While summer may be in full swing, September will be here before we know it. And when it comes around, our autumn seminar programme of insight, inspiration and conversation kicks off once again with a stellar roster of expert panellists, all operating in the world of property.

The sentiment we hear is that never before has the sector been more complex. With a plethora of external pressures, from The Building Safety Act to global economics and material supply chains, all facets of the built environment are affected - yet optimism holds fast.

Offering an unparalleled and candid view of what's going on property-wise across Manchester, Glasgow, and London, our popular Property Outlook series of events returns to Material Source Studio, hosted by David Smalley, to ponder, unpick and forecast stakeholder fears and hopes for the future of our cities to support your own project pipeline.

If you're an architect, interior designer or property professional, book your free ticket here, and explore the topics and panellists below for Manchester, Glasgow & London.

Manchester Property: Community living – true or false?

• Date: 17 September 2026
• Time: 18:30-19:30
• Location: Material Source Studio Manchester

Long seen as the darling of BtR and PBSA, has Manchester created true communities, or just exclusive tower blocks?

Panel:

• Nicola Wallis - Group Residential Sales & Marketing Director, Scarborough Group International
• Nathan Cornish, Group Director, Urban Splash
• Martyn Evans, Creative Director, Landsec

In association with Cupa Pizarras, Karndean, Parkside Architectural Tiles

Book here

Scotland Property: Retrofit revolution or evolution?

• Date: 07 October 2026
• Time: 18:30-19:30
• Location: Material Source Studio Glasgow

With no new Grade A developments on the horizon, has retrofit finally taken its rightful place—fully recognised and embraced across all sectors of the built environment?

Panel:

• Nick Walker, Director Heritage & Townscape, Iceni Projects
• Dr. Katherine Gunderson, CEO, Founder, Grand Bequest

In association with Orac, Parkside Architectural Tiles

Book here

London Property: Developing places – inclusive or exclusive?

• Date: 04 November 2026
• Time: 18:30-19:30
• Location: Material Source Studio London

The goal of many schemes is to be inclusive, but do any welcome and enhance the local community?

Panel:

• Lesley Roberts, Director of BTR Operations, Related Argent
• Olaide Oboh, Managing Director, Populate
• Shannon Conway, Co–Founder, Picture This

In association with Brita, ILIV, Parkside Architectural Tiles

Book here

For all of our sessions, early arrival is advised with drinks offered from 17:30 onwards.

Do you have a burning question for one of our panellists? We actively encourage questions on the evening, and you're also welcome to send us something in advance.

We can't wait to welcome you into our Studios for these events. And in the meantime, there are plenty of other activities happening in every location throughout the summer months - check out What's On here.

KI Europe has collaborated with specifiers to deliver its new product, Arkus Workwall, a versatile, modular wall framework system designed to transform any space.

Arkus Workwall is designed to cause minimal disruption to existing spaces, with easy-to-add or remove panels that attach to a subframe. From executive suites to hubs for creativity and collaboration, it provides a straightforward, adaptable foundation that enables specifiers and designers to shape environments with ease.

Simple to install, Arkus Workwall provides users with flexibility for fixing point positions, allowing easy alignment when levelling and positioning units together. The subframe is built with the ability to add cable management, ideal for modern workplaces and educational spaces that increasingly rely on technology. Economical without compromise, Arkus Workwall provides a 5-year warranty and is developed with client feedback to include only essential features that specifiers value most, providing users with exactly what they need by removing all unnecessary complexity.

Manufactured in the UK and designed to adapt to changing workplace needs, Arkus Workwall can be reconfigured through an integrated selection of panels, shelving, storage and accessories. The highly customisable system offers a range of panel finishes, including MFC, back-painted glass, whiteboard and fabric, enabling a variety of aesthetic and functional applications.

An optional clad leg design, available with Work2.1 sit-stand integration, creates visual continuity across configurations. With the inclusion of a void behind its panels that can be filled, Arkus Workwall can provide acoustic benefits for its users, increasing focus and preventing overstimulation.

Arkus Workwall integrates with established products from KI's portfolio, including the Arkus MFC storage collection and Work2.1 desking system, extending compatibility across workplace environments. Its modular construction supports a wide range of run lengths and configurations, allowing it to be used as a foundation for larger schemes, as well as for storage walls or display applications.

Discover more by clicking here, and visiting Material Source Studio Manchester, where KI is a Partner.

lumenear UK brings spaces to life with innovative acoustic lighting that transforms both sight and sound.

Crafted in the Netherlands from sustainable PET felt, its lighting products not only illuminate but they also absorb noise, creating a perfect balance of atmosphere and comfort.

Whether it’s a bustling restaurant, a serene office, or a dynamic public space, lumenear UK's designs promise to elevate experience in alignment with your creative vision.

A Partner of Material Source Studio in Manchester & London, you can experience the brand's latest collections for 2026 in person by visiting 1 Federation Street, Manchester, and 120 Saffron Hill in London. In the meantime, here's a run-down of what's new...

Blaze

Blaze Light brings together architectural design, high acoustic performance, and technical lighting. The waffle structure in felt is engineered for effective sound absorption, reducing noise and improving comfort. The integrated LED delivers powerful, uniform light.

Nova

Nova is available in multiple sizes and can be applied as a single statement piece or combined in clusters for a strong visual and acoustic impact. An acoustic-only version is also available, allowing Nova to be used as a complete ceiling concept where lighting and sound control work seamlessly together.

Orbit

Designed for open office spaces, collaboration zones, and meeting areas, Orbit helps reduce noise and enhance focus without dominating the interior. The combination of soft curves, high-quality light output, and acoustic performance makes Orbit a versatile solution for architects and designers seeking both design impact and functional comfort.

Halo

Halo is a durable fixture made of loose PET felt slats. By inserting these transversely into each other, a characteristic and sturdy independent ring-shaped construction is created. In addition to this smart construction, Halo’s design is very effective at “catching” reverberation from the room through its large felt surfaces. It is available in three sizes and various colours.

Column Wall

Column Wall is the wall mounted version of lumenear's Column luminaire. It combines vertical light with acoustic comfort in a slim and architectural form, designed to enhance both atmosphere and sound quality in a space.

Wing

Wing is a minimalist acoustic pendant with soft, rounded forms and a clean silhouette. The PET felt body improves sound comfort, while the black metal insert adds a sharp, technical detail.

Discover more about lumenear UK here, and plan your next visit to Material Source Studio here.

The first residents have moved into Willohaus, a 100-home Passivhaus Classic-certified development in Salford, marking both a key milestone in the Crescent Salford masterplan and the city’s centenary year.

Located on Peru Street, the Buttress-designed scheme is the first completed residential building within Adelphi Village, a new neighbourhood being delivered through a partnership between Salford City Council, the University of Salford and ECF (Homes England, L&G and Muse). Salix Homes owns and manages the development.

Willohaus continues a growing body of high-performance housing in Salford, following Buttress’ delivery of Greenhaus - a 96-home Passivhaus development on Chapel Street in Salford, also for Salix Homes.

This project applies Passivhaus methodology at scale, combining fabric-first principles with rigorous on-site quality control and certification to achieve measurable energy performance and long-term operational efficiency.

The scheme comprises one- and two-bedroom apartments across a tenure mix of 30 homes for social rent and 70 for affordable rent, alongside four fully accessible ground floor apartments. Shared facilities include secure storage for 89 bicycles, supporting a low-car, active travel approach, with a limited number of on-site accessible parking spaces.

By adopting the Passivhaus standard, Willohaus is designed to significantly reduce space heating demand, while maintaining consistent internal temperatures and high indoor air quality through mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems. The approach prioritises occupant comfort, health and building longevity, while addressing fuel poverty through reduced energy consumption.

Alison Haigh, associate, Buttress commented, "Willohaus demonstrates how Passivhaus is no longer a niche ambition but a viable, scalable model for affordable housing. The challenge was not only technical - achieving the required levels of airtightness and thermal performance - but also cultural, requiring funders to prioritise long-term building performance alongside capital cost, while ensuring that design, detailing and construction were fully aligned from the outset.

"Post-occupancy evaluation on Greenhaus provided a valuable insight on how residents use their homes. The result is a building that will perform as designed, where environmental quality is embedded into everyday living.

"As part of the wider Crescent Salford masterplan, Willohaus establishes a clear benchmark for how future neighbourhoods can combine architectural quality, social value and verified environmental performance to support the transition to net zero." - Alison Haigh, associate, Buttress

Willohaus forms part of a wider delivery programme across Adelphi Village, where work is now underway on 42 townhouses and 185 apartments at Farmer Norton, with a further 263 homes approved, signalling momentum behind the emerging neighbourhood.

The project sits within the broader Crescent Salford regeneration, which will deliver over 3,000 homes alongside academic, public realm and infrastructure investment across a 240-acre site at the western edge of Manchester city centre.

As UK housing providers seek to balance affordability, decarbonisation and delivery, Willohaus provides a built example of how certified performance standards can be integrated into mainstream urban housing, rather than treated as exception.

DLSM Studio is a multi-disciplined, award-winning agency specialising in strategy, branding and interior design for a diverse portfolio of clients within the global hospitality industry.

Its designers, located in the UK, UAE and Europe, are "masters of creativity and curiosity". With DLSM "transcending aesthetics, adopting a strategic approach to craft luxury and lifestyle spaces."

Co-owner, Holly Hallam, is responsible for driving forward and managing the studio's offering and client portfolio both in the UK and Internationally. With our current focus on AI, and specifically looking at its impact on guest experience, we were keen to speak to Holly about how technology helps or hinders designing for the modern guest.

Here we cover crafting 'social first' design moments, experience vs transaction, multi functional spaces, operational flow, and how this all stems from peoples' shifting expectations, post-Covid.

Can you please introduce us to DLSM Studio?

"DLSM Studio is an international strategy, branding and interior design agency specialising in luxury and lifestyle hospitality destinations. Formerly DesignLSM, the studio recently evolved into DLSM Studio, marking an exciting new chapter for the business under the leadership of myself and my fellow co-owner, Rachel Pratt.

"As a studio with 38 years’ experience, our core approach is designing beyond the aesthetic. Of course, creating beautiful spaces is important, but for us great design goes much deeper than that. Every project begins with understanding the brand’s DNA, the guest, the commercial objectives and the story before translating those insights into experiences that feel meaningful, authentic and memorable.

"With designers located in the UK and the UAE, we’re proud to create award-winning destinations around the world that connect with people on an emotional level while delivering commercial success. Whether we're designing a restaurant, bar, hotel or mixed-use destination, our approach is rooted in curiosity and storytelling, creating places that not only look exceptional, but genuinely resonate with the people who use them."

Who typically are your clients?

"We're fortunate to work with a broad spectrum of respected hospitality clients, from global hotel brands including the InterContinental, Curio by Hilton, Ritz-Carlton and Kempinski, to leading restaurant groups, independent operators and international developers such as EMAAR and Modon. While the projects and clients themselves vary enormously, they all share the same ambition of wanting to create a destination that people actively choose, remember and return to."

As a sector, hospitality has changed exponentially over the last 5+ years. How have your projects altered as a result?

"Hospitality has always been about bringing people together, but the role that venues play in people's lives has changed significantly over the last five years. People are no longer simply looking for somewhere to eat, drink or stay. They're seeking experiences, connection and a sense of belonging.

"As a result, our projects have become much more focused on how people feel within a space, not just how it looks, considering how these destinations can integrate within the lives of its users – whether that’s creating an emotional connection through an extraordinary experience, sharing values, or enhancing their mental and physical wellbeing.

"We've seen a growing demand for environments that support multiple occasions and behaviours throughout the day."

A restaurant, for example, might need to function as a workspace in the morning, a social hub in the afternoon and a destination for celebration in the evening. That requires a much deeper understanding of guest journeys, operational flow and the emotional experience of a space.

"The pandemic undoubtedly accelerated some of these shifts. People became more intentional about how and where they spend their time and money, and hospitality venues had to work harder to earn that. Design now plays a much bigger role in creating memorable moments, fostering connection and giving people a reason to return."

Have the briefs changed? Or your approach? Or both?

"I would say both have evolved. The briefs we receive today are more in-depth than they were five or ten years ago. Clients are increasingly looking beyond aesthetics and asking bigger questions about guest experience, brand differentiation, operational efficiency and long-term commercial performance. There is a much greater understanding that design can be a strategic business tool rather than simply the final layer applied to a project.

"At the same time, our own approach as an agency has evolved over the years. My background is in marketing and brand strategy, so I've always been interested in understanding the audience and a brand’s positioning before designing for spaces, but that thinking has become even more integral to how we approach projects today.

"We immerse ourselves into strategically exploring a brand’s DNA, who it serves and how they will engage with the brand, the competitors and the commerciality of the concept before we begin developing a design concept. We look at everything from guest journeys and operational flow through to emotional touchpoints and moments of connection, curating an authentic story-led design and experience that reflects the personality of the brand.

"Ultimately, the most successful hospitality environments are those where strategy, branding and design work seamlessly together. Beautiful interiors remain important, but they need to be underpinned by a clear purpose and a deep understanding of the people using and working within them."

What does the contemporary hospitality guest expect?

"I think today's hospitality guest expects far more than a product or service. Whether they're visiting a hotel, restaurant, bar or mixed-use destination, they're looking for an experience that feels meaningful, memorable and worth their time and money.

"Guests have become incredibly discerning. They have access to more choice than ever before, so simply offering great food, comfortable accommodation or a beautiful interior is no longer enough. Those things are expected."

"People want spaces that are intuitive, welcoming and authentic. They want environments that reflect their lifestyles and adapt to different needs. Equally, they want a sense of connection - whether that's connection to a brand, a community, a destination or the people they're sharing the experience with.

"We're also seeing a growing desire for hospitality spaces that feel less transactional and more personal. The most successful venues create moments of discovery, encourage social interaction and leave guests with a lasting emotional impression."

What 'new' spaces are required to facilitate an optimum guest experience?

"What's interesting is that we're not necessarily seeing entirely new spaces emerge, but rather a reimagining of how hospitality spaces function and interact with one another.

"Guests are increasingly expecting flexibility. They want environments that can support different activities, moods and occasions throughout the day, so we're designing destinations that are having to work much harder than they once did. A hotel lobby, for example, might also become a coffee bar, a co-working space, a relaxing lounge, and an informal meeting destination or a restaurant may need to accommodate solo diners, remote workers, family gatherings and celebrations, sometimes simultaneously.

"We're seeing a growing emphasis on transitional and social spaces. Arrival experiences, lounges, terraces, bars and communal areas have become much more important because they're often where memorable interactions take place. These are the spaces that encourage people to linger, connect and feel part of a wider community, whilst hospitality destinations are required to effectively utilise space to drive revenue opportunities.

"The future, as it stands, in many hospitality businesses relies on becoming multifunctional environments that prioritise flexibility, social connection and a sense of belonging, rather than spaces designed around a single purpose."

How is AI/new technology helping/hindering?

"Like many businesses, the creative industry is benefitting from efficiencies that simply weren't possible a few years ago - supporting the more administrative tasks which has then allowed our designers to focus on deeper creative thinking.

"Working specifically within the hospitality industry, it is ultimately about people. It’s our role, as strategic designers, to understand consumer behaviour, emotion, culture and human connection - things that can't be fully understood through data or AI alone.

"The most successful hospitality environments are often built around intuition and empathy. They respond to how people move through a space, how they interact with others and how they want to feel when they're there and when they’ve left. While AI can support aspects of the research process, it can't replace the human insight required to create truly meaningful experiences.

"I also think there is a risk that as technology becomes more accessible, we see a degree of homogenisation. If everyone is drawing from the same sources and tools, maintaining originality becomes even more important.

"For me, the future isn't about AI versus creativity. It's about how technology can enhance the design process while allowing designers to focus on the strategic and human-centred thinking that creates the most memorable and meaningful spaces."

What are you working on currently?

"The team are currently delivering an exciting mix of hospitality projects across the UK and the Gulf. We’re excited to be working on the concepts of two luxury lifestyle hotels in Dubai with a major developer, alongside three hotel projects in central London, and two heritage hotels within the UK. We're also continuing our partnership with NAC, supporting new openings across the Middle East while working with exciting F&B concepts including Supernova, Crème and Le Café NAC, with more projects already in the pipeline."

What does the future of hospitality look and feel like?

"I think the future of hospitality will be defined by experiences that feel increasingly human, personal and authentic.

"Technology will continue to play an important role behind the scenes, improving efficiency and helping operators better understand their guests.

"From a guest perspective, I believe the greatest luxury will become genuine connection - connection to people, place and experience."

"We're already seeing a shift away from purely transactional environments towards destinations that offer a stronger sense of community and belonging. Guests want spaces that feel welcoming, flexible and relevant to the way they live their lives. They want reasons to stay longer, return more often and build an emotional connection with a brand.

"I also think the boundaries between sectors will continue to blur. Hotels are becoming social hubs, restaurants are evolving into lifestyle destinations and mixed-use developments are bringing together hospitality, retail, wellbeing and work in increasingly seamless ways.

"For designers, that creates exciting opportunities. Our role is no longer simply to create stylish environments, but to design experiences that support how people want to live, work, socialise and connect. The most successful hospitality spaces of the future will be those that understand people deeply and create meaningful experiences around them through authentic storytelling."

What's next for DLSM?

"We're excited to continue growing our presence across the Gulf region, where demand for distinctive luxury hospitality experiences continues to create incredible opportunities. At the same time, we're seeing growing momentum across Europe, as leading hotel brands expand into new international markets and seek design partners who can help create memorable, experience-led destinations. It's an inspiring period for the studio, and we're looking forward to building on these partnerships while taking on ambitious new projects around the world."

CDUK has launched 7 new Corian® Solid Surface colours from the 2026 Corian® Design palette. Available exclusively from CDUK in the UK and Ireland, the new colours expand the Corian® portfolio with a refreshed creative direction, Corian® Design has named Nature in Motion.

The new colours are: Travertine Roma, Travertine Firenze, Vasto Greige, Vasto Laguna, Artista Drift, Artista Mocha and City Roast. Each has been shaped by biophilic forms and earthy palettes, bringing natural movement to surfaces in a way that reconnects design with the emotional resonance of nature.

In 2024, Corian® Design introduced Nature's Canvas, capturing nature held still in texture and tone. For 2026, nature moves. The new collection translates the flow of stone, water and light into colours built around movement rather than stillness, designed to complement the existing portfolio while expanding what is possible, to design without compromise.

4 collections, 7 new colours

Travertine Collection: Two warm neutral tones inspired by the enduring stonework of Italian architecture. Corian® Travertine Roma reveals subtle 'greige' tones through an off-white surface, balancing depth with contemporary refinement. Corian® Travertine Firenze flows with warm grey across a serene neutral background, reflecting nature's intricate influence and ceaseless evolution.

Vasto Collection: Two expansive tones inspired by the openness of land, sky and sea. Corian® Vasto Greige evokes openness and continuity with broad movement and subtle beige and grey veining. Corian® Vasto Laguna captures boundless space, with blue and warm grey veining in a crisp white background suggestive of water caressing a coastline.

Artista Collection: Two contrasting tones inspired by air and light, and the richness of coffee and chocolate. Corian® Artista Drift is a refined, contemporary white with varied neutral veins and fine particulates evoking a sense of air and light. Corian® Artista Mocha takes the opposite direction, dark brown streaked by monochromatic veining that suggests the richness of coffee and chocolate.

Terrain Collection: A single earthy tone in Corian® City Roast: dark and rich, with a coffee inspired background enlivened by subtle particulates that echo the energy of the cityscape.

Corian® Solid Surface is a material that does what natural stone and laminate cannot. Thermoformable into 2D and 3D shapes and joined with inconspicuous seams, a worktop, wall and basin can read as one continuous form, giving specifiers a design freedom that is simply not possible with other materials.

Solid all the way through and built for high-traffic environments, scratches and damage can be repaired in place and the surface renewed back to its original finish. It is also non-porous and hygienic, with a smooth, impenetrable surface that gives bacteria and mould nowhere to take root, which is why it remains a default specification in healthcare, food service and hospitality projects expected to perform for decades.

Artista Drift, Artista Mocha and City Roast contain pre-consumer recycled content, with third party certification expected late summer 2026.

"Designers are looking for materials that allow them to fully realise their vision without compromise. This collection delivers the warmth and movement designers seek from natural materials, while enabling applications and performance that traditional materials often restrict." - Condylia Courtney, global business director, Corian® Design.

Specifying Corian® Solid Surface through CDUK opens the door to Vita Nova, CDUK's creative take-back and repurposing solution, allowing specifiers, fabricators and contractors to design with circularity and zero waste ambitions without compromising on quality or availability.

In the UK and Ireland alone, upwards of 450 tonnes of solid surface materials find their way into landfill each year. Vita Nova diverts that waste to a workshop in West Yorkshire, repurposing it into new products, part sheets or aggregates.

Sample update kits with the 7 new colours of Corian® Solid Surface are available to order now from CDUK. Specifiers can also request a Lunch and Learn session with the CDUK team, covering design applications, specification guidance and fabrication possibilities. Book here. To view the new colours in full, visit the CDUK website & pop into Material Source Studio Manchester, Glasgow and London, where CDUK is a Partner.

Across the UK, design graduates are tackling the questions that matter most. Designing solutions for the climate emergency, responding with empathy to neuro-inclusive spaces, and reimagining materials as tools for ecological and social repair. Adaptive reuse of existing buildings is a consistent thread throughout, with graduates approaching material, memory and community with a maturity that belies their infancy in industry.

Our 2026 graduate highlights featured here reflect these themes in full. From Central Saint Martins Ernest Wong's 'BIOBONDS', reimagining silk as a biological binder for architectural 3D printing, to Louise McArthur's 'I Am The Peatland', exploring regenerative material futures rooted in landscape and craft. Eva Lippett's 'Museum of Decay' and Flora Berki's 'The Ark' confront climate and ecological repair head-on, and Ella Neary's 'Kultura Musika' and Tom Narai Cowles' 'Drawing in Shelter' centre empathy and trauma-informed design.

This year, we've been fortunate to engage with the next generation of designers throughout the various stages of their educational journey. Our Studio teams have welcomed universities from across the country to Manchester, London and Glasgow; we've toured degree shows in search of emerging talent, as well as New Designers; attended portfolio reviews; and held Material Source Studio-led workshops.

We were also privileged to be part of the judging panel for the Interior Educators National Student Awards, presenting the Materials and Environmental Resolution Award alongside a panel of esteemed judges: Fanis Violentis, Interior Designer and Associate, Gensler; Dickon Hayward, Director, Material Works; and Jecks Stone, Founder, Persona Abode. Our thanks to Andrea Couture, Academic Lead for BA Interior Architecture, Northumbria University and Lead Convenor, Interior Educators for the opportunity to be part of this year's judging process.

A snippet of our 2026 graduate highlights is detailed below spanning a plethora of subjects that are design and built environment focused. Together, they signify that the future of our industry is very much in thoughtful, and materially-curious, hands.

ATU Sligo: Flora Berki - The Ark

Interior Architecture and Design graduate from ATU Sligo, Flora Berki, is the winner of the Interior Educators Material and Environmental Resolution Award.

Flora's project, 'The Ark' reimagines Sligo's former Harbour Mills as a Centre for Environmental Research and Artistic Collaboration, merging material agency, ecological thinking, and heritage adaptation into the design strategy.

