Our Future Homes, Our Future Heritage, with Dr. Banu Pekol

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we sit down with the amazing urbanist and cultural heritage expert Dr Banu Pekol to rethink our notion of 'home' as a human right, as a store of memory, and as a foundation for belonging. From Istanbul’s Sulukule to Cape Town’s District Six, Banu analyses how, when housing policy ignores people, renewal becomes removal and communities become museums while lives are uprooted.She maps out for us a clear and compelling, five-part agenda for the future of our homes. First, prevent displacement, because losing your home collapses health, education, safety, and livelihood. Second, pursue fair decarbonisation: cut emissions without pushing retrofit costs onto those least able to pay. Third, prioritise maintenance, repair, and reuse—the future of housing is already built, and repair protects both carbon and community. Fourth, adopt mediation-first governance that treats conflict as normal and useful; pre-filing eviction programmes show how early dialogue prevents harm. Fifth, design with candour about power: architecture is never neutral, so participation must be a design requirement, not a tick-box.We also confront climate risk to cultural heritage, from Venice’s rising tides to Timbuktu’s desertification, and explore practical adaptation that serves living cities. Throughout, Banu returns to a simple truth: homes are not just assets. They hold routines, relationships, and identity. Repair before you replace. Protect people before postcards. Build systems where tenants, caretakers, and children are partners in care.Follow GoodGeist for more episodes on sustainability, communications and how creativity can help make the world a better place.