Content I’ve read - May 23

This post is likely to grow over the course of this weekend – be warned!! May be worth saving if you’re at a loose end/after inspiration.

Construction & Built Environment

Banking on first success: Establishing and evolving a practice - RIBA Journal

A fascinating piece by Emma Keyte and Rachel Birchmore about how architectural practices emerge.  They interview a number of industry figures about when they think they properly ‘arrived’ as opposed to when others thought they did.

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The Built Environment and Covid-19 - ING Bulletin #5

This issue of the highly informative weekly updates from ING Media has taught me a few things that I didn’t know about the latest Government initiatives. Plus there’s a focus piece on industry networking in the built environment. It’s an issue that has really struck a chord with me over the past few weeks as I’ve spent my time attending many virtual events – some really good, some that needed a bit more work. But it’s certainly got me thinking what will happen to networking as we transition from lockdown – virtual can never fully replace face-2-face. 

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The Guardian - Coronavirus will reshape our cities – we just don't know how yet

This one is a long read but well worth your time. It’s about the impacts of C19 on cities and towns. So much to unpick here and a great aide memoir for all businesses trying to figure out their next steps.

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Education & Technology

University-as-a-Service by Graham Brown-Martin

Moving onto education technology and a piece from my friend Graham Brown-Martin who looks at the potential of University-as-a-Service becoming reality juxtaposed against his insights on the technological evolution of the music industry. With Cambridge Uni announcing all their lectures going online for the forthcoming year how many of his ideas may turn into reality.

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Business & Marketing

Ivan, aged 11: what it’s like to have autism

For an amazing short read – this piece describing living with autism is totally touching.  

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NPR

How I Built This With Guy Raz featuring Sarah LaFleur

Guy's special resilience podcast series and the one I heard this morning was an extract of an interview with Sarah LaFleur. It really delves into how and why her fashion business has had to pivot and reframe, their messaging and what they do to continue to operate. She's never had to be so agile of had make so many quick decisions as she has had to do in the past 10 weeks. Right now let’s be honest it not east being at the helm navigating an ever evolving pandemic.

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There are no one-size-fits-all answers for getting through the pandemic

And finally, a piece in Marketing Week by JP Hanson about there not being a one size fits all when it comes to answering and tackling marketing issues - a timely reminder for us all.

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