Xanadu: Preservation Lessons from a Cult‑Classic Mess

Flying On Concrete Wings

Rae and Andi dive into the chaos and charm of airports — the security scrambles, the gate‑change sprints, the lost‑passport panic, and the tiny design moments that somehow make it all feel magical anyway. They celebrate the clacking boards, the terrazzo floors, and the jet‑age swoops that turn terminals into portals. They also take on the big question: does a rainforest waterfall inside a terminal count as bold design or just architectural overkill?  ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Xanadu: Preservation Lessons from a Cult‑Classic Mess

This month, Rae, Andi, and guest Colin tackle Xanadu, the 1980 neon‑drenched musical that “only vaguely refers to preservation” but somehow opens the door to a surprisingly rich conversation about what’s worth saving—and why. From roller‑skating muses to a once‑grand auditorium begging for a second life, the team digs into how even the most chaotic cult films reflect our shifting ideas about memory, place, and cultural value. It’s preservation with leg warmers on. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Save the ________!

Save the theater! Save the old neighborhood! Save the hotel! Save the.... You get it. This trope is commonly mined in all kinds of different movies. This month Rae and Andi and special guest Colin Rafferty talk about movies that use this trope. Some movies use it just as a reason for the story, but others really *do* end up having something to say about historic preservation. Turns out some B-movies are surprisingly not totally off-base. Listen to this episode to find out if your guilty pleasure is among them! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 22: Spire Wars

This month, Andi and Rae discuss two early visionaries of preservation, often described as foes: Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and John Ruskin. Their thoughts on architecture, authorship, and reuse are all still current today. In particular, Notre Dame would likely not have survived the disastrous 2019 fire quite so well without the work pioneered 150 years earlier. Plus, both men were charismatic fellows with excellent facial hair. So come learn about Mr. Beard and Mr. Sideburns, and discover how places like Carcassonne and Notre Dame got a new lease on life. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Episode 21: An Ode to Otis

In this episode, Rae and Andi give proper respect to the inventor of the safety elevator and cities today as we know them: Elisha Otis. Escalators, steel, and some *really* dangerous contraptions also get a mention. Going up! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.