The young British practice Material Cultures seeks to establish a new relationship with the building materials we use to create architecture, as they explain in their manifesto Material Reform.
By reforming the ways in which building materials are made – but equally grown and cultivated, in the agricultural sense of the word – and incorporating these processes as an integral part of the design, they propose a new standard for sustainable building that goes far beyond existing labels and certifications. What role does building play in the cycles of materials and their use? How do maintenance and repair relate to new forms of use? Can we reintegrate architecture and agriculture?
This lecture is organised in collaboration with Design Museum Gent and Archipel VZW.
- Date20.11.2026
- LocationDesign Museum Gent - ForumDrabstraat 10
- AudienceAdults
- Time20:00
- AccessPaid€10 (Free for Archipel members; €5 for students and those eligible for a reduced rate)
- LanguageEnglish
More about Material Cultures
Material Cultures is a design and research practice led by Summer Islam, Paloma Gormley and George Massoud, focusing on natural materials, low-carbon construction and building technologies. They advocate for the reintegration of architecture and agriculture, viewing buildings as intrinsically connected to the landscapes from which their raw materials are sourced. Bio-based materials have a low carbon footprint and offer an alternative to the globally produced, carbon-intensive and socially destructive materials widely used in the construction industry. They challenge the systems, technologies, processes, supply chains, regulations and materials that shape the construction sector, with the aim of transforming the way we build.
Their practice operates across different scales, from materials, interiors and buildings to the landscapes from which they emerge. They design buildings that integrate biological materials and minimally processed minerals into efficient construction systems. In addition, they undertake strategic research into how these ideas can be implemented at scale and how they relate to a broader movement towards regenerative land management practices.
They teach at various institutions, including the Architectural Association and Central Saint Martins in London, and ETH Zurich. They also run their own building skills programmes through MC Make, a newly launched learning platform.
In 2023, they published a book entitled Material Reform, a collection of essays exploring the cultures, systems and infrastructures that shape the architectural sector, as well as the destructive ecologies it perpetuates.
