of DDMMYY. They share their experiences in packaging design, reflect on the early days of their careers, and discuss the challenges of planning projects that aim to last from 100 to 1000 years. Make sure to check out their conference talks via The…

Listen in as Julie Solvstrom, Illustrator and lettering artist chats to Guillermo Flores, art director, illustrator and graphic designer. They discuss setting and crossing boundaries as a creative practitioner, building support systems and the importance of community, and being a part of something bigger than yourself. Check out Julie's work: julie…

Listen in as Carmen Angelillo, co-founder and creative director at Niceshit studio, chats with type designer and animator Mat Voyce. Join them as they discuss their work, how they sustain or regain motivation in both personal and client projects as well as the ways they manage frustration, and the red and green flags they look for in a project. Tha…

“Partnership work is about relationships, it's knowing people, it's understanding each of us have roles and responsibilities but keeping in mind what we're all trying to achieve at the end of the day and that's the outcomes for people that live in our communities to allow them to thrive and survive.” Continuing with their accessible housing series,…

In this episode we sat down with Mary Faber, brand & product designer at Josephmark, ahead of her talk at AtypI Brisbane 2024. Mary speaks with co-hosts Amaani Thassim and Grace Pointon about the evolution of design inspiration, the font design process, how AI shapes up in generating fonts today, and how it might impact the future of the discipline…

In this episode, we sit down with two well-loved creatives and content creators - Kel Lauren and Elliot Ulm. Listen in as they discuss the graphic design content space, the balance between success and self-worth when collaborating with big names, and reminisce about their favourite design software over the years. This episode was recorded at Canva …

“If we don't grab and grab with both hands that prevention agenda, do more now, given we know what's coming our way from our demographics, then we are going to be in a much worse state than we are now in 10, 20 years time.” Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black continue their exploration of the current issues surrounding social care and accessible housing…

For our last episode in the series, we’re speaking with Alex Naghavi, Partner and Executive Creative Director at Josephmark. In this episode, we dig into Josephmarks evolution and practical strategies to foster connection in a remote work environment; we talk about leadership and the importance of trust, as well as diving into Josephmark’s work wit…

“You can't do all of the things that people take for granted if you can't get in and out of your house.” In the run-up to the Housing & Social Care Accessibility Summit in Dundee, Jimmy Black and Kieran Findlay discuss the practical housing issues often confronted by people with disabilities with the campaigning MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy. Pam, who repr…

In episode two of our mini-series asking 'How can design be used to tackle disconnection?' we’re speaking with Leah Heiss, a Melbourne-based designer and the Besen International Research Chair in Design at Monash University. Through collaborative projects, Leah has brought human-centred design to technology to improve and save lives. We speak to Le…

Today we are hearing from Jessica Watson, independent user experience consultant for the built environment. This episode is the start of a new mini-series featuring co-host, Pip Kennedy who asks 'How can design be used to tackle disconnection?'. Jess is on a mission to revolutionise the way we design and build our places based on radical inclusion …

“We have a theory of change which demonstrates the changes we are hoping to see in people's lives that will ultimately help us achieve our vision of a world where everyone has an equal chance to create a safe and supportive place to call home.” Returning to the subject of homelessness, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black speak to two charities that betw…

“In crisis situations, don't try and save face in front of us. Tell us the warts and all. Tell us the reality of the situation here. If we're going in with one hand tied behind our back, then it isn't going to end well.” In this episode of the Scottish Housing News Podcast, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black discuss the value of effective communication…

Jimmy Black and Kieran Findlay conclude their series on the Scottish Government’s new Housing Bill with an interview with the minister responsible for bringing the legislation through Parliament, housing minister Paul McLennan. The wide-ranging discussion centred on measures in the proposed legislation such as rent controls, homelessness and domest…

Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black continue their look into the new Housing Bill with a look at the duties expected of social landlords regarding domestic abuse. Under the proposed legislation, social landlords will have to provide support to tenants experiencing rent arrears or risk of homelessness due to domestic abuse, and to publish a policy on how…

Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black put the Holyrood turmoil to one side and continue their exploration of various elements of the Scottish Government’s new Housing Bill with a look at proposed new homelessness prevention measures. The legislation will introduce an ‘ask and act’ duty on social landlords and other bodies, such as health boards and the po…

