Make Life Better. By Design

17:06

Series 2 Episode 19: Ch-ch-ch-Changes

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/09/28

It has been said that change is the only constant. The universe changes relatively slowly. People change throughout their lifetimes. Design inevitably reflects these changes. Most designs contain a mix of practical, emotional, cultural and aesthetic concerns. There is therefore a subjective element to design. Design covers a vast range of activities, where the various fields place different emphasis on different elements. Which is why there is no simple single rulebook of design. Annoyi...

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41:55

Series 2 Episode 18: What the Doctor Ordered

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/09/16

A discussion with Yusuf Shamsee, doctor, former general practitioner with strong views on how design can make life better. Fascinating to get a medical man's view on the subject. A longer than usual podcast: we fed off each other and explored areas neither of us probably had in mind at the start. Thoroughly enjoyable to make and I hope you enjoy listening. BTW: a lot of the places mentioned are in the Holme Valley in West Yorkshire.

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20:08

Series 2 Episode 17: Acronyms Pt. 2

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/09/02

More acronyms from the worlds of architecture, design, planning, development and construction.

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25:37

Series 2 Episode 16: Acronyms Pt.1

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/08/11

Cryptic? Confusing? Exclusive? Annoying? Every industry uses acronyms, like it or not. To save you having to ask or look them up every few minutes, Kevin Drayton explains some of those you might encounter in the world of design, architecture and construction. If you enjoy this there will be another one with more alphabet soup coming soon. By the way, the little feller in the picture has nothing to do with the subject.

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9:55

Series 2 Episode 15: The More You Know, the Greater...

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/07/23

There's a saying that knowledge is power. So if you want to emulate the Duracell bunny and keep going longer, keep on filling your fuel cells with knowledge. Knowledge is also food for thought. Unlike food for eating, knowledge does not diminish or go off. So you can - and should - be generous with your knowledge. And the older you are, the longer your knowledge has proved itself in your real life experience. It's good, vintage, extra-mature stuff. Very very valuable. Spread it around. You'll...

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10:18

Series 2 Episode 14: Having a Laugh

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/07/13

The medical profession manages to present both the serious and the not so serious faces of the job without losing respect or dignity in the process. Something similar could be said of some other professions, but not architects and designers. Why is this? In this episode Kevin Drayton looks into the conundrum and attempts to come up with some answers.

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15:30

Series 2 Episode 13: A Nose for Good Design

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/06/26

If you were blindfolded and not allowed to touch anything, would you be able to tell what building you were in? Adding earplugs might be straying into uncomfortable territory, but you would still be left with your sense of smell. And smell, in relation to design and the part it can play in making life better, is the subject of this podcast.

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52:32

Series 2 Episode 12: What's the Council Ever Done for...

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/06/15

Local authorities would appear to be well placed to make life better for citizens. However, their opportunities and constraints are often misunderstood by the public. In this episode I've invited someone with first-hand knowledge of local politics to talk to me about their aspirations and frustrations as a councillor trying to make life better for residents of the authority.

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36:01

Designing life: Chemistry and Leadership

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/05/01

My guest for this episode believes that people are the important ingredient in successful enterprises. He also happens to be a chemistry graduate and vociferous advocate for making things i.e. manufacturing. Dean Morgan talks us through his road to believing that people and how you treat them is the key to making life better. His life in chemistry, manufacturing and rugby (yes, rugby!) is the story of a life where design, perhaps unknowingly, has underpinned success.

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11:41

S2 Episode 10: Show Me the Way to Go Home

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/04/21

Maps and diagrams: representations of reality that can make life better. Strangely, the greatest accuracy or truth to life does not necessarily make life better. In this episode we look at how our perception affects our interpretation of maps and diagrams using the iconic London Underground Map as an example. And you don't have to hold an Oyster card to get in.

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11:59

Series 2 Episode 09: Design, Then and Now

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/04/13

The aim of many designers is to create timeless work. Whilst aiming for a long design life is admirable, we shouldn't get hooked up on trying to avoid the time in which we live and work. This episode explains that good design can be timeless yet still reflect the times in which it is designed. Indeed understanding and learning from the past is just as important as familiarity with new developments in materials, technology and thinking.

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17:09

Maintenance vs Sustainability

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/03/31

To talk of sustainability without a timeframe is meaningless. But nowadays things are labelled sustainable without any reference to duration. Sustainable forever applies to a very select catalogue. The best we can do is aim for as long a lifespan as possible. This must of corse vary depending on the subject. The key to long life is maintenance. Not sexy but capable of giving great satisfaction.

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14:02

Series 2 Episode 07: Knowledge is Power

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/03/16

Knowledge, Learning and Better Choices was the title for this issue suggested by the AI elves. Perhaps I should listen to then next time. Making life better by design is about making choices and taking decisions. The more you know about a subject, the better your choices should be. This episode looks in more depth at that premise and emphasises the benefits of involving both head and heart in the process.

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27:49

Series 2 Episode 06: Less is More, More or Less

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/03/10

Avoiding being overwhelmed by the accumulation of stuff is the subject of this episode. From early suggestions to limit our possessions based on utility and beauty, to the beginnings of minimalism and ideas of doing more with less, the episode charts the swing from rampant consumerism to better understanding of our limited resources with concern for longevity and techniques to repair, reuse and recycle.

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14:54

Series 2 Episode 05: Out of Sight

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/03/02

It's often the case that when we do something with the aim of making our life better, that the decision, the choice has unanticipated effects on others. How concerned should we be about this? Few people act from entirely selfish motives, but trying to tread the path to self-fulfillment without inadvertently straying onto someone else's patch can be tricky. However much we'd like to act alone, we are part of a wider society; the butterfly wings of our choices and actions can have consequences ...

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20:27

Series 2 Episode 4: Head, Heart and Choices

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/02/23

Humans are blessed with a range of senses plus the most powerful brain of any species. We make life better when our choices and decision making use both our brains (Head) and senses (Heart). The smallest choices can make a big difference to the quality of life if both head and heart are employed together to best effect.

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18:56

Series 2 Episode 3: Back to Basics

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/02/09

Everything is designed.Better design makes life better for everyone.Everyone is a designer.But what does all that mean? This episode goes back to the basics of what the podcast is about, including a practical illustration of how we are all designers.

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23:28

Series 2 Episode 2: Light Pt2

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/01/22

Having recently looked at how natural light can be considered as a design element, this episode moves on to investigate the almost endless possibilities of artificial light to make our lives better.

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20:26

Series 2 Episode 1: Who Lives in a House Like This?

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2026/01/13

Doctors have been known to undertake drug trials on themselves before releasing them on the public. Many architects try out new ideas when building their own homes. In this podcast Kevin Drayton considers three such schemes, each with a very different character.

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11:14

Episode 22: Terence Conran

Make Life Better. By Design ·

2025/12/03

The late Sir Terence Conran could claim to have done more to bring good design to post-war Britain than any other individual. He was a genuine believer in the power of good design to make life better and never lost his zeal despite going on to father a vast business empire. He believed everyone had the right to good design and the pleasure and enjoyment it could bring. No design ascetic, he enjoyed comfort, convenience, food, drink and a whole lot more to the full. For me, he represented so m...

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