Episode 206: Buildings Are Not Neutral: How Cultural Spaces Shape Our Lives - with David van der Leer

What if architecture is not just about buildings—but about values? In this episode of About Art , Heidi Zuckerman speaks with architect, curator, and cultural strategist David van der Leer, whose work sits at the intersection of design, public space, civic imagination, and cultural leadership. From his time at the Guggenheim to his leadership at the Van Alen Institute, David has helped shape global conversations about what cities can be—and who they are truly built for. Together, they explore how design reflects power, how public space can become a site of equity and experimentation, and why imagination may be one of the most essential tools we have for shaping the future. This is a conversation about architecture, culture, and the systems that define daily life—inviting us to rethink the world around us, and our role in creating it.

You can listen to Episode 206: Buildings Are Not Neutral: How Cultural Spaces Shape Our Lives - with David van der Leer online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Episode 206: Buildings Are Not Neutral: How Cultural Spaces Shape Our Lives - with David van der Leer is an episode from About Art by Heidi Zuckerman.

This episode is 00:56:41 long.

This episode was published on Mar 17, 2026.

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