ArtsDesign

Anthony Burke's By Design

ABC Australia

Hosted by Anthony Burke, Professor of Architecture at UTS and one of Australia's leading voices on how we might build better futures, Anthony Burke's By Design podcast explores the clever ideas and human stories behind the spaces, systems, and objects shaping our everyday lives.

Anthony is well-known as the host of Grand Designs Australia, Grand Transformations, Restoration Australia, and Culture by Design (streaming on ABC iview). His expertise and passion for design make this podcast an essential listen for anyone curious about how design impacts the way we live.

From prefab housing and smart homes to designing cruise ships or animal habitats and the future of the open-plan home, each episode dives deep into a theme through engaging interviews and real-life case studies from across Australia.

Every show ends with The Extraordinary Everyday, a short segment uncovering the cultural and social history of familiar objects: think plunge pools, corduroy, and even the humble welcome mat. With an informal, accessible tone, By Design makes design visible, relatable, and relevant for everyone.

Whether you're curious about architecture, interior design, urban design, product design, furniture or fashion design, sustainability, or the hidden stories behind everyday objects, this podcast reveals why design matters, especially in a rapidly changing world.

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46 episodes
a few times a week
Avg 21 min
English

Episodes 46

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Yesterday · 14 min
How the stand mixer changed Australian kitchens
Before the stand mixer, baking meant hard work and sore arms. How did the Mixmaster come to Australia, reshape home cooking and become one of the most recognisable objects on the kitchen bench?
Monday · 25 min
Can good design save a house from fire?
With bushfire season almost upon us, would your home survive a fire? From the most appropriate exterior cladding to structural tweaks, we explore the best ways to build and retrofit fire-resilient homes.
October 28 · 12 min
How sneakers became the world’s favourite shoe
From the running track to the runway, sneakers have become the world's most popular shoes. We explore the history of the sneaker, from its earliest designs to the styles worn by millions today.
October 26 · 27 min
What if Australia built like it belonged here?
We've been building houses for over 200 years, but do our buildings truly belong in their landscape? Designing with Country is a First Nations framework for understanding and shaping place, but when applied to the built environment it opens up a new way of thinking about design and what it can bring to communities.
October 21 · 16 min
How spectacles changed the way we see the world
The most powerful technology on your face isn’t a smartphone. From the earliest magnifying lenses to pince-nez and today’s designer frames, spectacles have transformed the lives of billions. Once reserved for monks, scholars and the wealthy, glasses gradually became one of the world’s most accessible and empowering technologies. We trace the fascinating design evolution of eyewear and discover how a tool for correcting vision became a global fashion statement.
October 19 · 24 min
Can contaminated land help solve Australia's housing crisis?
Can we build homes on toxic land? There are an estimated 200,000 contaminated sites across Australia, most of them within city limits. As the housing crisis deepens, could cleaning up former industrial land unlock space for new homes? And how do you even do it?
October 14 · 15 min
The secret symbolism of chopsticks
There is evidence that chopsticks existed in the Neolithic period. That's around 10,000 years of evolution in design. From a cooking tool to a symbol of status, identity and social customs, the chopstick has remained a tried-and-tested utensil, but what do its various evolutions say about the people who used it and the times they lived in?
October 12 · 23 min
Designing homes for a robotic future
Robots are moving beyond the factory and into the home. From vacuum cleaners to companion robots, how might domestic robots reshape housing design, and are our homes ready for what's next?
October 7 · 18 min
How sunscreen went from niche remedy to public health essential
Protecting our skin from the sun is a design challenge that spans centuries. From glacier cream to Slip! Slop! Slap!, how has sunscreen evolved to meet changing lifestyles, technologies and health concerns?
October 5 · 23 min
Designing recovery: What comes next for Nepal?
The decisions made after a disaster can shape a community for generations. A month after devastating floods tore through Nepal, more than 5,000 people are still missing. As Nepal moves from emergency relief to long-term recovery, what role can architecture play in rebuilding communities and reducing future risk?
September 30 · 13 min
What did babies wear before nappies?
Cradles with holes in them, moss and safety pins: all of these items played a part in keeping babies dry and clean across different cultures and centuries. Modern nappies rely on sophisticated absorbent technology, but how did our ancestors keep their babies dry? And could any of their methods work today?
September 28 · 25 min
How your home is silently affecting your health
Is the air you breathe at home safe? Mould, ventilation and temperature all have a significant impact on our health, and our homes control the quality of the air we breathe. So how can design make our homes healthier and safer?
September 23 · 13 min
Inside our love affair with photo booths
It’s a human-sized booth that creates long-lasting memories. The photo booth was first invented in the late 1800s, but it’s gone on to record thousands of moments: from friendships to lovers and even as tickets to adventures overseas. But in a digital age, why are they enjoying a resurgence?
September 21 · 27 min
Not just for presidents: bunkers designed for entire populations
Bunkers aren't just for leaders. Long before the White House expansion, some nations were building underground shelters for civilians. How do they function, how long could people survive in them, and does Australia have any shelters capable of protecting us in a crisis?
September 16 · 19 min
Before fridges: How hessian sacks kept food cool
Before electric refrigeration, how did we keep our food from spoiling? Most Australians didn’t have access to a fridge until the 1950s, so how did people battle the heat and insects before then? From the Coolgardie safe to the smart fridges of today, the evolution of refrigeration in Australia is a fascinating story.
September 14 · 40 min
What wealthy nations can learn from doing more with less
Necessity drives innovation. As conflict and climate pressures displace millions creating safe, dignified places to live has become an urgent global challenge. What can wealthy nations learn from architects working with fewer resources? The Aga Khan Award for Architecture seeks out design projects that improve lives, through creative, human-centred architecture.
September 9 · 13 min
Why books are humanity’s most enduring technology
Despite the invention of many new technologies, the book still thrives. From ancient codecs to today’s lightweight paperbacks the written word has found its way into many hands, thanks to the evolution of its design. And even while e-books and audio books flood the market, the hard copy remains a popular option for many.
September 7 · 24 min
How the digital revolution has reimagined libraries
With information at our fingertips today, why do we still have libraries? While the internet and personal computers mean we can access pretty much what we want, when we want it – technology can’t give us what we truly crave: connection and community. Libraries today have to work much harder to create a space that serves diverse community needs – but with innovative design these spaces are being reimagined into something much more than repositories for books.
September 2 · 14 min
Lipstick – A double agent for beauty and power
It's small enough to fit in a pocket, but lipstick has left an outsized mark on history. Far from being a simple beauty product, it has symbolised privilege, protest, glamour and independence across centuries and cultures.
August 31 · 25 min
How Scandinavians build differently and why it works
In Scandinavia, nature is the ultimate design guide. Clean lines, light-filled spaces and a seamless connection to the outdoors are hallmarks of the region's architecture. Award-winning Norwegian architect Kjetil Thorsen from Snøhetta talks about what feeds into the unique approach to design in Scandinavia and the ultimate inspiration: nature.

Showing 1–20 of 46 episodes