Talking Place
Welcome to Talking Place
The podcast bringing placemakers and storytellers together to talk about place.
The Talking Place podcast is your go-to podcast for exploring the power of storytelling in shaping narratives and identities for neighbourhoods, towns, cities, and nations.
Join your host, Concept Culture’s Creative Director Tanisha Raffiuddin as she talks with experts across the built environment, sharing their knowledge and stories on placemaking, branding, sustainability, language, finance, health, culture, and more.
Whether you are an urban designer, architect, planner, developer, investor, marketeer, or simply curious about places and stories, this podcast is for you.
Listen to our latest episodes of Talking Place and join the conversation on social media!
Follow us on:
Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
X: @tppodcast_
LinkedIn: Talking Place Podcast
Bluesky @talkingplace
TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast
Host: Tanisha Raffiuddin
Production: Concept Culture
Talking Place
013 - From Constraints to Creativity - the Joy of Delivering Retrofit with Orbit Architects
In this episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin sits down with Philip Atkinson and Llinos Hughes from Orbit Architects to explore the real-world impact (and joy!) of transforming existing buildings.
Together, they explore how creative design thrives not despite, but because of, constraints, and why retrofit is a necessity for shaping the future of our cities.
Philip and Llinos share Orbit’s nearly exclusive focus on transforming existing buildings - working across hospitality, workplace, student accommodation, and residential sectors. With over 20 years in practice, they reflect on how adapting and reimagining old structures leads to more sustainable, context-aware, and community-rooted design.
Discover:
- Why people, not form, are at the heart of every successful place
- How Orbit champions retrofit-first thinking - from heritage restoration to creative reuse of space to unlock value
- Why constraints breed creativity and challenge architects to think deeper
- The stories behind retrofit projects such as 68 King William Street and The BoTree Hotel
- How Orbit built a diverse and collaborative studio culture - organically
Orbit’s work champions local material reuse, low-carbon strategies, and community-first design, demonstrating that retrofit isn’t just about compromise; it’s a creative act.
🔹 Join us as we ‘talk place’.
Sign up for the Talking Place newsletter here:
https://mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup
To learn more about Orbit – visit here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbit-architects/
Website:https://www.orbitarchitects.com/
Twitter: @orbitarchitects
Instagram: @orbitarchitects
To learn more about Tanisha – visit here:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanishaa
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @tanisha.rr
Instagram: @tanisha.rr
To learn more about Talking Place – visit here:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcast
Website: https://www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcast
Instagram: @talkingplacepodcast
X (Twitter): @tppodcast_
Bluesky: @talkingplace
TikTok: @talkingplacepodcast
To learn more about Concept Culture – visit here:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-uk
Website: www.conceptculture.co
Twitter: @_conceptculture
Instagram: @_conceptculture