Rather than treating the existing structure as a shell, the project positions Harbour Mill's adaptive reuse as an ongoing negotiation between site, material experimentation, and ecological repair. The building is an active participant - shaping how research, making, and public encounter unfold. Reclaimed elements preserve the building's essence while opening it up to flexible, community-driven use.

Materiality was considered from the outset, guided by comprehensive material mapping that treats seaweed, rope, stone, and reclaimed timber as place-based material systems, rather than aesthetic choices. Flora's material experimentation produced seaweed-paper feature lighting and an acoustic composite tile combining seaweed and sawdust.

The judging panel - which we were delighted to be a part of - recognised the project for its climate-responsive design strategy and clear integration of material thinking. The design concept had a strong grasp of construction, assembly, detailing and future reuse, and a sustained environmental and climate awareness throughout. Berki's material exploration and technical development stood out, as did the way her material choices shaped the spatial and tactile experience of the building.

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Nottingham Trent University: Emma Pearson - Extract and Exhale

Highly commended for the Interior Educators Material and Environmental Resolution Award due to its detailed low-carbon material strategy and environmentally considered construction, 'Extract & Exhale' tackles a meticulously researched environmental challenge - toxic water and forever chemicals - with material precision and imaginative ambition.

Set in 2086, the project imagines the UK undone by the 2040 post-work reforms - with purpose lost, overconsumption unmanaged, and our landfills overflowing into open dumping. This led in Emma's narrative to toxic leachate poisoning the water system, and PFAS levels rising until they began to become a threat to human life.

Conceptualising a rebel group called 'The Clarifiers' who discover activated carbon filtration removes PFAS from water, Flora re-imagines an abandoned car park in Nottingham's Lace Market into a survival point for clean water. This is also a space of escape, where users can reset their nervous systems against the harshness of daily life.

The existing car park's monolithic concrete structure becomes the project's primary material resource: demolition waste is harvested and recast to form both the building's new structure and its large filtration tanks, closing the loop on that site's concrete waste while cutting embodied carbon. Combined with reclaimed and reused industrial materials, the design directs the user experience around the movement of water - filtration as both function and ritual, engineered to calm its residents as much as to physically purify.

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Edinburgh College of Art: Aini Arina Fadzil - Portobello Eco-Grief and Renewal Centre (EGRC)

Also receiving a high commendation for her project, Portobello Eco-Grief and Renewal Centre, Aini Arina Fadzil crafts a sanctuary shaped by the sea.

Responding to climate grief as both a personal and collective experience, Arina conceptualises a space for ecological reflection housed within Bellfield, a former church turned community centre. The project extends its legacy of gathering and reflection through adaptable spaces for collaboration, dialogue and learning.

Guided by a transferable Community Climate Infrastructure Framework, it responds to Portobello's coastal vulnerability through place, agency, resilience and circularity - implementing seagrass as a nature-based solution to stabilise sediment, reduce erosion, sequester carbon and support biodiversity. Through restoration, education and stewardship, the centre brings residents, artists and scientists together to transform grief into resilience and collective care.

The material strategy is one of the project's strongest thread, receiving a commendation for the Interior Educators Material and Environmental Resolution Award. This was down to re-imagination of marine-derived waste as architectural resource and material celebration of Portobello's coastal identity, while cutting landfill waste.

Drawing on her own Malay heritage, Arina combined self-developed materials with those that are commercially available. Using agar, kapur (lime paste) and locally sourced shell waste, she develops an agar bioplastic made from mussel and prawn shells, naturally dyed with flowers and onion skins. Her early mussel-shell concrete trials divert shell waste from local restaurants, and led to a fully biodegradable, cement-free shell composite for wall finishes. Bespoke glass bricks - cast with undulating surfaces and crushed mussel shell - filter daylight through the clerestory windows in soft white speckles.

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Edinburgh College of Art: Tom Narai Cowles - Drawing in Shelter

Winner of the Interior Educators 'Imagining Interiors' Award, Tom Narai Cowles' project reimagines an interior for those without a permanent home, by initiating and supporting activities for the 'whole self' within the community.

Applauded for its conceptual depth and relevance to contemporary issues, Tom's comprehensive research into those experiencing homelessness revealed they often lack any opportunity to participate in art-based activities, or connect with and become apart of a positive social community.

'Drawing in Shelter' - Tom's graduate project at Edinburgh College of Art - imagines an interior environment that responds to this issue, demonstrating practical application of design concepts through the inclusion of designed activities to specifically foster social connections and creative enjoyment for people facing homelessness.

This project aims to provoke our assumed image of a day centre for the homeless, justifying the need for life beyond basic survival.

Tom's focus on cardboard as a primary material for interior application spurs much of the material experimentation behind the project. Mixing concrete powder and cardboard waste with a silicone mixture created samples attributed to potential floor tiles. Additionally he experiments with glass to create a textured, partially transparent glass which successfully blurred objects located behind it for privacy, while allowing for views through partitions.

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The Bartlett School of Architecture: Samuel Field - The Next Rotation

British forests are at a crossroads. Monoculture plantations are rife, and so our planting methods must shift towards diverse, climate-resilient woodland management to combat climate change, disease and ecological vulnerability.

Situated within Thetford’s public forest estate, 'The Next Rotation' - Samuel Field's Year 4 MArch project at the Bartlett School of Architecture - proposes a Forest Hangar at Roudham, a test site for an ecologically rich, mixed-species woodland. A phased building grows with the forest across one 70-year cycle, becoming a built record of the changing condition.

The programme expands from first shelters and working thresholds into timber production, research and civic learning. By synthesising anthropic activity with natural cycles, the project argues for a slow forest grown architecture, shaped by the material realities of Britain’s next rotation.

The material strategy follows the forest’s changing resource across one 70-year rotation. Early construction uses Scots and Corsican pine as green roundwood and sawn sections, reflecting the immediate plantation condition. As mixed-species woodland matures, Douglas fir, larch, sweet chestnut, beech and other British softwoods and hardwoods enter the palette. These enable longer trusses, laminated members, glulam and CLT.

With over 80% of construction timber imported, the project tests whether local mixed-species forests can shape a more resilient, lower-carbon material future. Timber is paired with flint, a traditional construction material in Norfolk. It anchors the building, providing mass and permanence as the timber structure above evolves.

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The Bartlett School of Architecture: Rosie Dymock - Tailored Space

Year 3 BSc Architecture student, Rosie Dymock translates garment pattern-making and tailoring logic into the architectural language of her project, 'Tailored Space'.

An exemplar project for how material process directly shapes both concept and construction, Rosie explores how garment pattern-making techniques could define spaces beneath the tree canopy of Epping Forest. It's a space that endeavours to strengthen the relationship between inhabitant and environment.

Fabric naturally sits at the heart of the project, informing both its design methodology and material expression. Borrowing from the logic of tailoring, fabric informed an iterative and hands-on design process in which the building was developed as a series of spatial ‘fits’, continually adjusted in response to programme, site, and the building’s evolving geometry.

In the final design, translucent fabric façades create a permeable envelope that strengthen the building’s relationship with its surroundings, with areas that can open to dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior space.

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The Bartlett School of Architecture: Aleksandra Tarnowska - Rethinking Metabolism

Rethinking Metabolism by Aleksandra Tarnowska positions waste-based materials as tools for Regenerative Architecture. Reframing the relationship between agriculture and architecture, Aleksandra proposes a materials’ research and fabrication centre within a disused cascina in northern Italy.

Developed in collaboration with the adjacent Riso San Raffaele farm, the project establishes a continuous cycle of research, making, testing, exhibition, and public participation centred on agricultural byproducts. Existing buildings are adapted to accommodate laboratories, workshops, and community spaces - creating an environment where new construction materials can be developed, certified, and shared. The proposal positions architecture as an evolving process that links local industry, education, and regenerative environmental practice.

The project’s material strategy is guided by circularity, locality, and long-term adaptability. Existing masonry buildings are retained wherever possible and repaired using reclaimed brick and stone recovered from the site and surrounding area. New interventions introduce experimental composite systems developed from locally available rice husk, rice straw, rice husk ash, and lime, selected for their potential to reduce embodied carbon while responding to the agricultural context.

Material selection is informed through iterative testing and prototyping, allowing structural, environmental, and tectonic performance to develop alongside the architectural design rather than being applied retrospectively.

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The Bartlett School of Architecture: Gus Eynon Richards - Common in the Soil

Gus Eynon Richards' 'Common in the Soil' is his Year 4 MArch Architecture project at Bartlett School of Architecture.

Set amidst the deconstruction of Port Talbot’s last two blast furnaces, 'Common in the Soil' responds to the polluted soil that now sits where steelworks once did. Tracing these pollutants through the growth of plants, the project proposes using willow trees as pollution extractors and landscape stabilisation, whose position references the industry now erased from the site. These trees define a new architecture that processes the vast quantities of demolition waste into business premises for redundant steelworkers. Industry, both a source of pride and invader in the Welsh landscape, is thereby preserved through, and not despite, the landscape, offering a 'Common in the Soil'.

The project’s materiality derives entirely from the site itself, being comprised principally of demolition waste and timber from willow trees. Willow timber is supported structurally by oversized steel beams, left uncut after being reclaimed. Highly polluted waste is sequestered as rubble into rammed walls made of polluted earth; rather than being transported to landfill, they form an inhabited landfill that acknowledges the cost of demolition.

Less polluted elements, such as concrete slabs, become a fragmented pathway around the site, safeguarding the transition between polluted soil and foot. The roof, formed of salvaged raw steel tiles, slowly rusts away, passing iron into the soil as a nutrient to benefit plant growth.

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University of Salford: Leila Ratcliffe - Blossom House

Blossom House is a homeless shelter for women and children, located in the heart of Manchester. Conceived by Leila Ratcliffe, Interior Design student at the University of Salford, the project sets out to create a dignified environment, where rest and rehabilitation are made possible through in-house services including family counselling and job search facilities. Trauma-informed design principles sit at the heart of the scheme, with every decision oriented around helping residents feel empowered and able to rebuild their confidence.

To realise the vision, Leila drew on a selection of Material Source Studio Partner products discovered first-hand at our Manchester Studio - specifying materials and furnishings across flooring, walls, seating and acoustics.

Crown Paints colour the walls, a mixture of Milliken and Forbo Flooring Systems inform the flooring plan, acoustic solutions are applied from Autex Acoustics, furniture fills the space from both Sixteen3 and NaughtOne, and fabrics from both Camira and ILIV provide softness throughout the scheme.

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Manchester School of Art: Emily Oakes - Last Port of Call

Last Port of Call is a community-led cultural hub rooted in Stockport’s industrial heritage by Manchester School of Art BA Interior Design graduate, Emily Oakes.

Shaped to reflect the community of today, Emily carefully crafted this scheme for her final year project, responding directly to the needs of real grassroots creatives and residents in the local area.

Grounded in research into culture-led regeneration in post-industrial towns, Last Port of Call is designed to be a new home for local charity StockArts, bringing together a pub, residency kitchen for local food traders, brewery, and a live music venue. This forms a shared ecosystem that supports and sustains local culture. The space engages all five senses to evoke nostalgia for Stockport’s industrial past, while sustainability underpins the design through a committed low-carbon approach, consciously sourced materials and adaptive reuse.

Onmatter's HopfON acoustic material features in the scheme, discovered at Material Source Studio's Future Materials Library as well as the Luca Tile - crafted by northern manufacturer, Alusid in collaboration with, Material Source Studio Partner, Parkside Architectural Tiles. These sit alongside lighting specified from Lightforms. Here you can explore the project in full.

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Manchester School of Art: Evie Burrows - Thread

Evie Burrows - BA Interior Design graduate from Manchester School of Art - is the creator behind the scheme, 'Thread'. Designed to address spatial ageism and the growing loneliness experienced by both the Third Age and Gen Z populations, Thread is an intergenerational storytelling space.

Reimagining ageing as an active process shaped by interaction, participation, and environment, Thread functions as a living archive where stories, memories, and experiences are continually layered over time - leaving traces of those who have occupied the space before.

The material palette communicates the concept of ‘Palimpsest’ through layering, reuse, and visible traces of time. Sustainably sourced timber and clay plaster are selected for their lower environmental impact, and their ability to gain character through use, and concrete for durability. As surfaces age, they retain evidence of occupation and interaction, allowing the environment to embody collective memory.

Connecting the building's past and present, glass brick and tile detailing reference the building’s 1960s origins, preserving its architectural identity while reinterpreting it in a contemporary context.

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Manchester School of Architecture: Eva Lippett - Museum of Decay

Winner of the Manchester School of Architecture Digital Innovation Award sponsored by Material Source Studio, BA(Hons) Architecture graduate, Eva Lippett's 'Museum of Decay' reimagines death not as finality, but as a chance for transformation, commemoration and planetary renewal. And the materiality of the scheme is imperative to Eva's concept.

Mourning is woven into the landscape through temporary, biodegradable memorials embedded with seeds. Their gradual erosion transforms personal grief into ecological renewal, preserving the memory of those honoured through the germination of new life. As human presence slowly recedes, built form surrenders agency to nature. The site itself becomes an artefact of former occupation, and the structure now stands as an immovable protest of natural reclamation.

Materiality within the Museum of Decay was intentionally curated to support the project's post-humanist ethos, prioritising ecological responsibility, circularity, low embodied carbon and local sourcing. Rather than resisting weathering and deterioration, materials were selected for their ability to age, decompose and ultimately return back to the landscape.

Rammed earth memorial plaques, made from excavated site waste and embedded with seeds and ashes, transform remembrance into an act of ecological renewal as they gradually erode and disperse new life into the site. Locally sourced straw thatch forms a vulnerable outer skin, while renewable cork panels naturally weather and encourage biodiversity. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) frames provide a lasting structural scaffold, allowing vegetation to progressively reclaim the architecture over time. Concrete use was deliberately minimised, with small footings used only where necessary to stabilise the structure and reduce environmental impact.

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Manchester School of Art: Jayne Plummer - Grow, Gather, Guide

Graduating from the Textiles in Practice BA at Manchester School of Art, Jayne Plummer is a sustainable textiles educator based in the Peak District. Through her practice, she embraces natural dyes, fibres, print and embroidery.

Informed by her Carbon Literacy Training, Jayne challenges norms and assumptions associated with sustainability, applying a critical understanding of natural colour to inspire a circular and hyper local methods of textile making. As a result, a deep respect of nature's cycles and an awareness that everything is connected permeates through her work.

Growing and harvesting natural colour from her own allotment in the Peak District, it was Jayne's investigation into hyper local colour and natural fibres that resulted in her snapping up the Material Source Studio Material Innovation Award.

As an educator and workshop facilitator, Jayne holds welcome space for people of all ages and backgrounds to share her knowledge on natural dyeing methods and textile fibres. Passionate about the benefits of gathering and collaborating as we learn, create, share as one. The Art School Commissions team selected Jayne to facilitate public workshops in sustainable textiles and natural dyeing throughout the degree show week under the project 'Nature's Colour: A Textile Exploration'.

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University of Salford: Ella Neary - Kultura Musika

Merging music and cultural exchange, 'Kultura Musika' by Ella Neary is a multi-purpose space designed for migrants to feel safe and a sense of belonging away from home.

Recognising the importance of psychological support for migrants who may be struggling with trauma and loneliness, Ella embraces this issue through designing a soothing space for cultural music exchange that invites occupants to meet new people from a variety of communities within a warm and welcoming environment. Kultura Musika encourages users to learn about other people’s cultures and express their own through music.

Ella conceptualised her scheme for Kultura Musika alongside Senior Designer at 74, Andrew Murray, during our Belonging event back in June - a session held at Material Source Studio Manchester that invited both designers and students to come together to form a material palette that responded to the theme, 'Belonging'. Ella and Andrew's product of this event has become materially foundational to Ella's concept for Kultura Musika, featuring many Material Source Studio Partners.

Curves are integral to the scheme, being an organic and welcoming shape to the eye, these were implemented through Parkside Architectural Tiles' curved tile offering. Autex Acoustics softens the sound reverberation throughout the space, and a selection of solutions from Forbo Flooring Systems and Altro feature on the floor. Muraspec Wallcoverings 'Burnish' envelopes the scheme in an industrially-inspired warmth, whilst ILIV's Aurify in colour Sage provides a nature-inspired softness. CDUK's Corian and PaperStone, and Sylan's Premium Solid Surface also feature.

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Central Saint Martins: Antoine Léger - What Grows Again

'What Grows Again' by Antoine Léger - Material Futures MA graduate at Central Saint Martins - explores regenerative forestry in the UK through coppicing.

Coppicing is a woodland management practice where trees are cut back and allowed to regrow in cycles. The project investigates how this renewable material can inform new artefacts, structures, and spatial interventions while supporting biodiversity, local skills, and material resilience. A key outcome is a modular connector system for coppiced timber, developed as an alternative to industrial wood.

This research culminated in a collaborative public installation, inviting participants to build and expand a pavilion while learning about coppicing through hands-on making and collective assembly.

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Central Saint Martins: Louise McArthur - I Am The Peatland: Conditions of Making Shaped Within an Extracted Landscape

Louise is a flax-led material artist, graduating from Central Saint Martins' MA Regenerative Design course and recent recipient of the Maison/0 Green Trail Award for her graduate project, 'I Am The Peatland'. Maison/0 is an alliance between Central Saint Martins and the LVMH Group - where 'regenerative luxury' is explored through creatively exploring solutions to climate emergency.

'I Am The Peatland: Conditions of Making Shaped Within an Extracted Landscape' explores the ecological history of the Humberhead Levels through a collection of flax-based garments and artefacts.

Using flax grown on former peatland soils and coloured with plant-derived dyes, Louise investigates how materials can carry stories of landscape transformation, biodiversity loss and environmental change. Rooted in regenerative design, the project positions making as a form of ecological witnessing. Through slow, material-led processes, the work reconnects fibre, land and species, inviting audiences to consider how design can cultivate deeper relationships with place while contributing to conversations around restoration, care and environmental responsibility.

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Central Saint Martins: Ernest Wong - BIOBONDS

When you think of silk, you might imagine the fabric - both soft and luxurious.

'BIOBONDS' by Central Saint Martins MA Biodesign graduate, Ernest Wong looks at silk from a different perspective: as a protein with remarkable natural strength.

By extracting and processing silk fibroin from Bombyx mori cocoons, then biobonding it with K. xylinus microbial cellulose, upcycled eggshell powder and buff clay, BIOBONDS reimagines a new materiality for silk as a biological binder for architectural 3D printing. Tested through microscale bioprinting at the Francis Crick Institute and scaled into a modular architectural column, the material cures under ambient conditions without firing.

BIOBONDS challenges energy-intensive fabrication and suggests how built environments could draw structural intelligence from natural ecosystems - putting forward bio-based binder alternatives for the built environment.

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Chelsea College of Art: Rose Prince - Beyond the Window

Inspired by Rose's several years working in care homes, ‘Beyond the Window’ is a collection of handwoven lap blankets inspired by British gardens, designed to bring the comfort of nature into care and interior environments.

For her graduate project on Chelsea College of Art's Textile Design BA, Rose explores how woven texture can evoke the sensory qualities of outdoor spaces for those with limited access to nature.

Informed by conversations with elderly garden lovers and Rose's experience working in a care home, the collection examines how gardens provide familiarity, comfort, and emotional connection. Rich woven textures encourage sensory interaction and moments of calm, while subtle interactive elements and thoughtful design features support wellbeing and everyday use.

The collection uses predominantly British wool, celebrating a valuable natural resource that is readily available within the UK. Rose is passionate about championing a material source that exists locally while supporting sustainable textile production. Silk is incorporated to introduce a subtle lustre, reflecting participants’ descriptions of gardens. Brushed mohair provides a contrasting tactile quality, encouraging touch and sensory engagement.

All yarns are hand dyed to create carefully considered colour palettes informed by dementia-friendly design principles, promoting visual comfort and minimising confusion. Rose tells us she has also began exploring sustainable finishing techniques that protect the fabric while preserving its tactile qualities.

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Chelsea College of Art: Chaemin Lee - Not What It Seems

BA Product and Furniture Design graduate, Chaemin Lee translates nature's subtle movements into physical form.

Emerging from Chelsea College of Art, Chaemin takes inspiration from the drift and fall of branches, sculpting these traces in motion within fluid-like spatial forms. In observing how small changes accumulate over time, 'Not What It Seems' explores balance and the relationship between natures process and material expression.

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Central Saint Martins: Shannon Daly - Plaide Boglaich

'Plaide Boglaich' is created by Glasgow-born artist Shannon Daly, graduate of the MA Material Futures course at Central Saint Martins.

More than 20% of Scotland is covered by peat - an essential ecosystem to keeping peatlands healthy which is vital to tackling climate change. Plaide Boglaich has been crafted in collaboration with living systems to restore the Scottish peatlands, where an estimated 80% are damaged.

The groundbreaking Plaide Boglaich - Tartan for nature - is a large-scale textile work that reimagines tartan as a material for ecological repair rather than human consumption. Responding to the widespread degradation of Scottish peatlands and the collapse of the wool industry, it proposes felted wool geotextiles installed in dry, drained, and degraded peatlands that require rewetting.

These textiles are designed to host living and breathing sphagnum moss, so as the moss grows, it allows the tartan pattern to emerge through growth itself, organically shaped over time by moisture, acidity and ecological conditions.

The project brings together Scotland's wool heritage, tartan and peatland restoration to imagine a new role for textiles in tackling biodiversity loss and climate change.

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Glasgow School of Art: Isabella Gibbons - Howden's Crossing

'Howden's Crossing', designed by BA Interior Design graduate Isabella Gibbons at Glasgow School of Art, transforms a neglected industrial site in Glasgow's Kingston into a public neighbourhood hub - connecting existing and new residents through shared everyday life.

Responding to the area's rapid residential growth, the scheme weaves local business pavilions, internal gardens, a library, bathhouse, listening spaces and a rooftop bar into the site, creating spaces to work, meet, rest and explore. Considered pathways and framed views invite curiosity, letting people shape their own journey through the building.

The material strategy draws directly from the site's industrial past. Recovered terracotta brick is crushed and used as pigment within lime plaster, creating a marbled scagliola flooring unique to the project. Overgrown site vegetation is transformed into handmade paper for lighting and shading. Together, these circular interventions root the building in its landscape and history.

This project was shortlisted for the Interior Educators Material and Environmental Resolution Award for its climate responsive material palette that pays homage to the local area, whilst displaying a comprehensive understanding of construction and future re-use.

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Glasgow School of Art: Tracy Ann Wong - More Than Music

'More Than Music' - a concept put together by Interior Design BA graduate, Tracy Wong - transforms the ruins of the former Caledonia Road Church in Glasgow’s Southside into a collaborative space. A space where musicians of different genres and skill levels can connect, rehearse, and experiment with sound.

Drawn from their own experiences as a violinist in an informal music group, Tracy's project celebrates the process of making music together, and the friendships and emotional connections that emerge from it. A Mauritian designer of Chinese descent, Tracy's work explores the merging of cultures, people, practices, and mediums. Within More Than Music, music itself becomes a design method, shaping each decision throughout the process.