With the long-awaited Housing Bill finally here, hosts Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black will dedicate the next four episodes to digest various elements of the legislation, including homelessness and domestic abuse, culminating in an interview with housing minister Paul McLennan. But we begin the series with a discussion on increased rights for privat…

In our final episode of the TDC 2023 series, we hear from three heads behind digital product company, Nightjar. Listen in as Co-Founders Ahmed Meer, Christine Sultana & Bonnie MacTavish, discuss their studio processes, working towards effective collaboration across disciplines, detail their work on THE ICONIC, and more. Don't forget to let us know …

Listen in as Robyn & Campbell Butler discuss starting a studio, branding process, remote collaboration and much more. Robyn & Campbell are the founders of Lovework Studio, a branding and digital design studio based in Redcliffe Australia. They’re two incredibly talented creatives and it’s fascinating to hear them share their journey with Lovework. …

"Technically heat networks aren't really difficult. It is just large-scale plumbing. The heat's already there, we're just moving it.” With the Scottish Government’s New Build Heat Standard now in force, the installation of ‘direct emission’ systems for heating for new build homes and other buildings is now banned in Scotland. Effectively, this mean…

Today we’re hearing from Evi-O & Yah-Leng Yu at The Design Conference in 2023. Evi-O is a multidisciplinary designer and artist at Evi-O.Studio and Yah-Leng Yu is the creative director of Foreign Policy. Listen in as they discuss connection and how we can foster a healthy, safe, and flourishing design industry. They cover a lot, from perceptions an…

In this episode we hear from Alistair McCready, founder of Monolith, a typographic design practice based out of Auckland, New Zealand. Alistair speaks with co-hosts Frankie Young and Matt Leach about about what type designers are like and the momentum you need when designing type. It’s a fascinating and wide ranging chat, covering everything from a…

“If we have a choice between a tenant having their home flooded or having to put on an extra jumper, which would you recommend?” For anyone who has encountered architect Fionn Stevenson over her career, her answer to this question will be obvious. It forms part of her claim that a blanket one-size-fits-all fabric-first approach to retrofitting shou…

In this episode we’re dropped into a conversation between two friends, Annette Harcus and Andrew Ashton. Annette is the founder, CEO and Creative Director of Harcus Design and Andrew is the CD of Ashton Design, previously with Edison Agency, Work-Art-Life and Studio Pip and Co. Their chat took us places you wouldn’t usually get in a design podcast.…

We’re back and beyond excited to share this fascinating conversation between Jasmin, CEO of Innocean Australia and Founder of Fck the Cupcakes, and Kevin from TheSumOf — friend of the podcast and branding expert. Listen in as they talk the culture of conferences, commercialising creativity and the silent war between design and advertising departmen…

Almost a year since Scotland appointed its first dedicated housing minister, three councils have declared housing emergencies due to mounting pressures in their local housing systems and dozens of others could be set to follow. Now housing bodies across Scotland are making a concerted effort to say that it's not just individual regions that are str…

With the Tenant Protection Bill’s in-tenancy rent cap and eviction measures due to expire in a matter of weeks, the Scottish Government has proposed an adjudication scheme to ease the transition until a long-awaited Housing Bill comes to pass. Under the proposals, the process for rent adjudication will temporarily be modified from April 1st for one…

Fresh from being recognised by CIH Scotland with a Lifetime Achievement award for having gone the extra mile during his career, Grampian Housing Association chief executive Craig Stirrat joins Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black to talk about his 40 years in housing so far and the current challenges facing the housing sector. Hear Craig's views on housi…

With Reidvale Housing Association currently considering its options after shareholders voted against a proposed transfer of engagements to Place for People Scotland, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black reflect on some of the issues that have been raised so far. They spoke to Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, who was a prominent part of the campaign again…

Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black step outside the Scottish social housing bubble to consider the impact of housing design in the aftermath of a disaster. Earlier this year, architect and University of Dundee lecturer Laurence Wood took a group of Year 5 Architecture students to Turkey, which had just suffered from a terrible earthquake, to live in ru…

Kieran Findlay is joined by Steve Malone and Johnny Cadell, both principal architects at Architecture & Design Scotland, and Grant Baxter, the planning & building standards team leader at Clackmannanshire Council, to tell the story of a town centre development at Primrose Street in Alloa. Together they share their experiences of working to support …

