Global Cities with David Gianotten

In this episode, we speak with David Gianotten—Managing Partner-Architect of OMA, one of the world's most influential architecture and urbanism practices. OMA operates with a belief that going 'beyond the brief' is not optional but a fundamental responsibility: the role of the designer is to think beyond the immediate solution and shape trajectory, consequence, and meaning across time. Together, we look at a range of David's projects that demonstrate this philosophy in practice—including Potato Head Studios in Bali, the White Cube project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth. Each project engages with a specific cultural and urban context while asking broader questions about what architecture can and should do in the world. The conversation explores what it means to practise architecture at a global scale without losing site specificity, and how OMA's visionary and optimistic design ethics continue to push the field forward. What does responsible global practice look like when culture, politics, and place are always at stake? And how do you design for trajectory when the future is perpetually uncertain? Check out the references from this episode.