Why are city borders shaped so weird? Brian tells Paul about the unusual shapes of cities and the four reasons they look the way that they do. He also breaks down why Detroit seems to have a border that is so different from other North American cities. It looks distinctive and recognizable instead of the amoeba shape that other cities have.
The story will take you through tales of historical legacies, legal quirks, and how cities grow by annexation. We’ll also look at aspects of Dallas, Washington DC, and Phoenix to see what makes those borders so unique. Paul also explains what 313 Day is and tells us about the first ever telephone concert.
Produced and reported by Brian Moore.
Co-hosted by Paul Corsi.
Audio recording and editing by Julia Sikora.
Thank you to special Guest Alex Hill!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @FormingFunctionPodcast and send us an email to suggest a topic at formingfunctionpodcast@gmail.com.
Forming Function is supported in part by grant funding from Michigan Architectural Foundation.
27 Aug 2026
Season 03 Update
We have some new changes in store for season 03! New episodes coming soon!
1 Aug 2025
Bonus: Detroit Month of Design
We collect more quick stories from the local design community in partnership with the Detroit Design Festival and DesignCore to celebrate 10 years since Detroit’s induction as a UNESCO City of Design! Festival-goers from last year’s events shared off the cuff remarks on a wide range of topics from works of architecture, different design fields, and design-based businesses. Get a taste and then check out the events all September long in Detroit!
Produced and hosted by Brian Moore and Sam Malott Brown.
Audio editing and mixing by Julia Sikora.
Special thank you to all who participated in our design stories: Ian Lambert, Stefan Novakovic, Paul Karas, Chris Casteel, Korzell Coe, LaDonna Harris, Allen Williams, Claire Antrassian, Milton Putman, Piotr Blaszczak, Alex Rossetti, and Leon Benson!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @FormingFunctionPodcast and send us an email to suggest a topic at formingfunctionpodcast@gmail.com.
Forming Function Season 2 is supported in part by grant funding from Michigan Architectural Foundation.
Who has been a guest on Forming Function
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Paul Corsi
Trevor Staples
Alec Beck
Kelsey Reynolds
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
12 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
19 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
53
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
71
Contact Forming Function
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Forming Function
Who hosts Forming Function?
Brian Moore and Sam Malott Brown host the show. Published by Forming Function.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Forming Function take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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