Materials shape the space with contrasting acoustic qualities, letting music be experienced in different ways as you move through the site. More traditional materials such as hand-carved mahogany, wrought iron balustrades, stencilled ceiling paintings are reintroduced alongside new materials chosen for functional, responsible purpose. Corten steel is selected for its ability to weather and darken alongside the sandstone ruin. In addition, perforated acoustic panels, carved wood, upholstery and painted plywood create a warmer and more controlled atmosphere.

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Glasgow School of Art: Rachel Masterman - Applecross Heritage Centre

Winner of The Glasgow School of Art Stakis Prize, 'The Applecross Heritage Centre' is a community-led proposal for North Glasgow, reimagining the Forth & Clyde Canal as a destination for learning, culture, and community.

Conceptualised by Rachel Masterman, BA Interior Design graduate from Glasgow School of Art, the project is rooted in the area’s industrial heritage, supporting Scottish Canals by strengthening connections between people, place, and landscape.

The Applecross Museum celebrates Glasgow’s manufacturing legacy through a sequence of canal-inspired spaces, while ‘Discovering Roots’ shifts the narrative from preservation to regeneration - embracing the canal’s ecological future. The Towpath Bakehouse occupies the former wood workshop, while the new BoatYard connects it to the museum, creating a civic focal point that celebrates the historic Vulcan passenger barge.

Materiality is central to expressing the Applecross Heritage Centre’s narrative, selections made on both environmental credentials and their ability to reflect the site’s identity. Recycled solid surfaces such as CDUK's Polygood - discovered at Material Source Studio - alongside natural wallcoverings create tactile interiors inspired by the canal landscape. Vepa’s hemp seating - also discovered at Material Source Studio Glasgow - reinforces the project’s sustainable ethos while reflecting shared canal heritage.

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Northumbria University: Bernadette Renshaw - Unpicking

MEA House has sat in the Centre of Newcastle upon Tyne serving as a hub for charities aiding the surrounding community from 1974 - 2023. 'Unpicking' by Interior Architecture BA graduate, Bernadette Renshaw reawakens the spirit of the Grade II listed building through a focus on community wellbeing, education and action surrounding the reuse of textiles in response to the climate crisis and the deprivation present in the area.

Local residents are given a space where rest and wellbeing are prioritised and a hub where they can socialise and build skills associated with the reuse of textiles. By resetting the building fabric to its base structure, revealing layers and creating shared volumes, textile repair serves as a convivial and community act.

The scheme's materiality includes a base palette which spans across all zones, whilst specific colour palettes are applied in different zones to differentiate between rest, exchange and repair areas. Textiles are applied throughout the scheme as upholstery and as moveable partitions. Materials made from recycled textiles are also used in various placements throughout including FabBricks and Denimolite, including a dedicated space in the scheme for the recycling of textile fibres into fabric bricks. The bricks are used throughout the scheme as a material to tie the physical back to the functional narrative. Furniture specifications over the scheme include Material Source Studio Partner, Vepa Felt chairs, made from recycled PET bottles whilst pairing well with the texture of textiles throughout.

For this project, Bernadette won the Interior Educators Spatial Experience & Interior Response Award.

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FOLA, a creative agency working across communications, culture and experiences, has opened its new Lagos HQ.

Conceived as a hybrid workspace, showroom and cultural platform, the space was built around a simple idea: what would it look like if an African creative company reimagined the traditional office entirely?

The result is a carefully curated environment, designed by Sade Teyibo, FOLA's founder, in collaboration with John Asuquo on the overall architecture and build, Valerie Nizan, who sourced the vintage furniture that features throughout the project, and Tutu Awosika, who helped with insight on the overall flow of the space. It brings together fashion, design, art, and community under one roof.

Alongside FOLA's working studio sits an official fashion sample and editorial pull room, while the interiors feature a collection of vintage and contemporary pieces sourced from Lagos and Europe, including works by Annie Hieronimus for Cinna, Vico Magistretti and Matteo Grassi, alongside a rotating presentation of African art.

More than a workplace, the space functions as a platform for the wider creative community. It's used to host intimate dinners, conversations, previews, workshops, and gatherings that bring together artists, designers, founders, editors, and cultural practitioners across disciplines.

"What interests us most is not the office itself, but what it represents."

"For years, conversations around creative infrastructure in Africa have often focused on what is missing. This project was our attempt to build something that reflects the ambition, creativity, and cultural confidence of a new generation of African businesses", commented FOLA's founder Sade Teyibo.

"We didn't want to build an office. We wanted to build a world. What exists here could sit comfortably in Paris, London or New York, but it's rooted in Lagos, shaped by our community and unapologetically ours."

Romain Charlet has recently been appointed president of the Glasgow Institute of Architects. And, for us, there couldn’t be a more passionate or dedicated choice.

Senior architect Romain has a genuine love of architecture. Evident, not only through his extensive commitment to the GIA, but his role at Anderson Bell + Christie (ABC Architects), and involvement with Guiding Architects – a unique group of passionate architects leading tours of the cities they live in, worldwide, through a built environment lens.

Prior to taking up the presidency position, Romain was education convenor – a role now being undertaken by Fiona Wylie – an architect at Oberlanders (interview coming soon). The drive to champion and celebrate emerging talent that underpinned Romain’s time as education convenor will continue to fuel activity under his tenure as president, he tells us during a recent chat.

As Material Source Studio is official ‘Home of the GIA’, we were keen to catch up with Romain on his upcoming plans for the Institute, as well as finding out how best to get involved. With his expertise in architectural tours in mind, we also asked for his favourite building in Glasgow…read on to find out what he said.

Congrats on becoming president of the GIA. How has your first month or so been?

“It has been quite a buzz, I have not had much time to think about it, really. I have had to catch up with a lot of people and partners to ensure continuity with Andrew’s term, which beyond the admin means getting a full grip of the reality of the role. It is amazing how many inspiring conversations and projects I have picked up in so little time. There is so much going on, and I am extremely enthusiastic about it all.”

What are you hoping to achieve/put in place?

“I am hoping to build on the work I have started with the education committee and strengthening the link between the GIA and other professional bodies. The GIA has very strong ties industry wide and I am intending to make the most of it and encourage collaboration between as many strands of the built environment as I can. I have already started a few conversations with different bodies; we have plans for joint events and seminars, but the big event I am looking at to celebrate is still shaping out.”

You were previously education convenor, and have a passion for supporting the next generation of architects - can you tell us how this translates into your new role as president?

“I have yes, and I have been actively involved with the education committee for over 4-years. I joined education because, as a tutor within the University of Strathclyde, I could not stop comparing the education system with the one I studied in, in France, and my own journey. I know from experience that there is so much potential in opening outside of the traditional academia to build your own path and that’s what the education committee was about for me.

“As president, my aim is to be as inclusive as possible with the new generation. We are a young hearted council, and I believe change and enthusiasm comes more candidly from the young people. I will continue to promote young professional and student events as well as making sure our programme of events and the discussions we hold not only addresses them but include them.”

For anyone not familiar with the GIA can you give us a snapshot?

“The GIA, or Glasgow Institute of Architects, was founded by Alexander Thompson and his peers back in 1868. It even predates the RIAS of which it is the largest chapter. As such, any RIAS member practicing or studying within the GIA geographical area is automatically a member. What this means is that the GIA is a powerful tool to promote and support the work of its members (from Dumfries & Galloway to Argyle & Bute). It is governed by a council of trustees mainly composed of its active committee convenors. Each committee sets its own agenda of events spanning conservation, sustainability, education, architecture and urban practices.

“We are proud to have 5 very active committees with a full schedule of events, and I invite anyone who is not so familiar to check our website and socials to see what we are up to and, importantly, how to get involved. It is also important to note that we are here to support the profession, and we manage the W B Whitie Benevolent Fund. All GIA members who find themselves going through hardship can apply confidentially to seek a grant of up to £500 to support reasonable immediate needs.”

Material Source Studio Glasgow is home of the GIA - how has that collaboration supported the GIA's work?

“The partnership with Material Source was set up by our past president, Andrew Hadden. It has been a little bit over a year now and I must say this has become a mutually successful partnership. Material Source has given us access to its spaces, which means that GIA members are welcome to use the spaces for organising events but also host drop-in sessions, meetings or simply use it as a workspace whenever practical.

"The other key element is the visibility. Material Source is a brilliant networking activator and has a very strong media presence which helps us convey our message to the chapter but also nationally.”

Event-wise, what's coming up that people can get involved in?

“Like I said there is a lot going on and the best place to start is our socials and website but as a taster I can touch on a few of the upcoming activities. We have ongoing events organised with GCC on visioning Glasgow’s future. We have a series of talks and tours led in both sustainability and conservation.

"The Student Awards judging took place in May with a multidisciplinary panel, and the gathering will take place in September. This one is a favourite of mine with the students invited to present their work during a nice, open, and fully catered evening.

"Lastly the GIA Design Awards will open for submission in August. It is important to note that both work by GIA members outside of the chapter and work by non-GIA members inside the chapter area are eligible for submission. The Awards Dinner is our ultimate event, which closes the year with a bang. The dinner takes place in November in Glasgow and is open to all.”

As well as being president of the GIA, you're also a senior architect at ABC (Anderson Bell + Christie) - how do you balance your roles?

“Yes, that is true, I am very lucky to be working with such a supportive bunch. There is a mutual benefit of my involvement with the GIA. I am grateful for the flexibility that the practice offers to its employees which allows me to keep a sane work life balance whist keeping on top of my commitments as president of the GIA.

“At ABC, I lead a variety of projects. This means I can work on residential projects both new build and retrofit, healthcare, education or community facilities. It is at the heart of what we do to make sure every architect and assistant has access to a wide range of subjects, to maintain curiosity, enthusiasm, and a critical mindset.”

What do you hope your legacy will be as GIA president?

“The GIA is what its members make of it. This phrase is not mine, but I have adopted it. As I have intimated, we have a very active chapter, and I aim to help this go from strength to strength. However, I feel we should work to improve our communication to our members and the public in general. Whilst we are good at communicating what is happening and what we are up to, we need to improve how we collect our members' feedback and how this informs our actions."

You previously worked as an architectural tour guide - what's your favourite building in Glasgow? And why?

“I am still occasionally involved with Guiding Architects. I have helped deliver tours for this international network since working with the Glasgow practice, ‘Dress for the Weather’ who are the Scottish ambassador of the network. Honestly you should look it up. It is a brilliant group of passionate architects touring the cities they live in, worldwide. A tour that I really like to deliver, and that was created by my colleague Andy Campbell, is called, ‘In search of order’. It is a 2-hour walk from Mitchell Lane up to Sauchiehall Street (weegies will know) that explores how a small group of architects in a short period of time explored what would / could be a distinctive Glasgow Style in a booming industrial city at the turn of the 20th Century.

“My highlight is the Hatrack. Designed by James Salmon Jr. and opened in 1902. It is an exquisite example of a plastic and non-structural stone façade, very revolutionary and criticised at the time. The plot was narrow and long and the use of a cantilevered steel structure to support the façade allowed a maximum of light to penetrate the depth of the building. It is a perfect metaphor for the skills and talent that I see in generations of Glaswegian architects that are still on display today.”

For anyone hoping to get involved with the GIA - how can they?

“As I said, any RIAS member is automatically a GIA member, but you do not have to be registered to be involved. Our committees are always on the lookout for people and if you are interested in being involved in whatever capacity, do send us an email or reach out to our socials. There are no rigid commitments, just a bunch of folks wanting to talk and promote all things architecture.”

New Designers is an annual exhibition that brings together graduate design talent from across the UK.

As the academic year comes to a close, the show allows visitors to see over 2,500 graduates from over 100 courses present their work at the Business Design Centre in Islington. New Designers demonstrates the breadth of innovation; covering product, textiles, ceramics, interiors, UX and socially engaged practices to name a few. Increasingly, many of the designers are working with an interdisciplinary approach to design, sitting in the intersections of specialisms, combining different materials, methods and perspectives to explore new ways of making and thinking.

We went along to spot up-and-coming talent, and to see what ideas the next generation of designers are bringing to the industry. This year, our top picks share a focus on local materials, circularity, education and community. Together, they demonstrate the power of design to interrogate established systems while proposing critical, imaginative responses to today's social and environmental challenges. Here are our top five picks from New Designers 2026...

No Jagae Soban by Jungwoon Lim - Nottingham Trent University

NO JAGAE SOBAN reinterprets Najeonchilgi, the traditional Korean craft of decorating lacquered furniture with mother-of-pearl, through a contemporary design language. Once highly valued, the craft has gradually declined as changing lifestyles and mass production have reduced its demand. The project explores how its material qualities, craftsmanship, and visual identity can evolve within contemporary furniture.

Inspired by the fact that both mother-of-pearl and marine plastic originate from the sea, the project uses recycled plastic waste collected from the coastline as an alternative decorative material. Rather than replicating traditional techniques, it reinterprets the layered surfaces, refined detailing, and craftsmanship of Najeonchilgi through sustainable materials and contemporary forms, bringing together Korean craft heritage and recycled marine plastic in a new material language.

Inspired by the traditional Korean soban (tray table), NO JAGAE SOBAN is designed as a lightweight folding table for flexible everyday living. Its portable structure encourages long-term use while adapting to changing lifestyles. By combining traditional craftsmanship with recycled materials, the project demonstrates how cultural heritage can remain relevant through sustainable design and contemporary innovation.

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The Tree Table by Stan Miles Abbott - University of Brighton

The Tree Table was built as a platform for connection through serving a primary function of interaction, and a secondary function of engagement. Built to leverage intrigue and curiosity, The Tree Table invites people to sit and engage, chat and wonder.

During the research of this project, the question became: How do you platform connection through production when undertaking a task of the scale?

The production became a collaborative work between Stan and his volunteers - "we spent a long weekend, working together, crafting together and cooking together; connection at every point. Each of them shaped a leg for the bench and made a chair for themselves to take away.

"During this process, the object itself became irrelevant, it became a conduit to something else, connection."

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Embedding Craft into the Curriculum by Anna-Maria Stavreva - University of Brighton

Embedding Craft into the Curriculum explores the tension between a curriculum that aims to be a world-leader in sustainability education by 2030, according to the UK’s Department for Education (2023), and an increasingly abstract knowledge hierarchy. Anna-Maria proposes an ‘embedded craft’ curriculum for Key Stage 3 as a solution, embodying climate-positive practices such as resourcefulness and material literacy alongside education about abstract and concrete concepts.

Her body of research has three outcomes, each prioritising different facets. The Maths bench is a compromise with today’s reality. It aims to sneak material literacy under the cover of Maths, a prestigious subject. The Material Literacy chair is a curriculum in object form which entails an exploration of overlooked materials, whereby the processing of such materials teaches material literacy. Finally, the Christmas tree collection is a deep material exploration into one waste stream that is pervasive in the local urban environment.

This approach to education uproots the conventional epistemological thinking, allowing students to connect to their environment through an embodied and tangible material practice. Giving agency through making to the future generation who will need to tackle increasingly difficult living conditions on our planet.

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Second Sheet Project by Eli Tinapp - University of Sussex

Paper waste remains one of the most visible yet overlooked challenges in lower education. While students are encouraged to recycle, they rarely gain a meaningful understanding of where their waste goes and how it's being used beyond being thrown away. Sustainability education is frequently treated as an isolated topic, hardly taught through practicals.

This project explores how schools can become more active in the circular economy by rethinking the journey paper takes within the classroom. Rather than relying solely on traditional teaching methods, it proposes a fully planned out, hands-on approach that enables students to transform discarded paper into papier-mache. Combining old techniques with newer forms of prototyping in an interactive and educational system. By embedding circular practices, the project aims to make sustainability tangible, memorable and engaging.

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Our Grandchildren’s World by Henry Chantler - Northumbria University

This project asks: "What if we designed for our grandchildren’s world?" How would it reframe our expectations and help us to consider our impact? How can we create objects that capture carbon, cause less harm, enable emotional attachment and challenge expectations?

What are the unseen carbon impacts of processing, transporting, and disposing of materials? Through using timber that can be traced back to the stump, avoiding over-processing, and enabling longevity through reversible adhesives and strong joints, this series of wooden stools challenges expectations through highlighting the carbon impacts of processing.

Wood captures carbon; hemp captures it quicker. Pine resin is a natural, traceable binder that can be combined with hemp and beeswax to create a strong composite. These stools showcase the development of an experimental, low-impact, naturally focused material approach into a finished piece of furniture.

Failure offers insight. A material may not be suitable for its intended use, but it may open a different path. Beeswax is locally sourced, low-impact and natural. Weak if misused, but tactile, soft, and capable if considered differently. These properties are explored through a series of trinket trays, a plant pot and a lamp.

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What is the best starting point for a new development? For international architecture and urban design practice, CHYBIK + KRISTOF, it's using what's already there.

Rooted in a belief that cities are living structures shaped by memory and everyday life, the studio approaches each project as an opportunity to build on the layers that came before, not to erase them. Through a lens of 'Creative Reuse', CHYBIK + KRISTOF critically examine how cities can meet the needs of today's, and future, communities.

Nowhere is this more apparent than the Sugar Factory Neighbourhood in collaboration with SKANSKA. A mixed-use regeneration of a long-dormant industrial brownfield site in Modřany, fragments of the original 1927 factory are finding their way into the very fabric of the new neighbourhood.

A hybrid façade cladding material made from recycled bricks and concrete is an integral part of the continuation of Sugar Factory's heritage and sustainability strategy. Focused on long-term environmental quality and sustainable urban living, this project is being developed to meet BREEAM Platinum standards.

The Sugar Factory project is redefining what it means to build with memory: from bespoke materials made from demolition waste with SKANSKA and UCEEB at the Czech Technical University, to a new civic heart for an underserved district.

Here we chat to Ondřej Chybík of CHYBIK + KRISTOF on how industrial memory, material innovation, and community-led thinking are shaping one of Prague's most ambitious regeneration projects to-date.

How does CHYBIK + KRISTOF reimagine cities through a lens of Creative Reuse?

"We see cities as living structures shaped over time by people, memory, and everyday life. For us, 'Creative Reuse' means starting with what already exists instead of assuming that demolition is the only way forward.

"Of course, reuse is partly about environmental consciousness, but it’s also about continuity. Existing buildings carry a certain atmosphere, identity, and cultural memory that you simply cannot recreate from scratch. We try to preserve that where possible, while adapting spaces to contemporary needs.

"At the same time, we don’t see reuse as a rigid approach. Sometimes transformation requires adding new layers or even building anew. The important thing is that cities continue to evolve in a thoughtful way, without losing their character or becoming generic."

Can we talk about your current project in motion, the Sugar Factory - a mixed-use development in Modřany, Prague. What are your ambitions for the revival of this site?

"Sugar Factory is an opportunity to transform a former industrial brownfield into a lively new part of Modřany with a strong public character. Although the district has grown rapidly in recent years, it still lacks a clear civic centre or public square where everyday urban life can happen naturally.

"Creating this new public heart became a key part of the project, together with reconnecting the neighbourhood to the Vltava waterfront. Today, the railway line forms a barrier, even though the river is one of the area’s greatest qualities.

"The development is designed for around 800 new residents, but it was equally important for us that the project feels connected to the existing community and contributes something meaningful to the wider district. The project is also being developed to meet BREEAM Platinum standards, with a strong focus on long-term environmental quality and sustainable urban living."

The site in Modřany was a brownfield for decades after the factory closed. How did the idea develop to transform it into a new residential neighbourhood?

"The project emerged through a competition for the former sugar factory site, developed together with SKANSKA. For our proposal, we immediately saw the potential to reconnect this long-abandoned brownfield back into the life of the district.

"From the beginning, the idea was to create a mixed-use neighbourhood with housing, public spaces, and everyday amenities that would feel naturally integrated into the existing surrounding district."

What are some of the biggest challenges working with this particular site?

"One of the biggest challenges for us was preserving the memory and identity of the former sugar factory while giving the site a completely new role within the city. We didn’t want its industrial history to disappear and survive only as a name.

"Since none of the original factory structures survived by the time the regeneration project was initiated - apart from the brick chimney - we looked for other ways to carry the site’s identity forward. Part of the project, therefore, works with bespoke materials developed from demolition waste, allowing fragments of the original site to physically return into the new architecture.

"Another important challenge was reconnecting the district to the riverfront. First, the factory, and later the railway line, created a strong barrier between Modřany and the Vltava. Reopening this relationship felt important not only for the new development but for the district as a whole. It was clearly important to respond to the needs of both the existing and expanding local community to inform the proposal."

Did your conversations with and wider research about the surrounding community reveal anything surprising that directly impacted the site plan?

"From the beginning, we felt the district was missing a clear public centre or gathering space, and conversations with local residents only strengthened that feeling. This became one of the defining ideas behind the proposal: creating a new public square connected to the riverside park for both existing and future residents.

"It was encouraging to see how positively this aspect of the project was received during the public consultations."

A hybrid façade material made from the leftover sugar factory bricks is key to this project. Can you tell us more about this material in terms of its origins, the manufacturing process, and connection to the site?

"We developed a bespoke material together with SKANSKA and UCEEB at the Czech Technical University, reusing demolition materials directly from the former sugar factory site. The mixture combines crushed brick and concrete from the original structures and is used as a façade cladding throughout the project. The process involved collecting and processing the material on-site, followed by 3D printing, and surface finishing to achieve the final texture and appearance.

"For us, the material became a way of carrying fragments of the original factory into the new development in a very direct and physical way. Rather than treating demolition waste as something without value, we wanted it to become part of the next layer of the site’s history."

This type of bespoke material developed from local sources has never been used at this scale before. Do you anticipate any significant technical challenges in specifying it as an exposed façade material?

"Specifying this bespoke material at such a scale required intensive research and experimentation with its composition, texture, and performance. A primary challenge was ensuring that the material met all rigorous technical standards and requirements for outdoor use, particularly in terms of durability and weather resistance. Throughout the development phase, we had to navigate significant hurdles related to weight, cost-efficiency, and overall feasibility. This led to the creation of specialised technical solutions for anchoring and load-bearing systems.

"At the same time, we never wanted the material to be purely a technical exercise. For us, it carries a certain memory of the original factory back into the new architecture in a very physical way."

Aside from the bespoke material developed from local sources, what other materials or systems are doing significant work in the project environmentally?"

"Beyond the bespoke façade material, we gave a lot of attention to the environmental systems working quietly in the background of the project. One important aspect is water management - the development is designed to retain and reuse rainwater on-site through blue-green infrastructure, rather than sending it directly into the municipal sewer system.

"We also worked with renewable energy systems and a strong mix of public amenities and everyday services to support a more walkable way of living. For us, sustainability is as much about creating a neighbourhood that functions well socially and environmentally over time as it is about materials or technologies."

The project draws heavily on the industrial identity of the Modřany site, integrating the original 1927 sugar factory chimney. Can you tell us about the importance of retaining features like this?

"The chimney became an important point of continuity within the project. Since none of the original factory buildings survived, it remained one of the few physical traces of the site’s industrial past.

"For us, retaining elements like this is important because they carry a certain memory of the place and help keep the new neighbourhood connected to its history. They give the development a sense of identity that could not be newly manufactured."

Beyond the chimney, what other traces of the original factory are woven into the new design that visitors might not immediately notice?

"Fragments of the original factory reappear throughout the project in more subtle ways, beyond the chimney. During demolition, large sandstone blocks were uncovered and later reused within the landscape design and public spaces.

