Common Ground
Nele Rickmann
We are Anja Jeitner and Nele Rickmann, the team behind kreis3kollektiv and the podcast project Common Ground.
With a background in literature and communication science, Anja is currently completing her Master’s in Cultural Critique at the Zurich University of the Arts. Having worked across various media formats and outlets, she has in recent years focused on storytelling through audio. As a freelance author, she contributes to platforms such as Deutschlandfunk Kultur. Her passion lies in both theory and practice, in fiction as well as documentary – united by a deep commitment to storytelling. At the heart of her work is the desire to make complex or exclusive topics accessible, especially those that may seem distant but ultimately concern us all.
Nele studied architecture in Aachen, Dublin, and Weimar. After gaining practical experience in Germany, she spent several months in Athens, where she collaborated with artists on a conceptual installation based on Greek mythology. Since 2022, Nele has been editor of the Swiss architecture magazine archithese. In addition, she works as a freelance writer, guest critic at universities, and conducts independent research. Bridging theory and practice is central to her work, as is the communication of architecture beyond its disciplinary boundaries.
How can we make architecture and its impact on sustainability more accessible?
We propose a storytelling podcast that explores architecture through narratives. Our goal is to open up architecture as a social and cultural practice, with a focus on sustainability, spatial justice, and everyday relevance. Architecture shapes the world we live in – yet public discourse around it often remains abstract, technical, or overly intellectualized.
The podcast will feature 3 to 5 episodes, each centered on a specific topic: housing, urban heat, building with existing structures, regenerative materials, or the design of public space. Every episode is framed by a narrative device – such as a current news story, a book, or another cultural reference – drawing listeners into the topic through compelling storytelling. We aim to convey space not just conceptually, but experientially, through soundscapes, interviews, and personal stories.
Our hosts bring complementary backgrounds in literary studies, cultural journalism, sound design, and architecture. Together, we shape the editorial direction and narrative structure, enriched by guest voices from architecture, urbanism, and beyond.
Our goal is to make architecture more inclusive by de-intellectualizing its language without simplifying its content. We believe architecture belongs to everyone – and that audio is the ideal medium to unlock its cultural and sustainable dimensions.