It is difficult to remember a time when global, UK and national events have aligned so acutely to heap even more pressure on Scotland's local housing systems. Committed professional sectors from across the housing, homelessness and refugee sectors gathered at Scotland's Annual Homelessness Conference on October 31st to unlock solutions to these unp…

Scottish Housing Day took place last month to celebrate careers across housing by showcasing the variety of roles and routes into the sector and making the case for housing to be recognised as an important and valued career. But it also served to raise awareness of the need to replace a largely ageing workforce and support the next generation of ho…

While financial pressures have undoubtedly played a huge part in a slowdown of new homes being delivered, there is a strong sense among housebuilders that the planning process is also having a detrimental impact. A recent survey published by our sister publication Scottish Construction Now found that the statutory timeframe for the turnaround of pl…

The 2014 Unsuitable Accommodation Order was introduced to effectively end stays in unsuitable accommodation for any homeless person for more than 7 days. However, with these laws being consistently broken by local authorities for a number fo reasons Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black ask whether the law is fit for purpose. We clarify the legislation ar…

As housing and care providers continue to grapple with Scotland’s ageing population, some are embracing tech more than ever before. Earlier this year, Bield Housing and Care officially launched a digital hub in Linlithgow. Securing £75k in funding from the TAPPI project, it set about showcasing a variety of preventative care technologies that aim t…

The story behind Hanover Scotland’s award-winning development in Drymen has many threads. Not just Hanover’s first certified Passivhaus development, it is located at the very site of its first ever development in Scotland as a separate entity. The project also touches on a number of issues such as community consultation, energy efficiency and the c…

With its latest campaign, the SFHA is aiming to put Housing at the Heart of Scotland and keep it there. It looks to tell stories of the importance of social housing in Scotland and ensure social landlords are given the required support to continue this vital work. In this episode, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black talk to the SFHA’s director of extern…

The current framework for regulating social landlords in Scotland was introduced in 2019. Since then, tragic incidents here in the UK and worldwide events have changed how RSLs are expected to operate, possibly forever. So in this episode, we’re asking whether the way RSLs are regulated should also be changed to reflect this. Ahead of unveiling a p…

After touching on the use of data in a previous episode regarding Fit Homes, the Scottish Housing News Podcast returns to the issue by further considering other ways in which data analysis is helping inform decision-making across all areas of social housing from creating sustainable communities to assessing the stock condition. To help with this, K…

Recorded at this Year's TPAS Scotland Annual Conference on June 30th, this episode features a panel discussion hosted by Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black alongside Anne Marie Brown, CEO at Dalmuir Park Housing Association, and David Bookbinder, the director of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations. Questions and comments from…

After the Scottish Government published rules for all new properties applying for a building warrant from April 2024 having to utilise zero direct emissions heating systems, we wanted to focus on what it could mean in practice. Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black are joined by Richard Orr, the head of asset and regeneration at River Clyde Homes, who tal…

More than 18 months since we last spoke about environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting (ep 2), Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black reconvene with Link Group's finance director Nick Pollard to discuss how the parameters have changed during this time and how housing associations can benefit from adopting the Sustainability Reporting Standard f…

Fresh from the Scottish Government's anti-poverty summit, Shelter Scotland director Alison Watson joins Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black to share to what extent housing was mentioned during the event. The discussion also touches on Alison’s early career, Housing First, the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group and finishes with a conversation…

As social housing organisations across the country navigate a host of issues from an inadequate number of affordable homes, a cost of living crisis and an ageing population, for those working and living in rural areas, these issues are compounded by a unique set of circumstances such as a lack of local services and an exodus of young families. Two …

Following the appointment of a new minister for housing, we assembled a panel of former guests for a snap reaction. David Bookbinder, the director of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations and Jane Wood, the Homes for Scotland chief executive, join Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black to tell us what they think should be on Paul M…

It was back in December that the Scottish Government agreed to progress legislation proposed by Scottish Labour MSP Alex Rowley that will, they said, “introduce new minimum environmental design standards for all new-build housing to meet the Passivhaus standard, or a Scottish equivalent, in order to improve energy efficiency and thermal performance…