"We also paid a lot of attention to the layout of gardens, walkways, and smaller shared spaces, so the transition between private life and the public realm feels natural and connected to the character of the site."

With a 2030 completion ahead of you, what key learnings has this particular regeneration project taught you to date?

"The project reinforced for us how important it is to work with what already exists - physically, but also culturally and socially.

"It also opened a deeper discussion around materials and reuse. Developing bespoke materials from the former factory became a way of testing how memory and continuity can be meaningfully integrated into new development."

Crafted in Scottish timber, Corr Cabins responds to the growing demand for places that feel more connected to the natural world: slower in rhythm, and more meaningful in experience. Native trees are felled closeby to the factory where each cabin is built, and windows are manufactured several miles away.

"We've always approached cabins through the lens of hospitality. It's not just about designing a beautiful object. It's about creating an experience." Adam Storey, founder and creative director of Corr Cabins explains. "How guests arrive, how the space makes them feel, how it connects them to the landscape and the wider brand story are all connected key components to how we approach the design process."

Recognised for its series of contemporary cabins that embed the Raasay Distillery into the Hebridean island landscape, Corr Cabins' Na Bothain was recently shortlisted in the Scottish Design Awards Commercial / Office / Hotel Building category.

Responding to the global hospitality shift towards more modular, wellness-focused forms of respite, Corr Cabins designs restorative spaces to unwind and recharge in the rural Scottish countryside.

A Scottish-based material palette

Corr Cabins are made from natural, breathable materials that are healthier for both the environment and guests. From natural cork flooring and Scottish spruce-lined walls to hemp wool insulation and filtered heat recovery ventilation systems, every element is carefully considered.

Through responsible material selection, the team crafts cabins that doesn’t cost the earth. The result is a space that advocates for healthier, more balanced wellbeing, allowing guests to truly relax and reconnect.

Corr Cabins draws its design philosophy from the utilitarian spirit and simple nostalgia of the traditional cabin. It's a structure whose purpose has always been to provide shelter in remote locations, shaped by the materials of its surroundings. Form follows function at every detail, expressed through honest mild steel, Scottish spruce, and cork flooring harvested from the bark of trees.

Central to this approach is a belief in the power of modern sustainable materials to forge a new, grounded design aesthetic. In a world saturated with technology, digital presence, synthetic finishes, there is quiet luxury in simplicity - in materials that can be seen, touched, and traced back to their origins.

By sourcing and manufacturing where possible within Scotland, Corr embeds the craft and raw character of the country into every structure it builds.

Five years ago, Monachyle Mhor became the setting in which Corr first tested the idea that a cabin - built from honest, native materials - could deepen the emotional experience of a destination entirely. "The cabin had to feel connected to the experience Monachyle Mhor was already known for - the atmosphere, the landscape, the sense of escape - it all had to feel cohesive." Adam comments. By grounding each cabin in the textures, timber, and character of its surroundings, that idea continues to shape every Corr project.

The emergence of Scandi-Scot design

The Scandi-Scot design aesthetic represents a thoughtful synthesis of Scandinavian minimalism and Scottish material authenticity. Like Scandinavian design, it values simplicity, functionality, and a deep connection between interior and exterior. Unlike some interpretations that lean towards cool and industrial aesthetics, the Scottish version adds a distinctly tactile quality informed by the local landscape, climate and craft.

Three key themes are shaping this evolution. The first is material honesty. Rather than concealing structure or importing components, designers are celebrating materials for what they are; timber with characterful knots, steel that wears with age, and cork that speaks of ecological cycles. Sourcing and manufacturing locally reduces environmental impact while embedding design culturally and geographically.

The second is landscape-driven forms, where large apertures frame views, compact spaces maximise connection to nature, and structures sit low within the terrain - architecture that doesn't merely exist in the landscape, but protrudes from it.

The third is responsible design by default. This signals a shift away from petrochemical-heavy construction toward natural insulated timber, recycled materials, and low-impact manufacturing, and instead points to a future in which craft becomes the primary vehicle for sustainability.

Scottish design looks poised to step confidently onto the international stage with a voice that is both contemporary and rooted in place. Rather than adopting international trends, it is developing its own language shaped by climate, terrain, and history.

Where Scotland was once synonymous with heritage and tradition, the next chapter is defined by innovation, sustainability, and cutting-edge craftsmanship. As cabins, furniture, and buildings attract growing attention across Europe and beyond, Scandi-Scot is becoming a label recognised for both quality and conscience.

Central to this evolution is a shift from 'object-focused' to 'experience-focused' thinking. Experience focused thinking encourages spaces that are designed to elevate wellbeing, connection, and belonging by placing human experience and environmental integrity at the heart of practice.

For example, when wine producers Andrew and Naomi relocated from London to run Chateau Puynard in Bordeaux, they turned to Corr Cabins to add a new layer to its hospitality offering. Positioning a small cluster of cabins directly within the vineyard to immerse guests in the landscape, this project speaks to the growing international reach of Scottish design thinking. An approach that is landscape-sensitive, low-impact, and increasingly in demand far beyond the Highlands. Proven against Scottish weather and built to last, the cabins have weathered naturally into their surroundings while delivering hotel-quality comfort in the french countryside.

The future Scottish design is also an inherently collaborative one. Threading designers, makers, producers, and landscapes into a shared ecosystem where design is not isolated in studios, but woven across communities and industries.

The evolution of wellness focused retreats

Scottish tourism is shifting away from traditional hotels and heritage-led stays toward experience-driven travel centred on adventure, wellness, and meaningful escape. As Adam notes, “We’re seeing more operators thinking beyond simply adding rooms. They’re asking how accommodation can strengthen their identity as a destination and create experiences guests actively seek out and remember.”

Travellers want active engagement, whether that be hiking, cold-water swimming, stargazing, digital detoxing. And they want spaces that feel authentic, environmentally responsible, and architecturally rooted in place.

This demand has led Corr Cabins to work increasingly with hospitality operators looking to create exactly these kinds of immersive experiences. One example is its collaboration with Isle of Raasay Distillery, where bespoke guest cabins, complete with private sauna, cold plunge and communal gathering spaces were designed to become an extension of the distillery experience itself.

In addition, The Cabin at Dunsinnan marks the first chapter of a wider masterplan for the estate as it evolves into a wellness destination, and sits squarely within a broader shift in how travellers are seeking out Scotland for slower and more intentional experiences in nature. Dunsinnan points toward what wellness travel in Scotland is becoming - less spa retreat, and more a genuine reconnection with place.

Discover more about Corr Cabins here.

You know the old saying, “no grit, no pearl”? This feels entirely applicable to the Rylands Building on Manchester’s Market Street. Having recently visited for a second time (the first being in March 2025 – read the piece here if you missed it), it was heartening to see that progress on its extensive renovation is moving at pace - though it’s not been without its challenges, said the team.

Bringing this 1930s’ icon of a building (originally designed by Harry S. Fairhurst & P. G. Fairhurst) back to life, detail-by-painstaking-detail, are a group of brilliant individuals from a multitude of firms collaborating to transform what has become, over the years, somewhat a Frankenstein’s monster inside – albeit a beautifully charming one, into a multipurpose development that, once complete, will bring people together from across Manchester and beyond.

Rylands is a place that means so much to so many, and in just 12-months it will take its rightful place as a landmark destination in the city centre once again. Something that, now the hoardings are down, allowing passersby a glimpse into the enormous scale of development work being done beyond, is being met with both intrigue and excitement, Paul Hodgkiss, Senior Project Manager, AM ALPHA, told us on our recent tour.

AM ALPHA, a family office that specialises in joint real estate investments from private and institutional investors - its mission to “allocate, optimise and manage the assets of its investor community”– identified the Rylands Building as an opportunity, and is the proud owner and developer of this project.

The architecture practice appointed is JB+CO, an architecture and design studio based nearby in Manchester’s Piccadilly. Domis Construction, also located closeby in Salford, is the contractor. Woolgar Hunter has worked on the Structural Engineering. Max Fordham are providing MEP and sustainability consultancy. And while there are many other people involved in the project, on our visit, we met with: Paul Hodgkiss, AM ALPHA; Ian Karling, JB+CO; Michael Cunniff, JB+CO; Tony Lindley, Domis Construction; Joel Wildgoose, Domis Construction; Megan Dinsley, Domis Construction; and Sarah Goodyer-Haslam, Real Estate Marketing Media for an update on what’s happened at Rylands over the last 12-months.

Regeneration & public anticipation

On my last visit, I scaled the external scaffolding and was able to admire, up close, the original clock with a hanging lantern – a focal point for all who walk past, or ride by on the tramline, which runs parallel to the front façade of Rylands. Having now been restored by expert clockmakers Smiths of Derby [the clock], as well as the team at Calibre Metalwork, and Great British Lighting Company [lantern], they sit pride of place in full sight of Market Street once again, with no obstruction from the scaffolding which has now been taken down.

Standing in what will become Market Place Food Hall's new home – secured on a 15-year lease – plus an entrance to the offices above, it's very apparent that this exposure to the front of the building is not just practical in terms of allowing light in, but it's an ideal showcase to satiate the public's interest.

The London-based operator is opening its first northern venture at Rylands, bringing a new food hall concept to Manchester. "After years of banging from a building wrapped up, letting Manchester see the façade again is a way of saying: this is moving, and we're taking care of it," commented Paul. "All anyone has seen for the last 5-years of this building since Debenhams left is decay, so when the scaffold starts coming down and the stonework starts showing, you feel the mood shift. People get a glimpse of what's actually going on. It's small in one sense – just a view – but it brings buy-in. It builds trust."

The last time I came to visit Rylands, it felt like a demolition site. The building had been stripped right back to its base core. It was a shell. This time, it was completely different. The process to turning it back into a modern building, inside the casing of an historic one, is a fascinating journey. And you can feel that change as you move through it. The team has gone from breaking through and digging down through the cores, which support the structures old and new, to building back up and filling in with purpose.

And, of course to facilitate this, it takes a village. On site, that’s an average of about 250 operatives, peaking at around 300 - and that’s just the visible workforce. Behind them you’ve got design teams, architects, structural engineers, MEP engineers, consultants, office support, and specialist contractors. It’s a huge machine. And what’s interesting is that the regeneration is already happening before the building even opens: local contractors employing local people, Manchester-based consultants, money flowing into local businesses and into the local community right now, not just in the future – though this will only grow on completion.

Working with what you’ve got

Walking through the building, you start to understand the scale of what’s been done to it – not just over the last 12-months – but over the last century - not always in a good way. There are lift infills, old openings, random holes blasted through floors and walls, and “constant surprises”, as Joel told us. You fill one problem, you discover two more. “It’s the kind of building that takes great delight in hiding the bits you can’t see until you start pulling it apart.”

The atrium is the biggest visible shift. Last time, it was a vast hole. Now, steel is rising, the structure is taking shape, and even the tower crane poking through the new atrium steel is on its way out soon so they can finally close it up. Making the building ‘watertight’ is, especially in Manchester, vital. Because once the building is sealed, the whole job changes pace, Paul said. The push now is to get as much of it watertight as possible over the next couple of months, so winter becomes about finishing, not fighting the elements.

As we explore the roof, and assess progress on the new, contemporary extension, where another four floors of office space will sit, the roof lights caught our eye - a perfect example of working with a listed building. Many of the original roof lights had been covered over with modern roof build-ups - bitumen, tar, patches, Ian and Michael told us. The intention was always to restore them, but you still need “a waterproof system that actually works in 2026, not 1936”.

So the heritage is being restored where it can be, protected properly, and in some cases, what’s been lost historically has been accepted and the best decision has been made to ensure purposeful use for today.

The listed element of the building has created somewhat a healthy tug-of-war, the team said. Commercial versus craft, cost versus quality, programme versus perfection. The commercial team has a number. And a heritage consultant is inspecting, signing off, and feeding back to the council throughout. But it’s working. And these considerations and the level of collaboration across all key stakeholders have led to some wondrous details inside.

Heritage meets modern reality via restored stained-glass windows; original metalwork kept and re-used, an elevator shaft that could have come straight off the Titanic sits proudly in place; terrazzo tiles lovingly brought back to life with some replication where needed (even on close inspection, it was impossible to see which was old, and which was new).

With every design decision comes an in-depth discussion. As opposed to new build, working with the existing fabric of the building clearly comes with its hurdles. Taking the sprinkler system, for example, “It’s how do you put a modern, code-compliant sprinkler head through a hole designed a hundred years ago without ruining what makes the space special? It’s detail after detail after detail,” Joel commented.

The terrazzo tiles were another conundrum. Handmade tiles can’t really be ‘matched,’ said Megan, they have to be blended. The team has gone through a “full education” on what it means to repair something that’s mottled and imperfect in a beautiful way. The only way is to scatter and make the new sit naturally with the old, added Joel.

What struck me is that the finer design details of the project are being worked on in tandem with the wider structural engineering tasks. In this way, the build has a rhythm akin to chess. Domis doesn’t wait for one thing to finish before preparing the next. They’ll get decking ready for concrete before the final stability work is complete, so when the green light comes, they can move fast. Tiles and windows are being restored and refitted while columns are de-jacketed. It’s the same thinking behind finishing sections of façade early so the hoardings could come down: it helps the public see progress, yes, but it’s also an efficient way of ticking a job off the long list, Paul shared.

The function behind the form

One of the biggest modern demands hiding in plain sight is services. Risers, ducts, tanks, insulation, access routes - all the details that make a building comfortable without anyone ever noticing it.

At Rylands, there are four huge risers running down to the basement, and that future-proofs the building. The next tenant, and the tenant after that, should be able to adapt it for decades.

With the Building Safety Act in mind, fire safety has been a constant thread throughout. The building is constantly being assessed by professionals from all areas of the built environment. Joel even invited the fire brigade in for a tour of the space, alongside fire consultants, and building controllers being involved, and model scenarios run — tens of thousands of them — to prove performance (and fast access through the city centre), to protect life, and to protect a loved heritage building. Rather than a box-ticking exercise though, this is about systems thinking.

Signs of life

On the upper floors, you can start to feel what the office spaces will be like. Deep floor plates, with light coming in from the perimeter and the atrium, and clean modern windows are revealed against exposed traditional soffits: the contrast an extremely beautiful one.

On dropping down a few levels, you see the real showstopper forming: the stepped atrium connection from reception up to the floors above. During our tour, we were the first people to stand on the just-poured concrete stairs, and it was easy to imagine a flurry of people moving up and down here in a short 12-months’ time.

While the repurposing of the building itself is a big win in terms of carbon savings, I asked Paul about how much more ‘closing the loop’ has been possible. So much material only has scrap value going out, he shared, and repurposing in some cases can cost more than buying new. But a win is a win, and until the wider industry challenges are addressed, the team on Rylands are doing what they can to retain and revitalise.

What has struck me on both visits to this building is a genuine shared passion. To be clear, this is a labour of love. It is not a project for the faint hearted. And it’s taken a wealth of expertise to make this happen. Financially, logistically, creatively. Tony shared with me that in all his years in structural engineering, this is his most enjoyably challenging project yet. The combined excitement for unveiling Rylands' next chapter is palpable.

And this is fuelled in a large part by what it means to people. “Someone will stop outside and say they’ve been watching it for years and they can’t wait to see it finished,” Paul said. “Some of our teams remember coming here as children. People talk about visiting Father Christmas here when it was Debenhams,” memories that have nothing to do with steel or services - but everything to do with why this project matters.

When it’s complete, this building will hold circa 3,000 workers, bring retail and hospitality back into the heart of town, and stand proud as a piece of Manchester that’s been repaired rather than replaced. And the best part is that if you wander down Market Street now, you can see it coming to fruition for yourself. Not in CGI, but in stonework, in roof lights, in steel rising, in scaffold coming down, and in a city finally getting its landmark back. And in a way that’s entirely fit for the future.

We’ll visit Rylands again this time next year to reveal its finished form. Keep an eye out for more updates. And in the meantime, if you’re local to Manchester, we urge you to go and have a peek.

Huge thanks to Jeffrey Bell Architects, Domis, and AM ALPHA for their time in sharing the project's journey so far.

Project team:

• Client: AM ALPHA
• Contractor: Domis
• Architect: Jeffrey Bell Architects
• Employer’s Agent and QS: Arcadis
• Planning Consultant: Deloitte
• Heritage Consultant: Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture
• Structural Engineer: Woolgar Hunter
• Services Engineer / Sustainability Consultant: Max Fordham
• Services Engineer: NOVO
• Fire Consultant: Jensen Hughes / DFC
• Acoustic Consultant: BWB / Andrew Jameson
• Workspace Agent: JLL
• Retail Agent: Barker Proudlove
• Marketing & PR Agency: Real Estate Marketing Media

Discover more about this project here.

Harvey Maria was commissioned by the Royal Museums Greenwich for the National Maritime Museum to create a unique, custom-designed ocean floor map. The bespoke floor map spans approximately 440 square metres and has recently been installed in the newly refurbished Ocean Court. Forbo’s Eternal heterogeneous vinyl was selected to create the bespoke, digitally printed floor graphic.

The installation offers a new way to walk across the world, one where oceans connect rather than divide. The Spilhaus Projection, rarely seen in such scale, places the world’s oceans at the centre, challenging traditional land-focused world views and exploring our relationship with the sea. It also portrays ocean depth and key features including the Mariana Trench and Great Barrier Reef.

The breathtaking image is the largest ever reproduced on a UK floor, and Harvey Maria were delighted to take home the Public Choice Award at the 2025 Forbo Awards to recognise the complexity of the project.

Harvey Maria’s founder, Mark Findlay, commented: “This has been an extremely exciting project for Harvey Maria. Working in partnership with Royal Museums Greenwich, iFlor Flooring Contractors and Forbo Flooring Systems on the new ocean floor map has been fascinating and we have created an extraordinary and permanent installation that is engineered not just to endure, but also to inspire.”

Creating a single flooring image on this scale presents significant technical challenges, particularly when the design must be divided into 25 individual panels of 4 x 5 metres. Each section must be manufactured with absolute precision, ensuring that when pieced together on site, every join aligns seamlessly without distortion or visual interruption. This requires meticulous planning, and exacting production standards to preserve the integrity of the overall image. The complexity lies not only in achieving perfect accuracy at such a large scale but also in ensuring the final installation appears as one continuous, flawless surface.

Speaking about the project, Tim May, curator of maps and mobilities at Royal Museums Greenwich, said: “The world is 71% ocean, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at a standard world map. What’s great about the new Ocean Map is that it encourages us to consider the world from a different perspective, one which reclaims the importance of the ocean on which we all depend.”

Harvey Maria liaised closely with the client to ensure that all design and artwork were fully suitable for the production process, while also meeting the style and quality expectations required for such a prestigious location. Their involvement, along with the invaluable assistance of Studio HB and The Design Kollectiv, helped ensure the final design translated flawlessly from concept to manufacture, delivering a finish that reflected both technical excellence and visual impact. iFlor then handled all of the on-site installation and subsequent communication with the client.

Adam Couch, director at iFlor explained: “Our job was to ensure the entire image, spread across 25 individual pieces, fitted together perfectly. With the design being a world map, there were many crucial areas that required precise alignment to achieve a seamless overall install. To guarantee correct orientation and positioning, the floor had to be dry laid first, before each piece was precision cut and permanently adhered in place.”

Forbo’s Eternal vinyl has been a trusted solution for over 20 years. Offering exceptional protection against scuffs and scratches through Forbo’s advanced PUR Pearl lacquering and embossing techniques, its proven high-tech product construction ensures the flooring remains stable and flat without curling. Whilst Forbo’s advanced digital printing capabilities offer a new dimension in design and colour, allowing bespoke flooring solutions to be created. Produced in factories running off 100% renewable green electricity, Eternal contains a high percentage of recycled content.

Have you used Forbo Flooring in an inspiring way? The 2026 Forbo Awards are now open for entries. Click here for details, and to submit your project.

BOBO1325 - a Partner at Material Source Studio Manchester - has collaborated with NOMA on a unique design project - Together We Rise - "a celebration of innovation, creativity, and courage; of the bold, the brave, and the beautifully baffling", explains Beth Travers, BOBO1325's founder.

"An exploration of maverick thinking and the restless spirit that drives progress, even when it defies logic, convention, or approval."

Supported by Material Source Studio and NOMA, a year-long project marks 10-years of Sadler’s Yard - the public square adjacent to our Manchester Studio, and honours the legacy of James Sadler, a pioneer whose contributions to science and engineering continue to echo, despite his near-erasure from mainstream historical record.

A figure defined by courage, experimentation, and a touch of avant-garde absurdity, Sadler exists somewhere between documented fact and mythologised memory.

Beth is creating a series of artworks, conveyed through a variety of mediums, including fabric, with each collection acting as an open invitation into an internal landscape: provocative, layered, and unapologetically eccentric. Symbolism weaves throughout, encouraging curiosity and rewarding those willing to look closer - designs that don’t simply sit still, but ask to be discovered, questioned, and felt.

Within the body of work - which has been hand-painted over the last 12-months by Beth live at our Manchester Studio - Sadler appears "fragmented, rendered in broken lines and shifting forms. This visual language reflects both the gaps in his story and the instability of historical narrative itself.

"What remains is incomplete, contested, and at times unreliable; a patchwork of folklore, embellishment, and partial truths. It raises a question: was Sadler overlooked not for lack of impact, but for lack of status - just another casualty of the divide between 'town and gown'?" Beth ponders. "Yet this is Manchester - a place that thrives on doing things differently," she adds.

This collaboration reclaims Sadler’s story, celebrating a forgotten pioneer and reimagining his historic ascent from Balloon Street as both a moment of invention and an enduring symbol of fearless imagination.

A recent event held here at our Manchester Studio saw Beth's fabric used to craft lanterns to, quite literally, shine a spotlight on this man of myth and legend. The project will continue over the coming months. If you pop into Material Source Studio Manchester, you can see Beth in action working on the next phase of her wonderful, narrative rich designs.

Discover more

Karndean Designflooring has played a leading role in the transformation of Scotsdales Garden Centre in Cambridge. Working closely with Trevillion Interiors, Stanley Bragg Architects and Cadman Flooring, the refurbishment introduces a warm, design led customer experience crafted to withstand exceptionally high footfall and continuous daily use.

The redevelopment forms part of a long-term strategy to elevate the centre’s visitor journey, requiring clearly defined customer zones, intuitive navigation and a specification that could deliver both aesthetic quality and enduring commercial performance. Karndean’s Prairie Oak from the Art Select collection was chosen for the main concourse and seating areas, offering natural warmth, design versatility, and proven resilience in high traffic environments. Installation was completed by Cadman Flooring over an eight-week programme.

The design introduces three customer zones; grownup, casual and family, each with its own identity while remaining part of a cohesive whole. Given the open plan scale of the building, the flooring played a fundamental role in guiding movement and supporting spatial clarity. A full plank herringbone layout was used through the main concourse to create a strong directional cue, contrasted with parquet style patterns and straight planks in the seating areas to give each zone a distinct character without interrupting overall flow.

“Durability and aesthetic was a tough ask on such a scale with demanding footfall,” explained Frances Blackham, design director at Trevillion Interiors. “Karndean provided the design flexibility we needed. The herringbone layout choreographs movement subtly and beautifully, while parquet and straight planks with inserts create three clearly identifiable areas.”

