On this week's episode of Burning Down the House, Curtis B. Wayne is talking about this year's Venice Biennale, featuring direction from Sir David Chipperfield. Sir Chipperfield is best known for his restoration of the Neues Museum in Berlin after World War II. Hear how Curtis interprets Sir Chipperfield's inclusion in this year's Biennale, and what it means for architectural education and knowledge in the public sphere. Tune in to hear some audio clips of Sir Chipperfield discussing his architectural processes regarding materiality and context. Curtis also discusses the American offering at the Biennale- Spontaneous Interventions: Design Actions for the Common Good. Hear why Curtis finds the assumptions of the contribution to be problematic. Finally, learn about the social obligations of architecture, and why people outside of the field associate the profession with egotism. This program has been sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

"Over the last few years, there has been a long crisis of the quality of questions asked. And in the near past, architects and designers were asked to create objects and buildings solely with the aim of shocking a public that didn't know how to ask the right questions."

-- Curtis B. Wayne on Burning Down the House

Architect and friend of the show David Bergman is back on Burning Down the House with Curtis B. Wayne this week to discuss the unintended consequences of city planning, hidden subsidies of the suburban lifestyle and the not so-hidden conspiracy between and amongst Firestone, Goodyear and GM to wipe out mass transit in LA. Listen as they reflect on everything from economics and oil dependance to the interstate highway system in a conversation that will inspire any forward thinking aspiring architect. This program was sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

"Architects are visualizers and we're also optimists in the sense that we see something and think 'this could be better if it had this!' "

--David Bergman on Burning Down the House

"Empirically, we can say that after September 11th, 2001 - New York City changed substantially and for the better."

--Curtis B. Wayne on Burning Down the House

This week Burning Down The House welcomes John Hill, author of Guide To Contemporary New York City Architecture as well as multiple architecture-focused blogs. This episode takes on a conversation as multifaceted as its guest ranging from subjects such as licensing or architects and how to get a job in architecture to the effect of the "Great Depression 2.0" on the field. So native and tourist alike, tune in to learn about some of the best architectural gems around NYC from industrial waterfront to Balsley Park to Bronx Park East. This episode is sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

"With researching the book I didn't want to talk to architects too much because I know architects are always gonna be biased about their works, but there were occasions when I did talk to them and I would find out about locations that I didn't even know about like these industrial waterfront parklands"

--author John Hill on Burning Down The House