‘Architecture is not Western’ is an invitation to change the way we think about architecture, to shift our gaze away from the standardised image of the city and discover the diversity of architecture around the world.
Each episode explores this otherness, using Central African architecture as a case study. Some original architectural developments that took place before industrialisation era will make us aware of other ways of conceiving space.
The aim is to create cities where everyone can find their place through the inclusion of diverse cultural characteristics, a source of lasting enrichment for all.
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Ana María Gutiérrez is a Colombian architect internationally recognised for her work with communities across rural areas, notably through her foundation, Organizmo, which she co-founded in 2008 in Colombia.
It is a centre for research and education in ecological construction (earth and bamboo architecture) that focuses on developing sustainable and traditional building techniques.
Ana María Gutiérrez is also a woman committed to promoting the cultures of Colombia’s indigenous peoples. In our interview , she talks about a form of architecture that is based not only on ancestral building techniques but also on what it reveals about spiritualities and social ties that are just waiting to be strengthened.
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13 Sept 2026
The season 2 will start !
The podcast Architecture Is Not Western is back for Season 2!
I’m an architect and the founder of this podcast, which started from a simple observation: our idea of architecture is still largely shaped by a very homogeneous image of Western modernism.
But architecture has never been only Western. You will discover it through architectures of Global south and those who make it possible.
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15 Dec 2025
Part 2 : A conversation about the fusion of modern and traditional architecture
Following on from the previous episode on reconciling modern and traditional architecture, we now turn our attention to contemporary materials. We question the impact of concrete and its actual toxicity. Can we hybridize systems to create a more sustainable architecture?
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30 Nov 2025
A conversation about the fusion of modern and traditional architecture
In this episode, I talk with my guest Justice, about how modern architecture can be combined with traditional building practices. Is it still possible in light of societal changes and especially the rapid growth of the global population? That’s what we’re going to explore.
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23 Oct 2025
Blending passive design with traditional wisdom
This episode tackles the flaws of our modern constructions and explains why it’s time to change the way we look at traditional architecture in today’s ecological crisis.
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7 Oct 2025
Buen Vivir: Latin America’s secret to living well
« Buen Vivir » is a concept that comes from Indigenous communities in Latin America. It involves community life and harmony with nature. Today, the concept is under threat, and to discuss it, I welcome a special guest named Maria Belen Zambrano from Ecuador.
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24 Sept 2025
Is the future of architecture vernacular?
Can vernacular architecture be the future of modern cities? This is the question I asked myself and attempted to answer using the example of the city of Shibam. The Yemeni city nicknamed the Manhattan of the Desert, is famous for its mudbrick skyscrapers. An example to follow?
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5 Sept 2025
What is an architect?
Today, millions of people build their homes without using an architect. There are several reasons for this. The profession of architect is struggling to reinvent itself in a difficult context that leaves little room for free creation and quality construction. This episode is an overview of the challenges involved in practising this profession.
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20 Aug 2025
The peruvian islands
in the middle of Lake Titicaca in Peru live the Uros. They have invented an ingenious way of living in water without impacting their natural environment. Natural but revolutionary island dwellings.
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6 Aug 2025
The Afro brazilian heritage
Between the XIXᵉ and early XXᵉ centuries, Afro-Brazilians arrived in West Africa (from Benin to Togo and Nigeria). These were the Aguda. They invented an architectural style that blended the styles and that would forever seal the history of the populations of the African continent and South America.
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23 Jul 2025
Architecture without locals
The standardisation of architecture is an issue that is rarely discussed: the standardisation of global architecture. Today, what is built in London...looks like what is built in Dakar in Senegal.
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8 Jul 2025
The living room
This episode explores the diverse cultural configurations and meanings of the living room across different societies, revealing how its purpose varies globally.
2 Jul 2025
What if Architecture was a book
This episode explores the often-misunderstood traditional architecture of Central Africa, revealing the region's unique architectural heritage in an interview.
25 Jun 2025
The chiefdoms of Cameroon
This episode explores the structured organization and bold architecture of the Bamileke people in Cameroon.
18 Jun 2025
The invisible architecture of Pygmies
This episode explores Pygmy architecture, revealing its philosophy of the temporary and prompting a reevaluation of our connection with space, time, sustainability, and nature.
11 Jun 2025
Form follows…the society
This episode explores how architecture should reflect society and its intended uses, drawing examples from Central African communities and questioning modern movement detachment.
3 Jun 2025
Why do we build today?
The host explores how modern building techniques impact urbanization and standardize architectural aesthetics, questioning the origins of these shifts from pre-industrial methods.
28 May 2025
Are women new to Architecture ?
The host explores the historical roles and global contributions of women in architecture, highlighting their legacy as innovative builders beyond Western contexts in this interview episode.
21 May 2025
What is Architecture ?
Host Alba introduces her podcast, 'Architecture is not Western,' and discusses her disillusionment with the field, the flaws in architectural education, and the differences in perceptions between Western architecture and that of the Global South.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
250
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 27 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
28
Social presence
0
YouTube
63
Engagement
0
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