The finished scheme blends refinement with practical performance. Prairie Oak’s warm, natural tones complement the garden centre’s organic identity, while the precision of the installation elevates the overall retail environment. Engineered for long-term durability, the floor withstands trolleys, high visitor numbers, and regular cleaning, maintaining a consistently high-quality appearance.

“The herringbone layout adds depth and elevates the interior beyond a standard retail fitout,” said Kieran Cadman, director of Cadman Flooring. “The detailing supports customer movement across the space, and the product performs exceptionally well in such a busy commercial environment.”

Reflecting on the collaboration, Richard Allen, VP of sales for commercial at Karndean Designflooring, added: “Scotsdales is a perfect example of how flooring can shape both the function and experience of a commercial space. Prairie Oak was selected for its authentic character, warm palette, and long-term performance. We are proud to support Trevillion and Cadman Flooring with a product that brings natural beauty to a demanding environment while standing up to the rigours of daily use.”

Discover more at Material Source Studio Manchester & Glasgow where Karndean is a Partner.

Textile innovator Camira Fabrics has unveiled Monochrome Sett II - a refined warm-neutral palette within one of Camira’s most acclaimed environmental collections. The range is inspired by nature and crafted from renewable wool and flax, ensuring both sustainability and quality.

As part of Camira’s sustainably conscious offering, Monochrome Sett II is naturally flame-retardant and complies with Crib 5 Medium Hazard standards, providing peace of mind for environments where safety is paramount.

The collection features an array of patterns including stripes, checks, houndstooth, basket weaves, and micro-patterns. These design elements introduce texture and depth, making Monochrome Sett II an ideal choice for contemporary interiors seeking both style and environmental responsibility.

Monochrome Sett II builds on the popularity of the original Monochrome Sett fabric, a stylish monochromatic fabric in charcoal and ecru colourways, using the same rapidly renewable and biodegradable yarns in Camira’s signature Main Line Flax range.

Discover more here, and at Material Source Studio Glasgow.

Lewis Jones, co-founder of Turner Prize-winning architecture and design collective Assemble, is developing an experimental approach to earth-based construction.

Currently working through a two-year collaboration with Art in Manufacturing - the commissioning strand of the National Festival of Making - what began as material testing has evolved into architectural proposals, prototypes and plans for a permanent structure exploring the future application of the “poured earth” method.

Ahead of the National Festival of Making taking place in Blackburn, Lancashire, this weekend (4-5 July 2026), we caught up with Lewis to find out more about his timely work.

Can you tell us about Assemble and Matter at Hand?

"Assemble is an architecture + design collective that I co-founded in 2010. A lot of the work we’ve done has been about rethinking construction and trying to open up the building site. Through the projects and work that we did, I really got more and more interested in how powerful and important the materials we use are in determining the actual impact of the work in the real world.

So, rather than starting with ideas for buildings and then looking for the appropriate material – I wanted to try and develop working the other way around, starting with a really in-depth understanding of materials, resources, skills and then seeing what can be done with them.

"I did a PhD that was in architecture + material science, and after this I set up Matter at Hand as a way of trying to take that approach back into practice. So the work I’ve been doing as Matter at Hand has really been about asking how we can build more creatively and responsibly with what we already have."

You’ve been working on an experimental approach to earth-based construction — what inspired you, and what are your methods?

"Over the past 10-years or so, through my work with Granby Workshop and my PhD at the University of Liverpool, I’ve been doing a lot of research into clays and other earthen materials.

"Initially that came from a ceramics perspective, looking at how to reduce environmental impacts — and avoiding the firing stage is a huge part of that. But more broadly, it’s been about rethinking the materials we have around us as the most viable way of building responsibly in a climate emergency.

"Clay is an amazing material. It’s everywhere, and it has this incredible shapeshifting ability in the presence of water. It can move between solid and liquid states, which means we can mould, cast and form it in so many different ways."

"With Poured Earth, the idea is to use knowledge from ceramics — particularly slip-casting and clay rheology — and bring that into earth construction. Traditional earth-building methods like rammed earth and cob can be slow and labour-intensive. What we’re developing is a fluid, castable earth mix that can be poured in a similar way to concrete, but without cement.

"The key is the use of deflocculants, which are an important tool in controlling clay behaviour in ceramics. They change the behaviour of clay particles so that a very dense, thick earth mix can suddenly become fluid without adding lots of extra water. That’s important because too much water weakens the material, increases shrinkage and extends drying times.

"So the method is really about taking a very traditional material and combining it with knowledge from other industries to take it in new directions for contemporary construction."

Why now?

"Well, the challenge to decarbonise the construction industry is enormous – and ever more pressing. There is a lot of focus on ‘new materials’ but actually earth is one of a handful of proven building materials that are extremely low carbon, abundant, recyclable and which could actually be used right now to radically decarbonise construction.

"But, there are barriers in terms of labour, economics and perception that prevent this from happening. So, this is a good challenge to try and address."

Have you applied your methods to any live projects yet — or do you plan to soon?

"At the moment, the work is still in the research and prototyping stage, but it is moving towards a live project in Blackburn, which will all be revealed later!"

How do you see your methods scaling?

"One of the important things about Poured Earth is that it can borrow from the existing construction infrastructure. The process is broadly similar to casting concrete: materials are mixed, poured into formwork, vibrated, demoulded and dried. That means it doesn’t require a completely unfamiliar construction culture."

What do you hope will change in the built environment to allow low-impact construction to come to the fore?

"Firstly - I think a lot is already changing and there is a huge amount more awareness about the need to change than there was 10 years ago – and there are lots of people doing great work. But, in order for it to shift into the mainstream I think that we also need to demonstrate the positive impact that low-impact construction can have in leading to better qualities of life – for those working + living in these buildings, working on building sites, involved in the supply chain.

"How we can make our cities and neighbourhoods more beautiful, more liveable, how our investments in construction can benefit the local economy, about how well-designed, low carbon construction reduces costs in the long run… At the moment the narrative is often framed around an obligation to change and having a less damaging impact, but at the end of the day this can be quite intangible. I think to help drive the demand for change, we need to look at how a reconfigured, low carbon building industry could really create a more holistic positive impact."

What’s next?

"The project is moving from material testing into architectural prototyping and then next is to build!

"The first stage was about developing the mixes and understanding how they behave — how they flow, how they set, how they dry, and what kinds of forms and surfaces they can produce. The current stage is about asking what this could become at building scale. The Prism exhibition [at the National Festival of Making] presents a speculative housing system based on Poured Earth.

"The next stage will be taking these ideas out into a real world, a real site and properly test and document this material in a real-world construction environment. This is already underway and hopefully we’ll be able to unveil the first poured earth building at next year's festival!

"Alongside that, it's important to keep sharing the research — the mix designs, performance data, failures and successes — so that other people can start thinking about and working with earth in a wider range of ways. I’m part of the architecture department at Newcastle University and this forms part of my research there."

Find out more about the National Festival of Making here. Taking place 4-5 July 2026, it's open to all and free to attend.

Forbo Flooring Systems’ “Forbo Awards” interior design competition is back for another year. And this year, Forbo is doing things slightly differently, collaborating with us at Material Source Studio to include a PR package as part of the prize.

Forbo Awards – what are they?

Originally launched in 2024, the Forbo Awards are a predecessor of the manufacturer’s long-running Forbo Escapes competition, which it ran for over a decade. The new awards-style contest features three top categories: Project of the Year, Sustainable Project of the Year and Public Choice.

Since its launch, it has been an important catalyst for recognising a wide variety of prestigious projects from within the architectural, interior design and flooring sectors.

The only requirement? Projects must feature flooring from Forbo’s comprehensive commercial portfolio.

Breaking down the categories

With three categories to enter, the Forbo Awards are designed to celebrate a different element of interior design, whether that is a high-end aesthetic or impressive environmental credentials.

With the continuation of building and improving sustainability standards across the industry, Forbo has recognised the importance of highlighting those who are making environmentally conscious specifications, by implementing an award category to reflect this.

While the Public Choice Award allows architects and designers to have their own say on the outcome of the awards, with the winner receiving invaluable peer recognition.

Why you should enter

Wanting to receive recognition for your work? Do you know an architect or specifier who deserves the attention? Have you specified Forbo on a project that received glowing feedback from the client and stakeholders?

Looking to celebrate those who push the interior design boundaries with bold material choices, elevating all spaces across a variety of sectors, the Forbo Awards are now open until the 31 July 2026. With an amazing prize package on offer, you don’t want to miss out.

Next week, we'll be sharing a project piece on one of last year's winners to offer up some inspiration.

For more information on how to enter and further details on the exciting prize package up for grabs, head to the website here.

Madhappy, a contemporary clothing brand rooted in optimism, has launched its next flagship store in Malibu, marking the brand’s fourth flagship location following its debut in West Hollywood, New York City, and Tokyo.

Located just off the coast of the Pacific Coast Highway adjacent to Malibu Point, the 2,400 square-foot brick-and-mortar space showcases the brand and build community through design, café, and conversation.

In partnership with London-based design studio Brinkworth (established in 1990, the award-winning company has delivered projects for clients including Nike, New Balance, The Ordinary, Aries, Sonos, Supreme, Rapha, Selfridges, Samsung, Adidas, Marni, R.A.D®, Ravensbourne University and the Tate), Madhappy Malibu builds upon the visual language first established at their previous spaces. This new perspective channels the tonality and light of the Malibu landscape in an expression of West Coast energy.

The space draws inspiration from the post-war Case Study Houses which defined California's architectural vernacular and mid-century design globally. Glass, steel and concrete; open-plan design for social interaction. A delicate play on form and colour, the space feels calm and curated yet spirited and inviting.

Reflecting the surrounding landscape of Cross Creek Ranch, elemental ruggedness is brought inside with a limestone surface framing the rails of apparel. Facing out of the full-length glass windows, the piece is in dialogue with the outside environment.

Madhappy’s pastel hues are saturated here in the California sunlight, with a signature blue floor anchoring the design and mirroring the sky outside. An inventive plantscape by LA-based interior plant design studio, Plant Provisions, goes further in dissolving the indoor-outdoor divide. With a deep appreciation of nature, the space creates a feeling of liberation.

The lounge space presents a new take on Madhappy’s conversation area, with curved blue sofas within stainless steel creating an inward-facing social space. Bespoke speakers by House Under Magic in Douglas fir are set within the laser-cut stone surface.

On the material selections for the scheme, Sonny Cant, Design Director, Brinkworth, said:

“Madhappy’s store in Cross Creek Ranch is set adjacent to Malibu Point, within a rugged, mountainous landscape. We directly referenced this by creating a huge rock wall in limestone in a similar tone, to frame the apparel display. We sourced the limestone itself and then hand-cut it to create this beautiful waney-edged form. We then lined it out in rotary brushed stainless steel, templated and laser-cut to follow the edge of the stone. There’s a nice meeting with the shadow gap of the two materials that come together – one quite natural and the other very man made.

"Dougles fir was used to line display and POS areas in the store, and in handmade speakers by House Under Magic. The wood has beautiful veining and patterning, and as a material, it’s just synonymous with North America.

"For the flooring, we used cementitious resin pigmented in Madhappy’s signature brand pastel blue, to strongly ground the space. For shelving, we used a brown freeform resin which has this lovely translucency to it and is a classic colour.

"The brushed stainless steel was used to wrap the Pantry café, with raised seams on all the joins, and for all of the rails. The bespoke sofa contrasts a stainless-steel carcass with soft, curved forms in blue fabric.

"The idea on this project was to be bold and intentional, doing one or two things really well, so the overall palette is restricted.

"All of the plaster work and paintwork is with a lime wash, bringing a bit of variance across the surface and a nice tactility. Inventive planting brings a sense of life to the space and echoes the outdoor environment.

"Finally, we used light as a material. The lighting within the space is quite warm and then this very cool white light comes in through the full-length windows from the sun. So there’s this beautiful, almost ombre effect that happens between the blue, the yellow and the white that mimics the meeting of land and sea on the Malibu coast.”

In contrast to this, Pantry, the brand’s café concept that first launched in West Hollywood, takes a sleek, curved metal form. A selection of local and global culinary partners come together to form a collaborative menu offered daily. These include Japanese-based café HOTEL DRUGS, Courage Bagels, Bianca bakery, Beverly Hills Juice, Cinnies cinnamon rolls and Softside ice cream.

As sustainability targets continue to influence your specification decisions across commercial interiors, Sylan is constantly exploring alternative materials that combine environmental responsibility with long-term durability.

One material gaining significant traction is bamboo.

Sylan Introduces a Bamboo Toilet Cubicle System

Now showcased at Material Source Studio Manchester, the latest bamboo toilet cubicle system from Sylan Washrooms demonstrates how rapidly renewable materials are beginning to reshape even the most performance-driven interior sectors.

Traditionally, commercial washroom design has relied heavily on laminates, solid grade materials and hardwood-derived products. Bamboo offers a different approach — one that brings a natural aesthetic alongside strong environmental credentials.

Reducing Environmental Impact with Bamboo

Unlike slow-growing hardwoods, bamboo reaches maturity in approximately four to five years and can be harvested without causing deforestation. Once cut, the plant naturally regenerates from its existing root system, removing the need for replanting and allowing continuous growth. Combined with its rapid growth cycle and high yield, this makes bamboo one of the most renewable material resources currently available for commercial washroom applications.

One of bamboo’s major environmental advantages is its ability to absorb and store large amounts of carbon dioxide as it grows. During growth, the plant absorbs and stores significant quantities of CO₂, contributing to lower embodied carbon when compared with more traditional material choices. According to Sylan, 5m³ of bamboo can store approximately 8,300kg of CO₂ over the material’s lifecycle.

For designers working on projects targeting BREEAM, LEED, Green Star or other sustainability frameworks, materials such as bamboo are becoming increasingly relevant within wider conversations around responsible specification.

Balancing Sustainability with Commercial Performance

What makes this particular application interesting is the balance between sustainability and commercial performance. Washroom environments demand robustness, dimensional stability and longevity — particularly in high-traffic settings such as workplaces, hospitality venues and public buildings.

Sylan Bamboo Engineered for Commercial Washroom Applications

The Sylan toilet cubicle system uses a solid bamboo core construction with a lacquered finish, giving the material a warm, tactile quality while maintaining the structural integrity required for demanding commercial use. Natural grain variation across the panels adds visual depth and individuality to each installation.

Alongside the material itself, the detailing has been engineered with a deliberately refined aesthetic. Invisible fixings, flush-integrated lock systems and a choice of stainless steel, bronze, brass or black ironmongery allow the cubicles to integrate comfortably within contemporary interior schemes.

A Future-Focused Material for Washroom Specification

As commercial interiors continue to move toward lower-impact material palettes, bamboo is emerging as more than a niche sustainability statement. Its combination of renewability, durability and natural character positions it as a serious contender for future-focused washroom specification across multiple sectors — including spaces where performance expectations are particularly high.

The Sylan Bamboo material is now available to explore at Material Source Studio, 1 Federation Street, Manchester. Plan your visit.

The location of this year’s BCO Annual Conference was Edinburgh. And the theme was “Enlightenment”. The combination of which was no coincidence, Andy McBain, Vice-President, BCO, told us during his opening speech. Being in this city - the intellectual and cultural beating heart of Europe’s Age of Enlightenment in the 17th Century – certainly seemed entirely fitting for the enlightening programme of activity that unfolded over the 2-days that followed (17/18 June).

From panel discussions tackling topics from Opportunities for Cities to Navigating Office Development in UK Regional Cities, to workshops pondering the realities of social value, and inspiring site tours, including Haymarket, The Port of Leith Distillery, and the Futures Institute, our minds were certainly fuelled, despite our feet being tired (and that was before the socials, and closing ceilidh under the atrium-framed, starlit sky at the National Museum of Scotland on the final night).

While much was discussed, there were several key threads that ran throughout the Conference. Below, we’ve summarised some of the salient points that stood out for us:

People & collaboration – “Don’t forget, it’s all about the people” – said Andy McBain, Vice-President, BCO. There was a real emphasis on cross-sector collaboration, and the need to bring in specific expertise. The Building Safety Act has made accountability a non-negotiable, and that’s human accountability. Regardless of our increasing use of AI, people remain central to this sector.

AI - Beyond LLMs – “Don’t make creepy buildings” - was the takeaway from Gillian Docherty, CCO, University of Strathclyde. In workplace, AI isn’t killing offices, she said. It’s killing mediocre offices. AI’s story will be an energy story as much as software, she added. Grid capacity, substations, and generation may become central to real estate value, with major tech firms investing in nuclear and other power sources.

Investment & opportunity - Sir Jim McDonald argued that this is “the time of cities,” with city centres increasingly seen as engines of inclusive economic opportunity. Paul Lawrence, CEO, City of Edinburgh Council, shared investment plans for areas such as Leith, and stated that the demand for property in the city is strong – so much so, it’s outstripping current supply.

Uncertainty - Sir John Curtice addressed political uncertainty and its implications for office strategy and investment. He argued businesses should not expect future certainty from the state due to fragmentation of UK politics and weakening two-party dominance (and this was before Keir Starmer’s resignation). He described structural shifts: class-based voting patterns have eroded; politics now also hinges on identity and cultural issues, with a move toward multi-party competition and potential for major realignment.

He highlighted leadership instability and uncertainty about future UK and Scottish leadership, even though Scotland has administrative continuity. And he also noted unresolved constitutional and geopolitical questions - Scottish independence and the UK’s relationship with the EU (with rising support for rejoining) - which could influence where companies choose to locate offices and how they access markets.

Retrofit & refurbishment – A strong theme that ran across the plenary sessions, workshops and site tours was advocacy for reuse over demolition. Helen Hare, Director of Projects, GPE, and President of the BCO, shared a project example - 2 Aldermanbury Square pre-let as Clifford Chance HQ, delivered on time and on budget; circular construction repurposed 1,500 tons of steel; 70% Portland stone façade reused; marble from staircases reused for reception floor; recycled glass; 100% recycled aluminium; all raised access floors recycled. The expectation is that wider adoption could reduce long-term costs though currently it may cost more due to limited supply-chain scale.

Refurbishment pipeline, shared by Cameron Stott, Head of Scotland, JLL - 15 refurbishments on site; 3 already pre-let; 12 delivering ~1.35m sq ft; plus ~700k sq ft new build = ~2.0m sq ft under development vs potential >4.0m sq ft annual demand/take-up.

Refurbishment vs new build - Elaine McCann, Deputy Head of Asset Management UK Real Estate, Aberdeen, stressed comprehensive refurbishment is not cheap; retrofitting/ESG upgrades can cost similar to new build; existing constraints (e.g., central core) limit optimal layouts; expectation of rental differential between new build and refurb.

Renovation and refurbishment were evident in practice though. One scheme being the Futures Institute by Bennetts Associates – comprising a resurrected city centre icon of a building that had long been neglected, to produce a state-of-the-art innovation space for the University of Edinburgh. With wood floors (Russwood), exposed concrete and a rich colour palette doubling up as clever wayfinding, this space was not only beautiful, but respectful of its history (wards laid out by Florence Nightingale now house functional office areas), and it’s clearly well-used. (Thank you to Rab Bennetts, Founder, Bennetts Associates for showing us around.)

Similarly at the soon-to-be Lloyd’s HQ – formerly the HQ of Scottish Widows – a full refurbishment of what is a building of epic proportion is well underway, with 8,000 staff due to be located in the finished space next year. With eye-watering, panoramic views of the city, stretching from castle to sea, and impressive plans by MLA (thanks to MLA’s CEO Tim Griffin for giving us a preview), it’s shaping up to be a stellar example of opting for what’s already in situ.

Developer challenges – There are clear challenges across the market for renovation and new builds alike. Articulated by Paul Curran, CEO, Qmile Group, as a “perfect storm” of build-cost inflation over 5-years reducing viability; higher tenant fit-out costs; higher interest rates increasing holding costs during prolonged planning; difficult traditional/institutional funding (especially in regions); valuations/exit yields making schemes unviable despite rent increases; occupier commitment uncertainty on size and leasing; larger buildings make achieving 50% pre-let harder; tenant concerns about vulnerability/risk.

Rental growth & flexibility – Additionally, rents have increased significantly from Q1 2020 to Q1 2026; growth was implied by deals currently under offer; 2030 rent forecasts were shown (JLL’s Cameron Stott suggested forecasts may be conservative).

Flexibility – Despite this, it was indicated there is a strong growth in flex space; flex users are largely businesses scaling up/down (not just startups); premium paid for service and customer experience are king. Flex leasing metrics from Helen showed many sign 5-year leases but average term ~2.8 years; dedicated CX/customer retention team has seen 64% retained customers (reduced broker/agency fees). The reasons occupiers choose flex is said to be reduced CAPEX, lack of in-house fit-out/leasing expertise, limited internal capacity to manage fit-outs; preference for amenity and programmed events.

For Ashleigh Corbett, Head of Flex, CBRE, the definition of “flex” has changed significantly vs 8–10 years ago – it’s not just small serviced offices for startups. Covid has had an impact on flex, with enquiries up ~150%; larger space enquiries (4,000–6,000 sq ft) have doubled; for corporate occupiers there is an increased demand for flexible space. The ‘flex’ umbrella now includes: serviced operators plus landlord-led models (fully managed, all-inclusive, plug-and-play). Up to ~50% of some landlords’ portfolios expected to require some form of flex space within the next couple of years (self-delivered or via partnerships).

Amenities arms race - In London, there’s a demand for purposeful amenity and terraces that work year-round; “token” terraces insufficient; programming such as events is needed with yoga and barbecues cited as examples.

Ken Shuttleworth, Founder, Make Architects, believes we cannot impose “London feel” on regional cities; we must tailor to local economics and what matters to tenants; simplicity, efficiency, and speed to planning/on-site delivery were emphasised; basements should be avoided outside London due to cost.

Ken said that 40 Leadenhall (a Make project) is often used as a benchmark by agents because of its amenities; though he argued for an alternative philosophy - use surrounding neighbourhood amenities rather than building an internal “fortress village” where appropriate.

Even with simpler forms and lower budgets, buildings need strong identities to attract tenants; achieving this requires early contractor/supply-chain collaboration (cladding, brickwork, concrete) to overcome initial QS cost objections.

Location-specific requirements - i.e. end-of-trip/cycling facilities vary by city (Edinburgh high cycling demand; Glasgow different); Haymarket building provides facilities for 500+ bikes and extensive showers. (We had the pleasure of visiting this location during a tour led by CEO of Qmile Group, Paul Curran, MLA’s Kenny Fraser, and the teams from Deloitte and Foster + Partners, thank you all).

Viability approaches - Paul said there needs to be a focus on what occupiers actually want; integrate Cat B fit-out to eliminate waste of stripping out; early engagement with occupiers to align amenity with real use; use shared terraces/common amenities rather than private where appropriate; balance amenity with smaller regional footfall vs large London towers.

Accreditations/badges - Were raised as a concern for Helen and Paul - proliferation of ESG/green accreditation requirements can become box-ticking driven by agents; need to challenge which accreditations truly matter to occupiers and their actual commitments; risk of unnecessary cost escalation.

Early occupier engagement – This is said to be needed. Supply-demand shortage drives occupiers to commit earlier; pre-lets occurring earlier than in the past; we need wider industry collaboration to avoid building “creepy” buildings (as mentioned by Gillian Docherty).

