Light, Cities + Architecture.

What makes a home meaningful — beyond function and aesthetics? What turns a house into a place we truly want to live in?
After more than two decades working in residential architecture, I’ve come to believe that good design is human-centred. It’s collaborative, sustainable, and deeply connected to how we live every day.
In this series, I explore daylight, sustainability, and the spaces that shape daily life. Welcome to Season Five of Light Cities Architecture — The Art of Dwelling.
Social:
Instagram:
⁠@lightscitiesarchitecture⁠
LinkedIn:
⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/antony-dimase/⁠

Credits:
This episode was recorded at ⁠Image online⁠, Abbotsford, Australia.
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/aaron-paul-low/always-for-you⁠License code: FKADBZMC5CF0HIR8

In this episode, Justine Costigan and Antony DiMase explore the legacy of Australian architect and critic Robin Boyd, focusing on his 1960 book The Australian Ugliness and the author's concept of “featurism”—a critique of decorative, status-driven housing that prioritises resale value and novelty over function, sustainability, and liveability. Reflecting on contemporary issues—from oversized homes and developer-led suburbs to co-design, cultural diversity, and First Nations perspectives—the episode asks whether Boyd’s ideas continue to shape contemporary conversations about architecture, housing, and Australian identity today.

In this episode of Light Cities and Architecture, we explore the legacy of urbanist and writer Jane Jacobs and her 1961 book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities.
Jacobs’ work challenged the planning ideologies of her time—rejecting top-down zoning, soulless high-rises, and sweeping expressways in favour of cities shaped organically by the people who live in them.
Her ideas have influenced generations of urban planners and architects, but do they still have relevance today?

Welcome back to Light Cities and Architecture, where we explore the ideas behind the buildings and people and that shape our built environment.
In a change of approach this time, we invite you on a personal journey as Justine Costigan shares her firsthand account of a recent visit to Shanghai — and the city’s remarkable Art Deco legacy.
In this episode, Antony steps into the role of interviewer, exploring Justine’s passion for Art Deco architecture, fashion, and furniture. Her love for travel, Shanghai, and this distinctive design movement shines through — and may inspire your next trip.
In a fascinating footnote to architectural history, Shanghai is home to one of the world’s best-preserved collections of early 20th-century Art Deco architecture — a fusion of East and West, shaped by the legacies of the former International Settlement and the French Concession.
It’s a story of design, culture, and unexpected connections across time.

Le Corbusier’s Unité d’habitation in Marseille remains one of the most polarising architectural landmarks of the 20th century. A bold experiment in modernist housing, it envisioned a radical new way of urban living, one that was both efficient and communal. While celebrated by many architects for its innovation, it has also faced criticism for disregarding the social and cultural complexities of real cities.
In this episode of Light Cities Architecture, writer and editor Justine Costigan and practising architect Antony DiMase delve into the legacy, mythology, and reality of this Brutalist icon. Was it a revolutionary step forward, or an idealistic vision that fell short? And, given the choice, would either of them choose to live there?
Tune in to find out.

Links:
Fondation Le Corbusier https://www.fondationlecorbusier.fr/en/
Unité d’Habitation tours https://www.marseille-tourisme.com/en/discover-marseille/culture-heritage/discover-the-sites-and-monuments-in-marseille/cite-radieuse-of-le-corbusier/

Instagram: @lightscitiesarchitecture
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-costigan/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/antony-dimase/

Credits:
Editor: Suzanne McLeod
This episode was recorded at Image online, Abbotsford, Australia.