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Artwork for Scratching the Surface

Scratching the Surface

Jarrett Fuller
Architecture
Digital Design
Design
Graphic Design
Publishing
Industrial Design
History Of Design
Princeton University Press
Climate Change
Set Margins
Freek Lomme
Zines
Business Practices In Publishing
New York City
Community Building
Design Education
Decolonization
Decarbonization
MIT Technology Review
Art and Design Space

Scratching the Surface is a podcast about design, theory, and creative practice. Hosted by Jarrett Fuller, each episode features wide-ranging conversations with designers, architects, writers, academics, artists, and theorists about how design shapes culture. Previous guests include architecture critic Paul Goldberger, MoMA design curator Paola Antonelli, architect and OMA partner Reinier de Graaf... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes307Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Arts

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Artwork for Scratching the Surface

Latest Episodes

Thomas Weaver is an architectural writer, teacher, critic, and editor. He is a commissioning editor at Park Books where he cofounded and edits the Gumshoe series, and has teaching appoints at Princeton University and Accademia di architettura. He was... more

Carlo Ratti is an architect, engineer, author, and academic. He is the curator of the 2025 Venice Biennale of Architecture, where he developed the theme Intelligens: Natural, Artificial, Collective. He runs the Senseable City Lab at MIT and is the au... more

YouTube

Maggie Gram is a writer, cultural historian, and designer. She’s the author of the new book, The Invention of Design, and her writing as appeared in n+1 and The New York Times. She also leads an experience design team at Google in New York. In this c... more

YouTube

Amale Andraos and Dan Wood are the founders of WORKac, an architecture office working across a range of scales with an emphasis on public, cultural, or civic projects all around the world. Amale is also professor at Columbia GSAPP, where she also ser... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Maggie Gram
Designer and cultural historian
Google
Episode: 277. Maggie Gram
David Godshall
Partner at Terremoto, a landscape architecture design studio.
Terremoto
Episode: 275. David Godshall & Kasey Toomey
Kasey Toomey
Partner at Terremoto, involved in landscape architecture and labor activism.
Terremoto
Episode: 275. David Godshall & Kasey Toomey
Anthony Dunne
Designer, educator, and co-author
Dunne and Raby
Episode: 274. Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby
Fiona Raby
Designer, educator, and co-author
Dunne and Raby
Episode: 274. Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby
Nick Foster
A futures designer and author, trained in industrial design, previously worked at Google X and other leading tech companies.
Author of "Could, Should, Might, Don't, How We Think About The Future"
Episode: 273. Nick Foster
Joel Towers
The 10th president of The New School, trained architect, and a leader in sustainable design.
The New School
Episode: 272. Joel Towers
Zak Kyes
Founder and creative director of Zak Group, a London-based design studio.
Zak Group
Episode: 194. Zak Kyes (Originally aired 8/4/21)
Adrian Lahoud
Dean of the School of Architecture at the Royal College of Art, architect, urban designer, and researcher.
Royal College of Art
Episode: 241. Adrian Lahoud (Originally aired 12/6/23)

Host

Jarrett Fuller
Host of engaging discussions around design, theory, and cultural practice, bringing forth a variety of perspectives from leading figures in the field.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 131 ratings
  • A Must-Listen!

    This show is an invaluable treasure trove for the modern creative spirit. Every episode blends wisdom from top-tier creatives with actionable steps for those on the unconventional path. It's more than just inspiration—it's a call to action for every creative soul to follow their dreams and change the world!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Andieo1997
    United States2 years ago
  • Influential

    I have seriously learned so much from this podcast! STS has helped me understand what I want out of my design career. The guests are all always very interesting and their ideas and careers are fascinating.

    Although I really enjoy every topic that Jarret covers, I get particularly interested in the episodes that discuss alternative higher ed programs and the economics of design school education. Thank you for an incredible podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kaleb P.
    United States6 years ago
  • Fantastic Variety

    I enjoy the variety of speakers Jarrett invites to his show. Especially the ones who talk about inclusivity and diversity in design and about how important it is to bring different perspectives to the table. A memorable one for me is #18 Andy Chen + Waqas Jawaid, it felt like listening to friends I’ve yet met. The intro music is cheesy but it grew on me. :-)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    connyc23
    United States8 years ago
  • Very inspirational

    Some of the best podcasts I’ve listen to in a long time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    roig.fiol
    United Kingdom8 years ago
  • I always learn something new.

    I've found my way back to this podcast several times. The audio has been clear in all of the interviews I've listened to. Episodes wander through the ideas of both young design writers as well as some of the most influencial people in design. Highly recommend. :)

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    James McBennett
    United States8 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the insightful and thought-provoking conversations that challenge conventional views on design.
Some find the audio quality to be inconsistent, but overall feedback strongly favors the content and guest selection.
Many reviews highlight the engaging variety of guests and topics, emphasizing the relevance of discussions about inclusivity and diversity in design.
The show is recognized for its educational value, fostering curiosity and critical thinking among its audience.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#136
South Africa/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#165
Singapore/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#174
Finland/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#213
Sweden/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#237
Switzerland/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

277. Maggie Gram
Q: What discourses do you see happening around design today?
Maggie believes that we have not yet converged on a useful new understanding of design in the context of generative AI, emphasizing the responsibility of designers to imbue AI with human intent.
277. Maggie Gram
Q: How did writing this book change how you thought about your own work as a designer?
Maggie noted that writing the book made her more relaxed and less defensive about her role as a designer, recognizing it as part of a larger discourse rather than a sacred practice.
275. David Godshall & Kasey Toomey
Q: Is there a difference between garden design and landscape architecture?
Garden design and landscape architecture are seen as overlapping, focusing on the conversation with the land.
275. David Godshall & Kasey Toomey
Q: What does it mean to design a garden?
It involves changing the existing condition of land and improving its ecological functioning.
274. Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby
Q: How has your thinking evolved regarding speculative and critical design?
We've found that while the terms were initially useful, they now constrain the broader interpretations of our work.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Scratching the Surface

What is Scratching the Surface about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast offers engaging discussions about the intersection of design, theory, and creative practice, exploring how design influences culture in various forms. Episodes include conversations with a diverse array of guests, including designers, architects, writers, and critics, providing listeners with unique insights into contemporary design thought and its historical context. Noteworthy aspects include a strong emphasis on critical thinking about design's role in societal issues and the importance of community engagement, making it an appealing choice for those interested in understanding the deeper implications of design beyond aesthetics.

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How many listeners does Scratching the Surface get?

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How many subscribers and views does Scratching the Surface have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Scratching the Surface has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Scratching the Surface?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Scratching the Surface:

1. Scaffold
2. Time Sensitive
3. Dialogues: The David Zwirner Podcast
4. The Art Angle
5. Open Source with Christopher Lydon

How many episodes of Scratching the Surface are there?

Scratching the Surface launched 9 years ago and published 307 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Scratching the Surface?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Scratching the Surface?

Recent guests on Scratching the Surface include:

1. Maggie Gram
2. David Godshall
3. Kasey Toomey
4. Anthony Dunne
5. Fiona Raby
6. Nick Foster
7. Joel Towers
8. Zak Kyes

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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