Occupier vs customer - Chris Moriarty, Co-Founder & Director, Audiem thinks “customer” as a term is insufficient; we must distinguish customer vs consumer (B2B2C model). Because in flex/workplace, financial/lease flexibility matters to the customer, but consumers often care about basics (desk availability, parking, food, functioning/clean toilets).

Narrative & storytelling - Stefano Faiella, Director, Threesixty Architecture, and shareholder/board member/investor at Port of Leith Distillery, argued that architecture/design alone is not enough; narrative/story delivery is crucial. And experience must evolve over time; avoid staying static; data should guide improvements.

Design is essential though, and adds value when it solves real problems; example: Glenmorangie bottling hall was highlighted as an optimum facility for its industrial workforce; design used to address workforce needs and gender-neutral environments; success described as “smiles per square feet” (people happy and want to return), protecting culture/identity.

Positivity? As requested by our own Material Source Director, David Smalley, in his question to the Plenary One panel. Optimism was emphasised by Ken in light of the continual improvement of buildings, with use of AI as a tool, human adaptability, expectation of improved conditions as property cycle turns, and placemaking/community benefits.

Market optimism, despite challenges: Paul/Cameron made the point that property is cyclical; small changes (yields, rents, construction costs) could shift viability; indicators earlier in year were more optimistic (interest rates expected to fall; costs stabilising).

As well as the wealth of insight gleaned from the plenary and workshops sessions, plus the site tours, we also enjoyed the social events held in a duo of stunning settings – Mansfield Traquair for night one, and the National Museum of Scotland for night two, complete with music from the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, and a traditional ceilidh. Additionally, we’re grateful to Overbury (shout out to Zara Peyton) for hosting us at Brewhemia for their England match viewing.

It was announced that next year’s BCO Annual Conference will be held in Paris. So we’ll see you there in 2027.

Thanks to everyone that made our visit to the BCO Annual Conference such an enlightening one – especially the BCO team (including Samantha McClary, Andy McBain, Mary Economidou) and SAS Events team (Annie Rimmer). Congratulations to you all. We’ll be covering the sites and schemes we visited in more detail over the coming weeks. The phrase "No Scotland, no party" has perhaps never felt so resonant. Until next time.

Materials Revived, Surfaces Reformed is a sculpture trail located inside Material Source Studio London.

A series of crafted artworks tell the stories – past and present - of CDUK’s unique interior surface solutions, including Polygood, PaperStone®, and repurposed Corian®, all either made from recycled matter, or latterly, repurposed through the Reutilize partnership, and Vita Nova takeback scheme.

Launched during Clerkenwell Design Week, the trail provides a unique and interactive way of experiencing the versatile capabilities of the materials, in addition to takeaway samples being offered on CDUK's dedicated Studio POD.

Here's a flavour of what you can expect when you visit...

Evolution Plastic: Journey through the Polygood Tunnel

Made from 100% recycled and recyclable plastic and part of the Growth Collection, designed in collaboration with Gensler, this sculpture sees waved arches of Polygood surfaces, in an array of speckled hues, from charcoal to white, guide your journey into our Theatre (where, during CDW, a seminar was held on Future Materials: The challenges of specifying them - CDUK was one of the sponsors).

Just as Polygood celebrates circular lifecycles, this sculpture celebrates the many attributes these surfaces posses, seeking to inspire the creative use in your schemes.

Explore Polygood

Organic Matters: Explore the rich textures of PaperStone®

This organic inspired artwork, made from recycled paper, mirrors the rippling contours found in natural wood grain - the same inspiration at the heart of the material itself.

Crafted from recycled paper and a natural resin, it is a surface with its sustainability story built in from the start. Low carbon and commercially ready, PaperStone® is manufactured reliably at scale for commercial projects.

Explore PaperStone®

Waste Not: Reimagine the future with 100% repurposed Corian®, in partnership with Reutilize & Vita Nova.

Waste Not is the name given to this sculpture, representing the past, present and future of surface materials.

It was created in collaboration with Reutilize®, a specialist platform where surplus materials or offcuts that would otherwise go to landfill, can be listed. A marketplace accessible to designers and makers across the industry.

Each beautiful, unique pebble is crafted from material returned through the CDUK Vita Nova solution and listed with Reutilize® to find a new life. The result here is a stacked pebble form sculpture made from 100% repurposed Corian®, revived to reflect a shared commitment to keeping material out of landfill.

Corian® is thermoformable, repairable and can be joined seamlessly. Those inherent characteristics make it ideal for repurposing. It can be shaped, repaired, and refinished rather than replaced, which is why it sits at the heart of the Vita Nova circular solution. When material does reach the end of a project life, Vita Nova and partners like Reutilize® mean it does not have to stop there.

Explore Reutilize & Vita Nova

To experience the sculpture trail for yourself, visit Material Source Studio, 120 Saffron Hill, EC1N 8QS - no booking required. For more information on CDUK, click here.

For our final event on the topic of AI for 2026, we looked specifically at technology's impact on work settings - covering the practice of architects, interior designers, project managers, and engineers themselves, plus the schemes they craft for their clients.

Looking back in order to look forward, and based on the 5 events prior, in Manchester, London and Glasgow, we sought to uncover whether AI in its current form is revolutionary, or just part of our inevitable evolutionary process.

This is where the conversation, Chaired by Material Source Studio Director, David Smalley began. “Is AI a revolution or an evolution?” he asked to kick off.

Our guests

Revolution or evolution?

“I think AI is being packaged as a revolution,” responded Gavin Hughes, Design Director, EMEA, HLW. “It doesn't mean that it's going to turn out to be a revolution. It's the biggest successful marketing campaign in decades. Because it's not even AI, is it? It's branded itself as Artificial Intelligence when it's not. It's a Large Language Model based on existing information. It's impressive, but it's finite.”

“Is AI just a process of technological advancement then?” asked David.

“Kind of,” continued Gavin, “I do think it’s going to be as big as manufacturing – a lot of that obviously became automated, but it didn’t remove the human element. It changed it. Humanity didn’t end though.”

Ewan Duffin, Structural Engineer, Harley Haddow, believes it’s generation dependent as to whether AI is evolutionary or revolutionary. “I think for most people around the table here, it will be an evolution of what we do, and we’ll use AI tools to find efficiencies.

“But if you're a younger person that's coming into practice, that doesn't have the background of how things used to be, I think you'd look at it in a different way. The whole way people are taught, and how they learn things, their attention span and everything like that, will be a complete revolution.”

A comparison was drawn between the impact of AI’s not quite advent, but the advent of its adoption en masse, with that of the advent of the Internet. Since then, “we don’t retain information like we used to,” commented Gavin.

“Is that because our brains are so full?” considered Hazel Pearson, Director, MLA. “There’s ‘noise’ coming from everywhere. And all of it came from the evolution of the World Wide Web.”

Referencing the recent ban on mobile phones in schools in Edinburgh (and since the roundtable, the ban of social media for under 16s in the UK too), Hazel believes this is a good thing, and that we should be considering the consequences of AI now to avoid potential pitfalls. “We need to learn and act faster this time than we did with social media use.”

“Or the marketing of cigarettes as healthy,” added Gavin.

The application of historical context is important, said David. Looking back at the past to help shape our futures.

For Chris Townsend, Director, RKA, AI is “just another bit of technology that's come around that is more intelligent and faster. We're humans and we’re good at developing things. Though it’s [AI] marketed to change and revolutionise every single industry, for us, as architects and designers, we are still trying to find the parts it might revolutionise.”

This comment echoed the views shared across all our events so far. Though, in terms of evolution, AI is supporting architects and designers with taking away some of the mundane, so far, no one has shared an instance of genuine revolution.

“We’re still going to deliver buildings,” Chris added, “it’s just how we might use AI to help us deliver them, perhaps slightly quicker.”

The point at which AI will catalyse the ‘genuine revolution’ that it’s being made out to be capable of by some is, for Manu Sanz, Associate Interior Designer, Form Design Consultants, “when it can think for itself – when it creates things that haven’t yet been created.”

“I’m not sure the laws would allow that to happen though…” Manu added. To which Gavin responded, “It’s too late.”

Gavin also shared that he would challenge the word “tool” in relation to AI. “It’s actually a service if you think about it,” he said. "You wouldn't say that Deliveroo was an efficient tool to get fuel into your stomach. Because you're paying for a service, you're controlling it, you're selecting what you want from it.”

This was met by agreeing nods from around the table.

Steve Smith, Project Architect, SPACE, quickly changed his use of the word “tool” to say, “AI is just a service – giving us access to a lot of tools – but up to now it hasn’t dramatically changed my daily workflow.”

In the areas where it has made an impact, it’s not in the design sense, Steve added. “More in fee proposals, where I’ll put a brain dump into Copilot.”

Iva Kovacheva, Architect, Keppie Design, believes that both evolution and revolution can be said of AI. “It’s been around a long time, but under the radar,” Iva commented.

Speaking of a friend who works as a Programmer for Amsterdam City, Iva shared that AI models have been used there “for decades”. A system shows the whole city so that failures can be quickly spotted, and improvements can be made rapidly. Whether a broken traffic light, or congestion, for example. “AI, in that sense, is nothing new,” Iva said. “It’s now just become mass used.”

“In the future though,” she added, “I think it could become a revolution once it's combined with other things like smart materials and smarter buildings, which again, are on the brink of emerging.”

Ewan agreed that the AI we’re currently using, especially in the built environment, is “far from cutting-edge in terms of what could be done.”

“When most people think of AI, they’re actually thinking of LLMs,” he added. “And when we look back, say 2-years from now, there’s no way we’ll have been able to predict where we’d be going.”

This historical context, mentioned at the start of the session, matters when it comes to AI and its use within architecture.

It wasn’t until 1985 when Steve Jobs launched the Apple personal computer that architects began to think of PCs as useful. Prior to this, they weren’t very useful at all, according to recounts, due to their limited storage facilities. The launch of AutoCAD is, of course, often considered another seismic shift.

This software was introduced to Hazel whilst in her third year of studies, she shared. Though she found hand-drawing a more beneficial process. “Everything was much slower, then,” Hazel commented, “And now, with AI, it’s all sped up. It’s dangerous. Because of tools like Revit, we’ve increased the number of options we present to clients. Back in the day, it would just be one option. You’d listen to a client and be drawing at the same time – you’re not going to draw 20 options out by hand, are you? You’d use your brain, engage, get the brief right and design something specific to that brief…”

“And your brain would whittle down the options as you went…” added Chris.

In turn, the client wouldn’t expect more than one option, Hazel commented. “Perhaps there was more trust there,” she considered.

A next gen problem?

David asked the group to cast their minds back to when they first adopted tools such as Revit and AutoCAD to assess where the industry shifts were.

Chris shared that at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, there was an opportunity to “test out” new tools alongside learning skills such as model-making and hand drawing, ensuring undergraduates had a rounded roster of experience prior to entering practice. Now, in practice, there’s a skills gap, the guests said, in terms of the more traditional skills. As well as a lack of critical thinking.

“I did my entire education on a drawing board,” Gavin commented, “and then went on to use computers. There is an additional part where you’re thinking about how to display information, using analytical thinking. With the younger generation, they’ve not necessarily had to learn how to succinctly put information together as they produce (draw) it, in a clear and coherent way. I do think that’s a bit of a lost art, and an important part of communicating complex information.”

In Bulgaria, where Iva studied, this was very much a part of the curriculum, she shared. “When they taught us hand drawing, they gave us so many specific rules as to what to use for absolutely everything, including line weights etc. I think, using templates, this is something we can easily bring into our own practices to guide the younger generations.”

This point was challenged by Chris, who has experienced the skills gap in practice, with younger generations proficient in AutoCAD, but not hand drawing.

“I do think it can be taught though,” Iva replied, “And probably very quickly. It’s just a skill that we need to pass on. The younger people are perfectly capable of learning it.”

“Will too many guidelines crush young peoples’ creativity?” David asked.

“There are certain basics,” responded Gavin, “Technical drawings don’t need to be creative; their primary purpose is to be legible.”

“It’s a universal language,” Chris added.

For this particular task, AI could come in useful, Hazel suggested, helping to keep things “consistent.”

“We have built a bot,” she said. “It stores all the Scottish Regulations in there, and younger people coming into practice can use it as a reference point.”

Ewan has also found benefits with using bots. “We have SER – Structural Engineers Registration to make sure buildings are compliant with building warrants, and we have a system where drawings can be inputted and the bot will flag any issues it tracks. This will become part of the QA process to save time for the SER certifier i.e. it spots things before it even goes to them.”

This can’t solely be relied on currently, Ewan said. But it forms another layer of the checking process. “If I put my initials on to say I’ve checked the drawings then I’m still liable – I’m just using AI as another layer.”

Gavin asked a question that has reoccurred over the past couple of events we’ve hosted on AI, “You’ve got the experience to check AI’s work and understand it. If you’ve got young designers coming up that have never had to do that process, how can they check? My issue is that we’re being quite shortsighted – what happens tomorrow?”

“It’s a compounding issue”, agreed Ewan. “Will we be teaching people to actually get there? How will we get the next directors of our companies?”

The importance of this point was emphasised by David, “This is crucial. The younger generations will learn using AI. But they potentially won’t build their experience to enable them to sign their initials at the bottom of a drawing.”

Here lies another issue which Chris highlights - “people not wanting to take responsibility for their decisions.”

For Ewan, it’s not a possibility to ‘blame AI’ at his practice. “We've completely rewritten our company policy to say, no matter what happens in AI, that we're never allowed to rely on it. Technically, we’re not allowed to use it. I’m the one that’s liable.”

Iva concurred, “UK law says we’re liable for our own work.”

This point about responsibility and expertise was brought around to considering what we’ll do when AI has perfected an architect’s job role, for example. “Taking all of your expertise, questions, sources, to create a bot that’s been trained on high-quality architects’ data,” Ewan said. “That bot would be so much more qualified than a graduate would ever be. 10-years down the line, there will likely be an ultimate AI bot that will be 10-times better at structural engineering than I am.”

“Would that be allowed to happen though?” questioned Manu.

“It’s probably already happening in the background,” responded Ewan.

With that in mind, David asked, “are you worried about redundancy further down the line?”

Perhaps more a next generation problem, came the reply.

“Are the young people in your offices positive about AI?” David asked.

Yes, came the resounding response. The younger generations in practice have wholeheartedly embraced AI.

“They’re now teaching me,” shared Chris.

A general point was raised about AI use in practice needing to be monitored so important information isn’t ‘leaked’ through using free accounts. Some clients are specifically asking for AI not to be used, some shared. And in some of the larger, international practices, there are non-AI teams for clients that aren’t keen on its utilisation in their projects.

Are clients onboard with AI?

Continuing on the topic of clients, David asked, “What are your clients thinking about the use of AI?”

“They don’t ask,” said Chris. And some, as was shared at our roundtable in London, bring their own AI-generated visuals to help communicate their ideas.

“Is that any different to clients having a Pinterest board though?” David queried.

“It’s actually more beneficial in some respects because it's clearer,” Chris said. On receiving a Pinterest board, it’s not always obvious which aspects of the visuals the client likes, he explained.

When asked whether Pinterest is still widely used, Gavin likened it to “an archive”, which linked to the earlier point about AI potentially facilitating banks of knowledge for younger people to utilise, built up using a practice’s combined experience. “Can AI support with knowledge management?” suggested Callum Waddell, National Sales Manager, Autex Acoustics. “Maybe the bots streamline and manage what we already know.”

Universities would then be teaching the critical thinking element to help professionals in practice to analyse the data, Hazel added. Referencing the designer JA!COCO!, who she’d seen on a panel earlier that day, Hazel relayed that “Kids always start with 3D renders now, but JA!COCO! starts with a collage. We’re designing human experiences. And that's why you need the touchy feely tactile creative…”

…“You also need time and space to allow ideas to percolate,” added Gavin.

In Glasgow, our AI panellists Rich Wilson, gigged.ai, and David Reat, University of Strathclyde, spoke on the notion of AI ‘ freeing up lots of time’ being a myth. At this roundtable, the sentiment was echoed. The economy just changes, it was suggested.

“Does that mean clients expect things faster?” David asked.

“Oh yes”, came the reply. “They think there is a magic button in AutoCAD and Revit," said Manu.

As was highlighted at our London and Manchester seminars by Dr Phil Tetlow, AI isn’t inherently good or bad, but is at the mercy of human use. The roundtable guests mirrored this, highlighting medical advancements (hugely positive), and putting pressure on peoples’ time to deliver more in less time (negative).

“What’s that quote?” Gavin said, “I want AI to do my laundry, so that I can do my art. I don’t want AI to do my art, so I can do laundry. It’s that. Where’s the real value?” [Source]

“We’re still in learning mode, aren’t we?” added Hazel. “And we’re crying out for regulation,” exclaimed Manu.

“What will AI never be able to replace?” asked David.

“Human relationships,” responded Ewan. “Making a personal bond with someone, and that leading to trust. That comes down to the human experience. And while AI can talk about that, it can’t replicate it.”

Callum asked ChatGPT this very question prior to the session, and shared its response: “It said architects will always still provide client relationship management; negotiation with stakeholders; understanding of local culture; planning and regulatory expertise; creative judgement; and leadership of multidisciplinary teams.”

"The thing that's underestimated in there is the creative element," added Callum. "And the conceptual stages that you go through."

Gavin agreed. "And the less we're inputting into the funnel, the smaller the funnel gets, and suddenly everything looks the same, because everyone's looking at the same visual references. Plus, do I want to be just a 'checker' of AI's work?"

Iva suggested another issue in that "AI takes everything at face value, and it just reads language as one stream of information without differentiating the nuances of what it all means. What humans do is challenge the information in front of them."

Here, Gavin brought up the point around LLM's tendency to positively reinforce, as has been discussed extensively at all our seminar sessions on AI. It's dangerous, it was agreed.

As the conversation on AI drew to a close, for now, we returned to the theme of differentiation.

Ewan said, "AI homogenises. If you're using it in a pitch, everyone's will look the same. And if you're the client, thinking, well nothing stands out here, and then you see a hand sketch and it's beautiful, that could, and likely will, win the job."

By way of conclusion, though the AI conversation remains fraught with unresolved queries, is barbed with polarising opinions, and quite frankly, interlaced with fear, especially for the next generation of built environment professionals entering territory perhaps more unchartered than anything we've ever experienced before, the one thing we can hold onto is the fact we are humans. And humans are problem solvers. Adaptive. Agile. Emotional. Understanding.

Across all our AI events, this thread of discussion has carried through - a glimmer of hope in what can be - let's face it - a fairly dark topic at times. Where will we be in 5-years, 10-years? By all accounts, it's too vast a scale to comprehend in the rapidly evolving, digitally reliant landscape in which we now live. But continued conversation and peer learning will no doubt guide our journeys into this new era, however rocky the path may sometimes be. And this is something we're committed to supporting over the coming months and years.

Do you have something to add? Let us know! Get in touch to share your view as part of our Views on AI feature, coming soon.

In the meantime, a huge thanks to our roundtable guests for sharing their insight and experience with us, and to our supporter for this event, Autex Acoustics - Partners in Glasgow and Manchester.

Key takeaways

• Is AI revolutionary or evolutionary? For our roundtable guests, it was mostly seen as an evolution (for now), despite the hype. Most framed today’s “AI moment” as another step in a longer tech progression (internet - CAD/BIM - automation), heavily marketed as revolutionary.
• Practical value is emerging in efficiency and consistency more than in core design.
• Trust, liability, and accountability still sit with humans, our guests believe, creating a skills gap risk for the younger generations.
• Governance is uneven; data security and client sensitivity are driving internal policies.
• What can’t AI replace? The human elements of work: relationships, judgement, context, and authentic creativity.
• Just as in the early 1990s, when designers started to embrace computers to aid in their drawings - used through the lenses of their expertise, discipline, and design theories, AI, for the future, could be viewed in the same way.

Forbo Flooring Systems, in collaboration with Material Source Studio, invites you to take part in an exciting design competition to create a unique Flotex flooring concept.

This initiative proudly supports Mind UK and Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH), helping to raise awareness around mental health through the power of design.

Meet Flotex

Flotex is a high-performance, high-design textile flooring solution that combines the comfort and warmth of carpet with exceptional durability and hygiene. Its ultra-dense nylon fibre surface is designed to withstand heavy foot traffic while maintaining its appearance over time.

Easy to clean and quick to dry, most stains can be removed with just water, while its waterproof backing helps prevent mould and odours. With excellent slip resistance, acoustic performance, and a soft feel underfoot, Flotex delivers a safe, comfortable, and low-maintenance flooring solution for busy commercial environments.

Design with Purpose

This is your opportunity to express your creativity while contributing to an important cause. Selected designs will be showcased at Material Source Studio locations in London, Glasgow, or Manchester, offering valuable exposure and recognition within the design community.

Whether you’re an emerging talent or an established designer, this competition provides a platform to share your ideas, tell your story, and make an impact through design.

How to participate

To enter the competition, simply download the entry pack here for full details of the submission process. The process is made up of three easy steps: choose your format, select your intended segment, and provide a design explanation.

"I'm really excited to see the entries and explore the thinking behind them. As it is digitally printed, Flotex is the perfect substrate for this competition and I hope that the creative freedom it offers and the charities we are supporting will inspire people to enter." - Jason Holmes, Head of Design Textile, Forbo

Alongside your design submission, please ensure you complete and return the entry form.

All entries must be submitted by 1st December 2026. Winners will be selected by Forbo's in-house design team and contacted directly.

Click here for full details and to submit your entry. Good luck!

Rachel Basha perhaps needs little introduction. For almost 20-years, she has led Basha-Franklin as Founder and CEO, building an independent London architecture and interior design studio recognised for creating thoughtful buildings and high-performance workplaces for leading developers and organisations.

Founded in 2007 with the ambition of creating a more integrated and client focused approach to architecture and interiors, the practice today works with organisations including The Crown Estate, Landsec, Related Argent, Morgan Real Estate, BNF Capital and W.RE.

A defining characteristic of Basha-Franklin's work is its holistic approach, where architecture, interiors, wellbeing and sustainability are considered together rather than in isolation.

Rachel was an early advocate for sustainable design and speaks passionately about responsible materiality, circular economy principles and the opportunity for buildings to become long term material banks.

Alongside leading Basha-Franklin, Rachel also serves as Vice Chair of the BCO London Committee, helping shape conversations around the future of the workplace and the evolving role of offices within our cities.

With the upcoming BCO Conference on the horizon, we sat down with Rachel to discuss design, sustainability, storytelling and the future of the workplace.

Let’s start at the beginning. What led you to found Basha-Franklin?

"For me, there was a clear gap in the market for a genuinely integrated approach, where architecture, interiors and the experience of space are conceived as one.

"I had seen practices that were excellent creatively, and others that were excellent technically, but very few that combined strong design with strong delivery across both architecture and interiors.

"My training and early career was in Australia, where many practices naturally connected architecture, landscape and interiors. Perhaps that's because there is a stronger relationship between inside and outside, and the design process reflects that.

"My earliest experiences taught me that the quality of a building begins long before you cross the threshold. It starts with the building itself, the first impression on approach, with the way natural light enters, how people move through a space, and how scale, proportion and volume shape the way we feel.

