Architecture in the Era of Finance Capitalism

In this episode of ON CITIES, host Carie Penabad speaks with educator and architect Matthew Soules on the connection between contemporary architecture and capitalism in the twenty-first century. In his book, Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra Thin, Soules uncovers how finance capitalism not only changes architecture but the very nature of our cities and societies. From London’s iceberg mansions to Manhattan’s ultra-thin pencil skyscrapers, Soules discusses how finance shapes what and how we build and the critical role that architecture plays in the current economic and political debates centered on inequality, housing shortages and financial instability. Tune in Friday, July 7, 2023 at 11:00 AM EST, 8:00 PST on the Voice America Variety Channel https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/4119/on-cities; and find all previous episodes on Spotify, Apple iTunes or your favorite podcast platform.

Matthew Soules is an architect and urbanist who teaches design studios and history/theory seminars. He is a licensed architect and the director of Matthew Soules Architecture. In addition to teaching at the University of British Columbia, he has been Visiting Associate Professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and Visiting Faculty at SCI-Arc in Los Angeles. Matthew’s current research focuses on contemporary capitalism and architecture. His book, Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra Thin: Architecture and Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century (Princeton Architectural Press, 2021), demonstrates how investment imperatives shape what and how we build on a global scale. He is also the author of Binning House (ORO, 2017). He is co-founder of Architects Against Housing Alienation (AAHA) – a national collective fighting for decommodified housing. The Canada Council has selected AAHA to represent Canada at the 2023 Venice Biennale of Architecture. Matthew Soules Architecture has received numerous awards including the Architectural Institute of British Columbia’s Emerging Firm and Special Jury Awards in 2010 and 2015 respectively, an Architizer A+ Award in the Cultural Pavilions Category in 2015 and a selection by Twenty + Change in 2011. The firm’s work has appeared in a range of popular and professional media including Canadian Architect, Domus, Metropolis and the National Post. Education M.Arch, Harvard University BA, University of British Columbia