Chinese Takeaway

Pedro Medeiros traded his architecture degree for something far more hands-on — building intricate physical models for some of the world's biggest exhibitions. In this episode, he takes us inside a workshop producing 500 models a year, shares the chaos of impossible deadlines and last-minute client changes, and reflects on landmark projects including the F+P exhibition at the Pompidou Centre....

Igea is Professor and Head of the School of Architecture and Planning at LSBU. She is an architect and academic with nearly 30 years of experience, gained in the UK, China, Germany, and Australia. Igea’s key areas of research include the social production of the architect, architecture and media, and architectural labour, neoliberalism and sustainable ecologies. Her books include the Politics of M...

Vicky Richardson is a curator, writer and educator. She is the former Head of Architecture and Drue Heinz Curator at the Royal Academy of Arts. She is launching a new curatorial office, Pick Up Architecture, which is working on exhibitions internationally. She is also Director of Grymsdyke Farm,a maker-space and design school just outside London, and teaches at the Bartlett School of Architecture....

Jackie Wu is a motion designer and game developer. More importantly, he is a climbing enthusiast who practices weekly with Dee. This episode rambles through many topics, including climbing in London, queer community, the pride parade in Taiwan, language barriers, tattoos, Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, motion design and game development.

Chinese Takeaway makes a comeback after a 6-month break. In this episode, I discussed my experience of listening to Audiobooks, how it fits into work, and some of the highlights and reviews of the books I listened to lately.

In this episode, Dee delivers a reflective monologue on the origins of the Chinese Takeaway podcast and her journey so far. The conversation with Dee herself stretches from her professional background as an architect in London, the cross-cultural lived experience in her twenties, and her current outlook on life. This is also an open invitation to listeners and podcast enthusiasts to join her in ex...

Nico Boccadoro is an Italian architect and follower of Japanese Buddhism. He currently lives and works in a London. As part of his busy daily life, Nico practices Daimoku and various meditations. He enjoys cultural diversity as a way for personal growth. Stemming from a Catholic background and his personal pursuit of spirituality in life and in architecture, Nico offers a very unique perspective i...

Rand is a practising architect who lives in London. Having worked in Lebanon, Romania and London, she adapts her view on well-being to the changing environment of the practice. What is it like to work in a cross-cultural architectural Corporation? How do we address well-being with our personal development? What kind of resilience do we need to live in a cosmopolitan city?

Jess Yu is from Tianjin, China. She has studied and practised architecture in New York City, Copenhagen, London and Shanghai. Jess returned before the pandemic to Shanghai, where she started to teach Western architectural history and design studio in XJTLU. Since her return, she also founded Jess Yu Design Studio, where she takes on projects in diverse scale and format. Jess is now a resident arti...

Davide Lombardi is the Head of Department (HoD) of Architecture at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU). Before this, Davide lived and studied in his hometown Pescara in Italy, where he attained a PhD in Architecture. He also worked at the University of Edinburgh before Suzhou. 2024 marked his seventh year in XJTLU. What has changed over the years? How does technology speak with a tradition...

Davide Lombardi is the Head of the Department (HoD) of Architecture at Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University (XJTLU). Before this version of life, Davide lived and studied in his hometown Pescara in Italy, where he attained a PhD in Architecture. Before Suzhou, he also worked at the University of Edinburgh. 2024 marked his seventh year in XJTLU and Suzhou. What was it like to relocate to somewhere t...

Will Kemp is from Macclesfield, UK. He now lives in Chiang Mai and runs a music/performing arts band. Will has relocated to Asia for over 10 years, with footprints in Ankang, Chongqing, and Shanghai. In his professional life, he switched from software programming, to teaching English, to the gaming industry, and then to performing art. Will describes his way of life as ‘processing the experience’,...

Shaunee is a recently qualified architect who has lived and worked in London for almost five years. Being the daughter of Chinese takeaway restauranteurs, she offers a unique perspective on London food culture, city aesthetics, cultural identity, body image and hustle culture. At the same time, fitness plays a great part in her life, enabling her to constantly seek the betterment of her body and m...

Ben Elmakias moved from Wisconsin to Gansu, China with the Peace Corps in 2015. After two years of volunteer English teaching, he moved again to Shanghai to pursue his MA in Teaching Chinese as an International Language and has since made Shanghai his base. He currently teaches high school English at Shanghai American School and loves his job, students, and the lifestyle that Shanghai allows. Abov...

Austin Williams is research associate at Xi'an Jiaotong-Livetpool University, senior lecturer at Kingston School of Art, journalist and author. His recent contribution to The Spectator is titled 'Design Failure - China has fallen out of love with architecture'. What makes it relevant to talk about China now ? What was Austin's experience teaching in China over the last decade? And what is the cons...