"Today, we work seamlessly across architecture and interiors because each discipline continually informs the other. Much of our work is for developers, and our background in delivering occupier workplaces gives us a deep understanding of how people actually use buildings.

"Too often, the market treats the asset and the occupier as separate considerations. We believe the best projects emerge when those perspectives are brought together, creating places that perform better commercially while creating environments that are more intuitive, engaging and valuable for the people who use them."

Did you study in Australia before moving to London?

"Yes, I studied in Australia in the mid 1990s at the University of Technology Sydney. The industry was very different then and many of our lecturers were trained architects because interior design had evolved from that discipline.

"Our education was rooted in sculpting space rather than focusing on decoration. It was about understanding volume, light, movement and the experience of the interior architecture.

"Australia has an incredible design culture. We are fortunate to have wonderful landscapes and iconic architecture, such as the Sydney Opera House, and that creates a deep appreciation for the quality of space and the connection between people and their environment."

What's changed since you founded the practice? And what hasn't?

"The workplace has changed enormously. Flexibility and hybrid working have transformed the sector.

"The growth of co working spaces reflected a broader shift in how businesses operate. Companies are more agile and less certain about what they will need in five or ten years' time. Long leases are becoming less common, and even established organisations want greater flexibility.

"Sustainability has also changed dramatically. I have always been passionate about it, but in the early days it was often seen as idealistic rather than commercial. Today investors and occupiers understand that sustainable design creates long term value. It has become a cornerstone of good design.

"Another major shift has been our understanding of neurodiversity and human performance. We now know much more about how factors such as light, acoustics, texture and climate affect how people feel and work.

"Data has helped us demonstrate that better environments improve business performance. Offices may represent a relatively small proportion of operating costs, but they house an organisation's greatest asset, its people.

"Sophisticated clients increasingly understand that creating high performance environments is an investment in productivity, wellbeing and culture.

"Personally, I believe in the value of the office. Shared purpose, collaboration and creativity are strengthened when people come together, but that only works if the environment genuinely supports everyone to do their best work."

Is that where projects begin, with sustainability and inclusion?

"It always starts with understanding the client's objectives. We have a baseline expectation of quality, regardless of budget. Beyond that, every project involves balancing multiple factors that contribute to a successful space.

"We work from the macro to the micro. We want to understand the strategic drivers, the technical capabilities of the building and the opportunities the architecture provides. Where are the best views? How does the building perform? What can we influence and what constraints do we need to work within?

"Ultimately, our role is to create the best possible outcome within the realities of brief, budget and programme, while helping the client achieve commercial success.

"For us, commercial success means creating places that people genuinely want to occupy. If no one wants to be there, then the project has failed.

"We layer intuitive planning, human behaviour and operational performance with the finer details of materiality, craft and personality. Every project should respond to its context, culture and users."

Your projects have a distinctive material language. Where does that come from?

"We use materials with purpose. They are not simply decorative. Every material should contribute to the performance of the space, whether through acoustics, wellbeing, durability or helping users intuitively understand how a space should be used.

"We also want people to feel good. Materials have the power to create an emotional response. People often tell us they simply feel better in our spaces, and that emotional connection is important.

"We like to create curiosity. I love it when people enter a space and instinctively want to touch something or ask what it is. That engagement creates memorable experiences.

"Craft and texture are fundamental to our work. Without them, spaces can become anonymous and homogeneous. It is often not about using expensive materials, but about the thought and care that goes into how they are brought together.

"Narrative is equally important. We want people to understand why a space has been designed in a particular way. Storytelling gives a project meaning, relevance and longevity. It allows people to connect with a place beyond trends."

In our recent seminar in Manchester on AI it was suggested that storytelling is the thing that humans have that AI doesn’t, do you agree?

"I think craftsmanship and the appreciation of human skill become even more valuable in an increasingly digital world.

"There is something about handmade objects that people instinctively recognise. You can feel the difference, even if it is difficult to explain.

"We are moving away from the idea that everything has to be perfectly manufactured. Authenticity and evidence of human creativity are becoming more meaningful."

How have client briefs changed?

"Not every client starts by knowing exactly what they need. Part of our role is to bring experience and expertise to help them make the best decisions for their business.

"Most projects begin with discussions around budget and programme. Those commercial realities are important, but our job is to maximise value within those parameters.

"We have developed our own internal principles around acoustics, materiality and human performance. Not every project has a large budget, but intelligent design can still create exceptional experiences.

"Every workplace should also be a portrait of the organisation it represents. When someone walks through the door, they should immediately understand the culture, values and purpose of that business.

"Buildings are powerful communication tools. They help attract and retain the right people and strengthen a shared sense of purpose."

Is value engineering a challenge?

"We are passionate about staying involved from the beginning of a project through to completion. If designers are not involved during construction, decisions can sometimes be made without understanding the impact on the overall performance of the space.

"A simple example might be removing a rug to save cost, without recognising that it forms part of the acoustic strategy. Good value engineering is about protecting performance while responding to changing constraints.

"Experienced designers know how to adapt intelligently. It is not about simply taking elements away, but about finding alternative solutions that preserve the integrity of the design.

"A project is not complete until it is delivered. We see our role as protecting the client's investment and ensuring the quality promised at the beginning is realised at the end."

Do you undertake post-occupancy studies?

"Absolutely. We actively encourage clients to do them because they provide valuable feedback and often reveal opportunities for simple improvements.

"We like to establish clear objectives at the beginning of a project and measure performance against those goals throughout the process.

"Post occupancy evaluation allows us to understand how people are actually experiencing the environment and whether it is supporting both individual and business needs.

"The more data we gather, the better we become as designers and support the adoption of new ways of working."

Are there technologies you find particularly beneficial?

"We use AI extensively for research, analysis and communication. It has transformed the speed at which we can access knowledge and develop ideas.

"AI allows us to articulate design thinking more effectively, improve presentations and analyse information that previously required significant external support.

"AI has made our workflows more efficient. We often compare ourselves to a Formula 1 team, constantly seeking marginal gains through innovation and continuous improvement."

"At the same time, the pace of change is extraordinary. You have to commit to continuous learning and make time to explore new tools and share knowledge across the team.

"We have an AI champion within the studio who helps us test technologies and identify practical applications.

"The greatest value often comes from automating repetitive tasks, allowing our team to focus on creativity and problem solving.

"However, AI is only valuable if it is used responsibly. It still requires human judgement, critical thinking and rigorous checking."

It sounds like you’ve embraced AI in a really positive way?

"I believe AI will create opportunities rather than simply replace jobs. It can help us create new products, accelerate research and free up time for deeper creative thinking.

"But nothing replaces the human experience that ultimately is the backbone of our design lens. Travelling, visiting galleries, understanding different cultures and observing how people live are fundamental to good design.

"The real strength comes from combining curiosity, lived experience, human creativity and technology. That is what allows us to remain a fast moving, high performing design studio."

Alongside your role at Basha-Franklin, you are Vice Chair of the BCO London Committee. Tell us more.

"The BCO is an exceptional platform because it brings together everyone involved in creating workplaces.

"When I arrived in London from Australia, I was struck by the openness of the industry and the access to knowledge. The BCO is one of those places where that exchange happens.

"We want members to gain genuine value through insightful seminars, building tours and meaningful networking. People's time is precious, so every interaction should be worthwhile.

"I am particularly passionate about creating a broad range of experiences so that the community reflects the diversity of the industry. From breakfast events to wellness activities and technical seminars, we want people to connect in ways that align with them.

"The office sector faces many challenges, but by coming together we can learn from one another and collectively improve the industry."

With that in mind, is there a workplace that embodies the future particularly well?

"A few years ago I visited The Circl in Amsterdam, supported by ABN AMRO, and it had a profound impact on me.

"It was designed around principles of urban mining and material reuse. It demonstrated that reclaimed materials could create architecture that was both beautiful and commercially viable.

"I believe we are only at the beginning of designing for disassembly and circularity.

"At Basha-Franklin we constantly ask how buildings can come apart, how materials can be reused and how we can specify more honest, durable material palettes.

"Manufacturers are increasingly embracing this approach through material passports, mechanical fixings and products designed for repair and adaptation.

"Innovation should focus on creating extraordinary spaces while using resources more intelligently. We regularly work with materials such as mycelium and collaborate with companies that are leading the way in sustainable innovation.

"At 25 Hanover Square, for example, the façade has been designed so that it can be dismantled and recycled in the future.

"Flexibility and longevity are fundamental to good design."

"If we revisit a project in ten years and people still love being there, then we have succeeded. Interiors will naturally evolve, but well considered design has an enduring quality.

"Perhaps that is what has not changed at all. Truly good design remains timeless."

Consort Architectural Hardware was tasked with delivering the full ironmongery package for the multi award-winning hospitality landmark in Cape Town, The Cape Grace Hotel.

The Cape Grace Hotel has long been celebrated for its timeless style and exceptional guest experiences, earning prestigious accolades such as Africa’s leading Hotel of the Year and Design Hotel of the Year.

Following the most extensive refurbishment in its history, the hotel reopened its doors to guests, marking a significant moment for one of South Africa’s most celebrated hospitality destinations. The fresh look represents a technical, multifaceted upgrade and has firmly positioned Cape Grace as a modern classic rooted in its iconic V&A waterfront setting.

Consort Architectural Hardware, commissioned by 1508 London’s Dubai Studio, was well placed to supply a complete ironmongery package capable of meeting the project’s ambitious design vision together with essential fire and life safety compliance requirements.

An environment reimagined

During an 8-month renovation, every corner of the hotel was reinvented, from the grand foyer experience to its 112 luxury guestrooms, suites and signature hospitality spaces including the spa, swimming pool area and its famous Bascule Bar. The design - profoundly inspired by Cape Town’s tranquil landscape and cultural identity - incorporates layered materials and delicate details, designed to guide guests through a cohesive and immersive journey of relaxation and exploration.

Ironmongery played a critical role in the narrative, achieving both the operational performance of the building and the architectural clarity between its interior spaces. In line with the demands of a high-traffic hotel environment, durability, compliance and long-term performance were central to hardware specification. Consort supplied premium EN 1906 Grade 4 lever handle sets suited to heavy-duty applications, with all components Certifire approved and paired with high-specification lock cases to ensure fire door integrity across the scheme.

“Early on, it was clear the brief demanded hardware solutions that could balance reliability with a refined guest experience. Our chosen products had to seamlessly blend with a naturally aesthetic-led environment whilst also ensuring they were robust enough for intensive use.” – David May, Consort Architectural Hardware

A bespoke multi-profile lock cylinder system was also developed to align with the hotel’s operational hierarchy requirements, supporting efficient access control without compromising security. To maintain the refined architectural language of the project, concealed hinges and door closers were consistently aligned with flush door detailing in order to preserve clean lines and reduce the visual interruption on each guestroom doorset. The result: a coordinated hardware solution designed to balance the demands of guest comfort, safety and long term performance.

Clean design, heightened style

The ironmongery palette was carefully developed to complement the hotel’s renewed identity – refined, tactile and deeply connected to its regional context. Satin PVD Gold and Brass tones were selected to harmonise with the surrounding material scheme, sitting alongside textured timber veneers and layered interior finishes whilst complementing local artwork and exterior views of the famous flat-topped Table Mountain.

"The Cape Grace had a strong identity long before we arrived and our role was to honour that rather than reinvent it. Celebrating South African heritage was central to every design choice, from the palette and materials through to the hardware. Consort's ironmongery felt like a natural extension of that thinking. The consistency of finish and quality across every doorset gave the project a coherence that really tied the design together, and felt true to the spirit of the building." - Myriam Raad, Interior Designer, 1508 London

Knurled textures and grained cast pad pull handles were used to emphasise depth and tactility, reinforcing the handcrafted essence of the interior design and accentuating the waxed and polished grain door veneers. Hinges and closers were also concealed from view, highlighting clean lines and allowing the visible hardware elements to take on a dual role, with bespoke ironmongery handles functioning as both practical components and sculptural design features within each space.

Greater lifecycle performance

Sustainability considerations formed a key part of the specification strategy for The Cape Grace Hotel. All hardware components used throughout the project were selected for proven longevity - determined by testing performance - with an aim of reducing replacement cycles and minimising the environmental impact over the building’s lifespan.

Consort’s in-house PVD finishing technology provided a highly durable surface treatment, removing hazardous solvents and volatile organic compounds to significantly extend product life when compared to traditional plated finishes. The manufacturer’s Premium Range was also supplied in plastic-free packaging, with recyclable materials used throughout. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) were accessible across key product lines, supporting transparency and informed material selection throughout the project’s specification.

In addition, Consort’s ‘Buy Back’ scheme encourages the recovery and reuse of architectural hardware at the end of a product’s service life. This further reinforced the commitment to a more sustainable and circular approach to architectural ironmongery.

This project was a category winner at the GAI Specification Awards 2026.

For more information on Consort Architectural Hardware, visit Material Source Studio London, where Consort is a Partner.

The UK has committed to reaching Net Zero by 2050, and with construction responsible for 40% of global carbon emissions, the sector is under pressure to cut waste, lower embodied carbon, and improve energy efficiency.

James Pound, architectural assistant at DAY Architectural, believes sunflowers could play a significant role in reducing the embodied carbon of built environment-based materials. Although cultivated for oil and floristry, much of the plant, particularly the stalk, is burnt or discarded after harvest. This releases stored carbon back into the atmosphere.

Working alongside MSc physicists, Joash Webster, and Charlie Phillips, James has been testing how this overlooked material can be combined with hydrated lime to create Sun-crete, a bio-based insulation inspired by hempcrete. Early results are promising: with a U-value of 0.15 W/m²K, it already exceeds the 0.26 W/m²K threshold required to meet Passivhaus standards.

More broadly, our conversation with James has been particularly inspiring since it demonstrates how architects and designers within industry are actively shaping a more responsible and regenerative built environment through material exploration.

Here, James shares the research and experimentation behind Sun-crete, and the wider potential of sunflower-based construction.

What lessons from hemp-based construction informed your approach to Sun-crete?

"My inspiration for the project came from a lecture given by a member of architecture firm, Assemble, where they spoke about agricultural farm waste and using these by-products to create construction materials. When I first started to explore sunflowers in construction, I experimented with a range of different uses, ranging from cladding to render. After an in-depth investigation, I decided the most appropriate application would be an insulating construction block.

"The most obvious precedent for this in the natural material world is hempcrete. As it grows in popularity among smaller private builds - particularly across Europe - a much more established resource pool of technical details and construction methods has emerged. Sun-crete was created using a similar approach to hempcrete, utilising key ingredients such as hydrated lime to form the bricks. Similarly to hemp-based construction, the wet material is pressed into timber formwork, achieving strong, solid blocks that can remain within the frame or be used as standalone pieces.

"The low-carbon, circular methodology has also been borrowed from hempcrete, looking at the importance of both carbon-sequestering materials and low-transportation carbon emissions (A2 to A4 in the Whole Life Carbon Assessments, WLCA). Sunflowers can be grown, dried, harvested, and manufactured on, or within close proximity to the site - The Flat House by Practice Architecture is a useful hemp-based precedent for this."

Can you walk us through the process of producing Sun-crete - from harvesting, to forming the final insulation blocks?

"The process of constructing the material is based on simplicity and accessibility. I believe a key incentive to build with natural materials is to create a hands-on approach that can be recreated by all without previous experience. The sunflower industry is one of the most wasteful agricultural industries; most are grown only for seeds (oil) or for florists (only the top of the plant). The leftover stalks are left to dry and then commonly burnt, releasing high levels of stored carbon dioxide.

"It is just before this point that the construction industry would ideally intercept the dried stalks, offering to harvest and alleviate farmers of their waste product. The stalks are then split open, and the pith (a useful by-product for loose-fill insulation) is removed from the centre. The dried, bark-like stalk can then be chipped using a wood chipper, or by hand with scissors (if you are, like me, a student without the budget), before being mixed with hydrated lime and water.

"This leaves you with a wet, mouldable mixture that can be pressed into formwork in a range of shapes and sizes. It should be noted that the smaller the scale, the more challenging it is to create a sharp edge. After around 48 hours, this mixture will be dry enough to remove from the formwork and be used for construction. Over the next week or so, it will continue to dry, turning lighter in colour and increasing in rigidity as the lime in the mixture carbonates."

What did hands-on experimentation reveal about Sun-crete? Were there any surprising discoveries about the material’s properties?

"The process of scientific collaboration was arguably the most beneficial part of the material development: not only in getting a result to highlight the feasibility of Sun-crete, but also in learning about the material's qualities and limitations.

"The experiment was led by MSc students, Joash and Charlie, who planned out the experiment, gathered the equipment needed, and persuaded the lead technician that this was a worthwhile project. Over two weeks, we tested around five different iterations of the material, varying in chip size and lime content, aiming to discover the best variation in terms of thermal efficiency.

"Throughout the testing process, a lot was revealed about the material. When calculating the volume of the test bricks by submerging them in water, we discovered that the material temporarily loses structural integrity when oversaturated. This highlighted the need for further testing, particularly if the material was to be used externally on a project. This quality mirrors that of hempcrete and any other lime bound bio-material, losing strength when wet but quickly recovering as they dry and the lime begins to carbonate.

"Architectural features such as large roof overhangs are common in natural material construction and would be essential to protect the Sun-crete from direct driving rain. However, the material was initially proposed as an insulation structure and, like hempcrete, it would not be exposed directly to the elements. Its water permeability would actually enhance the building, aiding the breathability of the walls by absorbing excess moisture and releasing it during drier periods.

"The testing was a success. We achieved a thermal conductivity of 0.095 W/mK with blocks at an approximate density of 285kg/m³. This result is highly encouraging, as it sits comfortably within the industry standard range for hempcrete, which typically falls between 0.05 and 0.138 W/mK.

"We also believed that with further refinement of the material we could achieve a lower value. By using industrial wood chippers to achieve more controlled chip sizing, we can optimise the density and air-pocket distribution within the blocks, further enhancing their insulating performance."

With the right processing infrastructure, could sunflower-based materials become as common as hemp-based alternatives? Is it an ‘un-tapped’ resource?

"I believe there is a hesitancy to bring new natural materials into the market, definitely in the architectural world, which is currently defined by the now fully established Building Safety Act 2022. There will always be difficulty persuading insurers and clients of a material's safety; however, this is mitigated through precedent and experience with new materials.

“Turkey carries out a significant amount of sunflower production. There is 2,500,000 tons of sunflower stalk waste per year. This is a serious problem for farmers...” (Binici et al., 2020).

"There are plenty of sunflower farms in the UK with enough waste product to start harvesting and constructing smaller builds.

"However, should the material demand increase, the farms would need expanding. Unlike hemp, you do not need specific licensing to grow sunflowers, so these temporary, localised farms can be established up all over the country, provided the climate permits (sunflower growth is much more successful in the South)."

What are the biggest opportunities for scaling sunflower-based construction materials?

"Sun-crete is a good starting point for expanding and scaling natural materials formed from byproducts as the material itself is easily used and understood. Contractors can follow the established methods for hempcrete and work it into buildings in the same way.

"Cost is a significant driver within practice, and Sun-crete isn't just an environmental choice, it is a pragmatic economic one. By utilising a farmer's waste product, the cost of the material is essentially reduced to the cost of transportation. While similar in binder costs, the hemp shiv used for hempcrete must be purchased from a licensed processor, adding a significant layer of expense.

"While readily available commercial insulations may be lower in initial cost, the negative environmental and ecological toll is incomparable to Sun-crete. When factoring in recent shifts towards Whole Life Carbon Assessments and the necessity of circular building practices, Sun-crete offers a solution for future-proofing."

Can you share with us what your next steps in developing or applying Sun-crete in architecture?

"The next steps for the project revolve around a multitude of testing, both to optimise the material but also to further develop accessibility and guidance. This includes creating detail packs that architects could use to see how the material works; 1:1 testing of the material in construction; and gathering interest to create a support network of invested people to help achieve these goals. As seen by the previous collaboration with Joash and Charlie, it is necessary to have a team of varied skills to develop a material, involving creatives, scientists, and trade workers who will actually work with the material.

"There is a significant opportunity to test the material in drier climates, particularly in nations that are major contributors to the sunflower industry, such as Turkey. With the support of interested parties, this could become a feasible farm-to-building model that could be replicated internationally. Developing countries would offer a particularly compelling place to start, as the research could provide an opportunity to create affordable housing as a direct by-product of existing agricultural waste streams."

You're working at the intersection of design and material science; how has this project influenced the way you think about architecture?

"Working with materials hands-on gives a completely different insight into the design process. Creating from a material-first approach develops designs bespoke to the specific materials, creating new languages of architecture (often leaning towards traditional forms such as large overhangs or thicker walls).

"As seen in practice, collaboration with a wide range of people in the construction industry is imperative to see a feasible design reach its end goal. Working with material scientists adds a new dimension to architecture, a new approach grounded in empirical testing."

More broadly, do you think architects need to become more involved in material invention and experimentation?

"Yes. There are far too few practices that get involved with material experimentation. Some best-practice examples for natural material experimentation are: BC Materials in Brussels, Atelier Luma in France, and both Assemble and Material Cultures in the UK.

"There must be change in our use of construction materials to help reduce the footprint of the industry. This has to be through experimentation and repeated attempts at involving new materials into projects. The industry will not sway to new materials without first seeing a multitude of successful examples."

If you're interested in getting involved in the project, know of any further opportunities for testing in the UK or abroad, or just want to know more, please get in touch with James.

At our seminar in Glasgow this month, we continued our quarter-long conversation on the topic of AI.

While both the panellists and guests agreed that AI can inevitably speed things up, and take away certain, often 'mundane' tasks, there's no replacing human judgement. AI, after all, is simply just code. However, there was an underlying yet palpable feeling of unease in the room.

Amid the usual good spirit that you’ve come to expect from our seminar sessions, the forum-style format of this event allowed honest thoughts and feelings to bubble to the surface. In some cases, it was clear that built environment professionals are finding AI tools useful in their day-to-day. But there were also gaping plot holes in the narrative of our future. How do we tackle the compounding sustainability issues only being accelerated by the rapid evolution of AI? What do we do when peoples’ jobs become obsolete? What’s being done to up-skill young people for the new roles that will be created? And what will these jobs actually be?

We acknowledge that an hour-long discussion won’t provide resolutions. But seek, through our cross-country conversations, to support wider sector movements.

Just as our panellist David Reat’s PhD was on the architecture of the three Star Wars trilogies, the topic of AI has both a light and dark side. It’s emotive. Personal. There’s no doubt about that. Everyone has an opinion on AI. And that’s exactly what this seminar provided a platform to air. Judgement-free.

So, AI: Destroyer or creator? Here’s what our Glasgow Studio community thinks…

Creator or destroyer?

To begin, Session Host & Director, Material Source Studio, David Smalley, asked, “AI is quite obviously taking over mundane tasks, but how do you feel about it taking over more creative work?”

David Reat, Director, Cultural Studies in the Department of Architecture at the University of Strathclyde, shared that he’s had to rework the entire cultural studies programme for his department based on the rapid adoption of AI tools. To ignore AI’s impact would be catastrophic, he believes.

“Jonathan Charley, who was my PhD supervisor and my predecessor, looked at architectural history and theory and questioned its relevance today, and he started to introduce things like decolonisation into the course - equality, diversity. I then took that up and ran with it. And the latest challenge - or opportunity - is Artificial Intelligence.

