10 recommended podcasts, between design, culture and pure entertainment

The pandemic has made us accustomed to spending much more time than usual at home, often alone, and to reviewing our 'cultural consumption' habits. It is no coincidence that one of the most evident trends of the last year, also in Italy, is the renaissance of podcasts and, more generally, of the whole sector of so-called 'audio entertainment'. As reported by Wired, the Ipsos Digital Audio Survey highlights a gradual but always increasing growth of audio enjoyment, where podcasts are gaining more and more advantage over radio or the world of audiobooks, with proposals always very targeted and differentiated. 

The strength of this medium lies in its ability to replicate contents that may be more typically for radio, adding the digital aspect that gives the listener the maximum of freedom on where, how and when to listen. Absolute flexibility.
In addition, the many themes addressed, in the most innovative and enjoyable forms of storytelling and entertainment, make the podcast a truly powerful tool of communication, which gives real importance to words and not to fleeting images and ephemeral contexts. By its very nature, the podcast is a concrete medium, which tells, explains, describes, discusses "through words and their deeper meaning", to quote Paolo Ferrarini.

Here is a selection of podcasts that you might also like. Let's see them together.



ARCHITECTURE & ANTHROPOCENE 
Architecture & Anthropocene, the first podcast produced by Triennale Milano and presented by journalist David Plaisant, was launched in 2019 on the occasion of the XXII Triennale di Milano Broken Nature: Design Takes on Human Survival. The podcast addresses the themes of the exhibition through dialogue with key figures in contemporary culture.



CAFFE’ DESIGN
Giuliano, Nanni and Riccardo get together every Monday morning in what they call their "Internet Bar" to talk about design (but not only) in a very informal and funny way. A bit like the Gialappa's or the Trio Medusa of design. 



PAROLA PROGETTO DI PAOLO FERRARINI
Parola Progetto is a podcast of dialogues with people who live of and for projects, to tell the story of design without objects and images, through words and their deep meaning. Interviews conducted by Paolo Ferrarini, researcher, lecturer and content curator who deals with innovation in design, fashion, technology and communication.

ENZO MARI COSTELLAZIONE
On the occasion of the exhibition dedicated to Enzo Mari curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist with Francesca Giacomelli, Triennale Milano has produced a podcast series that enriches the research path already undertaken with the exhibition and the catalogue. The podcast was commissioned to the author and design critic Alice Rawsthorn, in collaboration with Hans Ulrich Obrist, and narrates Enzo Mari through the voices of people who knew him and were inspired by his work. 

FUCKING GENIUS DI MASSIMO TEMPORELLI
An irreverent podcast by Massimo Temporelli that recounts the lives of some great figures who have literally changed the evolution of mankind on earth. Figures of enormous talent, such as Rita Levi Montalcini, Isaac Newton and Galileo Galilei, but also Jeff Bezos, Lerry Page and Sergey Brin, whose enterprise has changed the trajectory of our culture and civilisation. 



TED TALKS DAILY
Daily appointment with Ted Talks Daily, daily inspirations in pure TED style. The topics are very different (sustainability, technology, urban planning...), but always addressed by brilliant speakers with enviable proactivity.

ON DESIGN DI JUSTYNA GREEN
Over 60 episodes for the podcast of the English illustrator Justyna Green, who interviews and talks to design figures: designers and artists, creative directors and entrepreneurs whose inspirations, professional processes and vision of the world highlight the many facets of creative work. 

I PODCAST DI WILL
Will, a digital native information platform, offers two extremely fresh and effective podcasts, just like the platform's typical approach. "Actually" is a podcast of almost 40 episodes, dedicated to the great changes that are upsetting the world, through the voices and stories of those who are living this change from the inside. "The Essential", on the other hand, features the voice of Mia Ceran, who recounts current political, economic and cultural events in five minutes. 

SCAFFOLD DI MATTHEW BLUNDERFIELD
Over 40 episodes conducted by Matthew Blunderfield, architect and teacher at the Kingston School of Art in London. Scaffold features interviews with emerging and established voices in architecture, art and design. It is supported in part by the Architecture Foundation, and has been celebrated by Dezeen as one of the best architecture podcasts produced to date. 

SNAP - ARCHITETTURA IMPERFETTA DI ROBERTO MARIN
Roberto Marin, architect and new technology enthusiast, addresses the theme of information and digital technology as tools for the evolution of the modern architectural design process: BIM, augmented reality, virtual reality, parametric and algorithmic design.