“As a university, no executable decision has been made yet on our position on AI. But personally, it had a big bearing on the hypothesis of my dissertation, so I embraced it immediately.”

David shared he's noticed “just how pervasive it was across the board”, since LLMs (Large Language Models) become more readily available 3-years ago. “You started to see a shift, in essence, in artworks and essays that were coming from students. And I thought, ‘Well, I have to understand what’s going on here.’”

Just as visualisation is changing in practice (a theme discussed in-depth by the guests at our roundtable in London), so too is it in education settings.

With all of this in mind, David has “completely remodelled the cultural studies course, from ‘product to process’, knowing full well that we will move to delivering something through AI. There’s no point denying that we’re using it.”

While David believes AI creates possibilities for imagination and communication – “I view it as a representation technology” – he commented, it also risks destroying skills by way of “understanding why things look the way they do - and, more importantly, judgement.

“I think that’s the critical thing with AI: the ability of the human being there to judge something. I think the question is how we use it, not if we use it,” David added.

Fellow panellist Rich Wilson is CEO of Gigged.AI. Having worked in the technology sector for 20-years, he reminded guests that AI is not new – “Though marketers like to badge it as new, it’s actually 75 years old,” he said.

LLMs may have taken the spotlight over the last couple of years, but machine learning, which is what they’re based on “was a very cool thing about 10-years ago,” Rich added.

And this is “just one little strand of AI as a whole,” Rich stressed, sharing that it was the banks that were early adopters of this technology, “AI would be used by Barclays, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley. They have thousands of AI engineers in Glasgow alone – they have done for 10, 15-years. A lot of the AI models that the banks use are built in Glasgow.”

IBM he referenced as being at the forefront of advancement in AI and automation (this is where our panellist in Manchester and London, Dr Phil Tetlow worked for over 20-years.)

For Rich, after working with one of the largest advisory companies in the world, Gartner, advising global companies on “what to do with AI, what to do with data, and what to do with digital transformation,” he decided to set up his own business comprising a human and AI orchestration platform. “What we do is we take human skills and AI skills, and merge them together,” Rich shared.

Pioneers in this field, Rich added that people thought 5-years’ ago they were “crazy”, but – a proud Glaswegian company – the firm now works globally - Fortune 500, FTSE 100 - and is headquartered here in the city. “We still hire real people, not just AI,” he said, reassuringly.

The world of AI is currently akin to the “Wild West”, Rich suggested. In reference to the speed of evolution, he said, “Something you knew 26-months ago is redundant already. It’s moving like we have never seen before, and it’s only going to keep moving.”

On whether it’s a destroyer or creator, for Rich, it has already destroyed the need for a lot of tasks. In call centres, for example, more often than not we’re speaking to software robots, he said. There are also certain roles for which the need has “plummeted” Rich shared – based on his experience in recruitment.

“In IT design, when we first started the platform, one of the biggest skills we had demand for was UX design - how you use an app, how you use a website, how it looks and feels. The demand for that has plummeted.”

“Why?” asked Host, David.

“You still need people to do it; you just don’t need as many”, Rich replied.

Taking a broader view, “When you think about creation, the big think tanks such as the World Economic Forum, McKinsey, Bain & Co., the feeling is that AI will create more jobs than it displaces. I agree with that in time, but I think where we are at the moment is the opposite,” Rich stated.

In the short term, the statistics paint a stark reality, Rich said. “AI is definitely meaning that people are refraining from hiring. Full-time hiring in the UK is down by 36% every quarter. It’s the lowest it’s ever been for full-time roles.”

“Why is that?” Host David, asked. “Is that all related to AI?”

“You can blame the economy, but AI is definitely a factor,” Rich responded, adding, “I think it will get worse before it gets better. I’m an optimist, and I do feel it will get better and it will create more jobs. We’re just in a really weird time.”

In terms of what kinds of jobs might be created by the advent of the mass adoption of AI, Rich said “the hottest job in the world just now is AI trainer". Anyone with a skill – such as architecture – can be paid around $100-$200 per hour to train AI tools to “know right from wrong” because they “still need a human to say what they can do,” Rich added.

Another job that’s been created, and is very relevant to architects and designers, is the creation of data centres. Many in the room already have projects of this nature in their portfolio, so intense has the demand become in the past couple of years.

“You’re going to need people to design those data centres, build them, secure them. You’re going to need the HVAC engineers. So there’s going to be lots of demand, because the more you use AI, there’s a reason it’s more expensive, it needs compute. Compute is just a data centre,” shared Rich.

What should remain human?

“What parts, in your view, should remain human?” asked Host, David. “What should, and what will?”

Going back to the word “judgement”, panellist David said, “Artificial Intelligence is only going to get exponentially more and more sophisticated, but we still need that judgement quality in terms of ethics, morality - just the pure creative process.

“Generative AI, whether it’s textual or visual, is an encyclopaedic aggregator. It just scrapes things it’s already seen and works off coding to bring you back what it thinks you want to see…”

“And it says, ‘Well done’”, Host, David added, in reference to our earlier discussions which uncovered LLMs’ pre-set programmes for people pleasing. Something that can be dialled down in the back end of the likes of Claude or ChatGPT, Dr Phil Tetlow told us in London. This isn’t for those with a sensitive disposition though, David Reat said. (“If you do that it can be quite cruel, at times.”)

A question that has reoccurred during our conversations on AI is whether, in architecture, it’s just part of the next chapter for the profession.

David Reat is a trained architect, and commented, “I’ve seen, in my lifetime, architecture shift from pens - Rotring pens in the office I worked in - to machines. At the office I worked in, in London, they were wary of computers. All the other architecture practices were taking off because they could do things in a tenth of the time, and they still kept steadfast. There was some kind of romantic glory to it. But they eventually realised - too late.

“I shifted from pens to computers during my Masters. I’ve seen that transition. That was 25-years ago, and now it’s moving on to AI.”

Looking back further, David referenced perspective drawing in the Renaissance – “it changed the way architects worked.”

From master builders with plans, sections, elevations to Brunelleschi devised perspective to understand how space was represented, people said, ‘What’s happening?’, David shared. “Architecture became a different thing.” This progressed to pen and ink, to photocopying, and then computers.

“Do you think it’s just a process that we’re going through?” asked Host, David.

“It’s just a new chapter. It’s a new technology, and it will eradicate certain positions in offices, but it will create others - just like AutoCAD did,” panellist David responded.

By his own admission, David said he uses AI “All day. Every day. Across five or six platforms.”

Though we should be wary of simply becoming editors of AI’s work, he warned. “We need to keep critical thinking. That’s crucial. You have that ability for critical thinking and judgement, because it can’t do that. It can synthesise it,” he commented, seconding Rich’s earlier point.

Another warning was given in relation to AI’s ability to hallucinate. Filling in the gaps because it “thought that was what I wanted to hear.”

A collective shudder rippled around the room.

Rich agreed that “critical thinking and decision-making” should sit with humans. Why? One reason is because the largest source of information that LLMs such as ChatGPT and Claude run off is Reddit.

For anyone not familiar, it’s “Where millions of people gather for conversations about the things they care about, in over 100000 subreddit communities” according to the digital platform’s ‘about page’. Or, as David Reat put it, “It's the internet’s version of Benidorm”.

Because of this, we must ask, “how good is the information that’s getting pulled in?” Rich suggested.

“And to David’s point: these models are not human,” he continued, “They’re not sentient. They’re lines of code. That’s all they are. And they hallucinate. That thing David just described - that’s called a hallucination.”

Rich shared a similar scenario of hallucination, where Claude made assumptions on sales data – most of which was inflated and simply not true. That was for a private-equity-backed businesses' board pack.

Perhaps we will get to a stage with Agentic AI where we won’t need to review its work. But, for now, critical thinking and decision-making are, well, critical, agreed the panel.

"I’m of the view that AI is a tool, and it can be used powerfully. But it’s not a sentient being. It’s not your coworker. It’s not a real person. It is still just lines of code that are very sophisticated, but it can - and will - still make stuff up.” - Rich Wilson

Offering the audience the floor, Host, David asked for questions.

One of David Reat’s past students, Laura-Alexandra Popa, Architect, Convery Prenty Shields Architects, asked, “I’m an architect now, and I’m bound by my code of conduct to take care of the environment. And we all know the sheer amount of water that it takes to cool these data centres that power the AI. And at the same time, I agree it’s a very powerful tool that we can use both in practice and in our education. But how do we balance this keeping up with technology with the physical implications for our environment?”

“It’s a great point,” David responded, “as a dichotomy, I can only see, as a species, what we’ve done with the ability to create and destroy. It’s like nuclear energy: it’s incredible what that can do; it’s horrific what it can do. And I think the great scientific minds will adapt to it.”

Rich gave a controversial take. “I think the water usage in data centres isn’t what it’s made out to be. However, the power usage is huge. People think to cool a data centre it needs a load of water. That’s not actually true, but you need a load of energy to cool them. They’re not actually water-cooled; they’re cooled by massive air conditioning. It’s just a big room full of server racks.

“We’ve had them in Scotland for years, but they do need to be cooled and they do take tons of power. There are going to be lots more. Unless we can work out other power sources to power them… Scotland will invest a lot of time and effort there, thankfully.”

Another problem is, he said, that data centres need to be near their power source. “A lot of the data centres aren’t actually near the wind farms we’ve created, which I don’t understand, but maybe we can fix that,” he added.

“Overall, whether it’s water scarcity or the environment, AI does have a detrimental impact on the environment, and the increased usage will have a detrimental impact.”

Jenna Nutivaara of Planform Architects in the audience shared that, “In Helsinki, they utilise the excess heat from data centres and feed it into district heating networks from surrounding neighbourhoods." (Jenna followed up with some further reading on this, linked here).

Focusing on the fear-factor associated with AI, Mark Alcorn, Managing Director, c2 concepts, asked from the audience, “I think we probably all have a sense of this fear factor about the destroyer aspect of AI. So if it’s to be believed - and not a hallucination - that the US President just asked for early access to versions of AI - new, different and way more powerful - (and that we haven’t heard of) - what’s the risk?”

Rich shared that it’s a platform called Mythos. (You can find more information on this via the AI Security Institute).

Created by Claude, it’s alleged that an early preview of Mythos has been given to the US government for testing purposes.

“It can do things that no AI model can do”, Rich commented. “This is where warfare comes in: how do you use AI models in cybersecurity?” he added.

Things are going to get “pretty dark” before they get better, Rich believes. Especially in the UK, where AI is currently unregulated. That’s something that’ll change, Rich predicts.

Is all AI equal?

From the audience, Nick Walker, Director – Heritage & Townscape, Iceni Projects, had a question about the concentration of wealth and power. “How do we ensure that we do create this wonderful world where AI is doing all the grunt work so we can spend our time writing plays and being paid to be creative? Or is it just going to make rich people richer?”

Rich responded, “I think it will make rich people richer, for sure. But this is where regulation comes in. I honestly do think there will be serious legislation and regulation that will come in, which will really harness it.”

Regarding this, Felicity Parsons, Architectural Writer and Writing Skills Trainer, shared a recommendation for a book she’d found to be enlightening on the topic of AI and ethics. “Emily Bender, who’s a professor of computational linguistics at the University of Washington, has written widely on the ethics of AI use, and a book for a general audience called The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want, along with Alex Hanna. It’s very accessible. And though I wouldn’t say she’s an AI sceptic, she’s sceptical about the hype.”

Mass hype surrounding AI use (tying back to Dr Phil Tetlow’s likening to an opiate) has led to AI slop, suggested audience member, Matthew Trainer, Forrest Group. With this in mind, “Is AI too accessible?” he asked the panel.

Censorship should not be introduced, David said. But the introduction of price models is an inevitability, Rich suggested. Though many are currently on LLM free plans, this will become a thing of the past, he believes.

“Anthropic’s revenue in the last 9-months has gone from $6 billion to $36 billion. The reason they’ve done that is they’ve changed it from price per seat to a token price model. Uber has said it's used its tokens for the year already - in 4-months - because they changed it. Anthropic was subsidising it.

“The reason OpenAI and Anthropic were raising so much money was they were paying for your access to their data centres – which cost a lot of money to run. Every time you paid £20 a month, it was probably costing them £120 a month in ‘compute’ i.e. the running of the data centres.

“Anthropic just announced they’re going to IPO. That means they need to make a profit now, so they can’t subsidise it. OpenAI is going to do the same. So you’re going to see a massive spike in prices.”

Chris Carr, Workplace Consultant, SPACE, asked, “What’s the percentage of people using free accounts on AI tools currently?”

Rich believes it’s around 90%. (A Google search confirms this as approximately 95% of people who use generative AI platforms (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude) rely exclusively on the free tier).

Audience member, Zoe Miller, Owner, Zoe Miller Interiors, asked a question around ownership. “Who should be responsible for policing AI? Should it be us as designers and architects? Should we have the responsibility to be that final end point?”

David believes it comes back to the point about judgement. “In an exam period, I can tell immediately if it’s a student who’s used it, and the onus is on them to be honest about that”, he shared.

“I think you should police it. You know yourself if you’ve written something or drawn something.” - David Reat

Rich added, “If you crash your car, whose fault is it - the car or you? If you spray paint a wall, whose fault is it - the spray can or you? It’s the person. AI is a tool. So however you use it - if you use it for nefarious activities - that’s on the individual person, or the company who’s done that.

“But in terms of policing, the better word is regulation. There will be more regulation around how the big companies use them, yes. More pricing, more regulation.”

Acceptance without understanding?

Mariana Novosivschei, Sustainable Design Lead and PassivHaus Designer, MLA, expressed her acute sense of worry, saying, “My question is to the panel, but also to the room. We’re accepting AI as a given in everything we do – an inevitability. It’s coming. There’s nothing we can do about it. We have to accept it.

“We’re accepting statements like, ‘AI won’t take your job, but a person using AI will take your job.’ So we are accepting all these ethical issues because really we cannot do anything about it. And we’re accepting that the power is not held by people that we vote for, but by some private companies. All in the hope that it will take some mundane jobs out of our hands and it will make our life easier.

“But is it actually? Because we keep checking stuff, because we’re worried about hallucinations etc. How is it improving things for us?”

This clearly resonated with those in the room. We are receiving very mixed messages through media coverage about AI. But in reality, have we succumbed to something that we don’t have the full picture of, or any control over?

Panellist, David said, “To me, it’s agency. There are a lot of things in life controlled by big corporations, not just AI. I can only speak as an architect: the idea of looking at something and knowing yourself whether you were the author, the creator of that, is down to you.”

Mariana agreed there are lots of things controlled by corporations, “but they’re not as consequential as AI”, she added. “If we want to be more efficient and free up our time, it doesn’t really free up our time. It just means we climb to something quicker.”

“I think the ‘free up the time’ thing is a false economy”, David continued. “I think you will dedicate more time to other things. That’s happened in architects’ offices now. What architects were doing in the ’50s and ’60s to what they were doing in the ’90s till now is very different.”

Saf Khan, Assistant Project Manager, Turner & Townsend, asked from the audience about the younger generation. “We’ve seen AI is used a lot by younger generations, so should we be worried about the lack of intelligence from younger generations coming into practice?”

“Yes”, answered David on the panel. “And this is where parents come in, isn’t it?”

Alison Stobie, Co-founder, Neurodapt & Part 1 Architectural Assistant, BDP, shared her thoughts that neurodiverse people will become highly sought-after in the workplace – “To stand out against AI as individuals, being more diverse, is going to help the situation, rather than going against it.”

Kirsten Davis, Senior Sustainability & Impact Lead, CRGP Limited, asked a question regarding academia, “How are you (David) currently assessing students’ work, and as AI becomes more widely used, how do you measure both their work and their critical thinking skills, which are so important in architecture and creative practice, alongside their use of AI?”

Speaking from his own experience, panellist, David, replied, “In academia, I’ve looked at: what ultimately am I tasking the student on? It maps to ARB and RIBA criteria. I have to ensure my student comes to class - quite a few of them in here (audience members) have survived it [audience laughed] - and they leave having learned something. It’s not just a box to tick. It’s not really about the product at the end. It's about the process to getting there."

Lucy Galloway, Associate, MLA, asked from the audience, “Is there any evidence to suggest that AI is affecting social skills in the younger generations?”

“It’s a valid question because it’s double-edged,” panellist David replied. “AI came about at a time when we were also dealing with Covid – being on Zoom all the time – being insular.

“I think there is a social issue there. I encourage the students to criticise each other: ‘Where did you get that?’ Challenge that kind of thing. Because if they turn and say, ‘I just got ChatGPT to do it,’ then the conversation’s over. If they engage and say, ‘I asked it this,’ and they start to challenge it, that’s different.”

There is emerging evidence that younger people are in fact shunning AI use and interaction. "Young adults in the workforce are significantly more ​likely to view AI as a risk than a benefit" - states Reuters. As well as reports that its use is also potentially contributing to loneliness and social anxiety. A study published by Marmalade Trust, a charity which works to reduce loneliness, found: "A quarter of Gen Z would rather talk to AI than a real person." [Source: The Independent]

As the session drew to a close, Host, David, asked the panel and audience for their concluding thoughts. Not conclusive, mind – there is much more to be discussed on this topic, of course, and that’s something we’re dedicated to carrying on – tonight we’ll hold a roundtable in Glasgow to chat further.

For David Reat: “The future of design will not be determined by what AI can create, but by what humans choose to value, question, and take responsibility for."

For Rich Wilson: “AI is not the great destroyer of the workforce that the frontier labs have us to believe. It replaces tasks, never judgement, which means the future still rests on the quality of human thinking, not the power of the AI.”

For Morven Thomson, Architectural Technologist, BakerHicks: “AI is a tool, not a person, and should be acknowledged and utilised as so.”

For Kirstine Robinson, Associate Director, Space Zero: “Wellbeing, critical thinking and environmental impact needs to be considered when discussing AI.”

A huge thanks to our panel for sharing their insight with us, to you, our audience, for being so open and candid in sharing your thoughts, feelings and fears as well as asking thought-provoking questions. And thank you to our supporters for this event, Parkside Architectural Tiles - Partners at Material Source Studio Glasgow, London & Manchester.

The conversation now continues at a dedicated roundtable on the topic of AI at Material Source Studio Glasgow. Have something to say? Let us know on LinkedIn.

Top takeaways at a glance

• AI is both a creator and a destroyer - it destroys some tasks and potentially jobs in the short term, but generates opportunity in the longer term
• Process over product is becoming the stance for authorship in education, and likely practice too
• Hallucinations and inaccuracies designed to "please humans" are not edge cases; they can create serious professional liability and we should be wary
• LLMs reflect existing inequities and bias and may amplify these - designers must actively analyse through critical thought.

Insight from Kathryn Lloyd, Colour Specialist, Crown Paints

"Historically, workplace design was shaped by efficiency, with offices planned to support output and minimise distraction. Often, that led to the creation of spaces defined by hard lines, with little flexibility.

"That is, of course, changing. Offices are no longer expected to support just one type of task or one model of productivity. They need to accommodate concentration, collaboration, moments of pause and social connection within the same environment. Workplace design is becoming more human as a result, with greater emphasis on comfort, inclusivity and how a space actually feels to use day to day.

"A core consideration is a growing recognition that colour has a much bigger role to play than simply finishing a scheme. Used strategically from the outset, it can shape mood, define purpose, support navigation and help create environments that are genuinely easier to inhabit."

Designing offices for multiple ways of working and the needs of everyone

"One of the clearest examples of this is the move away from uniform environments. A single open-plan floor with one overarching palette simply doesn't reflect the reality of how people work. Instead, successful workplace design now involves creating varied settings that support different activities – quiet zones for concentration, collaborative spaces for teamwork, areas for creative thinking and moments of pause.

"Colour becomes a strategic zoning tool in this context. It helps people understand the purpose of a space at a glance and creates natural transitions between different modes of working.

"The choice of palette requires more consideration of individual needs than it once did."

"Offices are not experienced in the same way by everyone. Sensory factors such as colour, contrast and visual stimulation can have a meaningful impact on comfort, concentration and wellbeing. Crown Paints' Designing for Neurodiversity report found that 92% of architects and specifiers believe neurodivergent-inclusive design is becoming increasingly important, while 79% report a knowledge gap around the impact of these elements within their own organisations.

"So, what does neuro-inclusive colour scheming look like? We know that people respond to colour differently; a colour that is considered calming by one person may be overstimulating to another. I believe the key to successful workplace scheming is defined zones to support areas of collaboration or deep focus and concentration. The colour scheme should support these different zones with a palette that works harmoniously while incorporating a variety of hues, chroma, and tones to support the different ways in which people work best.

"The key is recognising that highly saturated palettes or strong visual contrast may energise some users while increasing distraction or discomfort for others. This doesn't mean creating bland spaces – it means understanding when a space needs to stimulate and when it needs to calm."

The value of softer, earthier palettes

"As office environments become more focused on wellbeing, there is growing relevance in palettes that feel grounded and natural. Browns, muted greens and gentle mid-tones can help move workplaces away from a harder-edged, more clinical feel while maintaining professionalism.

"These tones are effective because they create a quieter visual backdrop that doesn't compete for attention. This approach is supported by Crown Paints’ wider Colour Insights, a future-facing forecast that draws on cultural, design and lifestyle trends to create practical palettes for different types of space.

"Within this framework, the Choreography palette uses a variety of muted warm & cool hues to suit those workers who are easily over-stimulated.

"The more energising Disrupt palette – including electric blues, vibrant orange and yellow accents – can then be introduced selectively to bring vitality into social areas or collaborative spaces, creating clear distinctions between different zones."

Practical considerations: designing with colour from the outset

"For architects and designers, all of this points to the importance of thinking about colour strategically and early in the process. It should not be something applied at the end once the layout is resolved. In offices, colour plays too important a role in zoning spaces, supporting different user needs and influencing how people feel within the environment.

"It also needs to be considered in relation to light.

"Colours look very different depending on the light in which they're seen: reds and yellows will appear more vibrant and energetic in a west facing space, whilst they'll appear quieter and less saturated in an east or north facing space."

"Just as importantly, colour choices need to be supported by coatings that can meet the practical demands of busy workplace environments. Crown Trade Clean Extreme offers architects and designers the flexibility to specify from thousands of colours, while also delivering a highly durable, cleanable and scrubbable finish. This makes it particularly well suited to high-traffic areas, shared spaces and environments where walls need to retain their appearance over time, helping to extend maintenance cycles without compromising the overall design intent.

"Testing colours in context and understanding how they interact with artificial lighting are essential steps in creating schemes that genuinely support how the space will be used. You can visit our dedicated presence at Material Source Studio in London, Manchester and Glasgow, where you can see our colours in person using our lightbox – experiencing how they respond to different lighting conditions before specifying, as well as collecting a fan deck or Pure Paint Samples to support project planning.

"Ultimately, the most thoughtful office design is moving away from one-size-fits-all environments towards workplaces that support a broader range of needs. Colour has a central role in that shift – helping to define different zones, support neuro-inclusive design, create comfort and strengthen a connection to the natural world. For designers, it represents both a challenge and an opportunity to create environments that work better for everyone."

For more information, download the Crown Paints Designing for Neurodiversity report here