We advocate for the reintegration of architecture and agriculture, understanding buildings as irrevocably linked to landscapes of extraction. Bio-based materials offer an alternative to the globally sourced, carbon-intensive, socially destructive materials commonly used in the construction industry. We challenge the systems, technologies, processes, supply chains, regulations and materials that make up the construction industry with the aim of transforming the way we build.
Our practice works across different scales developing materials and prototypical buildings to look strategically at the adaptation of the landscapes and supply chains from which they emerge. We design buildings working to integrate circular and bio-based materials and minimally processed minerals into efficient construction systems. Alongside this, we carry out strategic research into how these practices can be applied at scale and how they relate to a broader move towards regenerative land management practices. We run our own construction skills programme, MAKE, alongside research and teaching at the Architectural Association, Central Saint Martins in London and the ETH in Zurich.


Paloma Gormley
Director

Daria Moatazed-Keivani (ARB)
Studio Lead

Sara Pereira
Grants and Communications Lead

Serena Faizal
Project Coordinator

Giacomo Oldfield
Project Steward

Summer Islam (ARB)
Director

Sanjukta Jitendhar (ARB)
Studio Lead

Chai Pandya
Finance Lead

Bo Yee Lau
Project Coordinator

Giacomo Oldfield
Project Steward

George Massoud (ARB)
Director

Will Bradley
Studio Lead

Huma Mahmood (ARB)
Project Coordinator

Giacomo Oldfield
Project Steward
Argent
Arup
The Architectural Association
The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
Bauhaus Earth
BlackRootz
Brightbox
Building Centre
Central Saint Martins, UAL
Charleston House
CIVIC SQUARE
Create London
Design Doha
The Design Museum
Evolving Forests
Fishtank
Forestry England
Grizedale Arts
HG Matthews
Hong Kong Design Institute
Human Nature
Impact on Urban Health
International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam
London Metropolitan University
Margent Farm
The London School of Architecture
Naked House
Newham London Borough Council
Peabody
re:arc Institute
RESOLVE
Stiftung Sitterwerk
SOM Foundation
Timisoara Architecture Biennial
Tipping Point East
The Tudor Trust
V&A Museum
YesMake
York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership
Woods into Management Fund
Wolves Lane Consortium
Selected Press
‘Bark is the original dampproof membrane!’ Meet the radical designers who let nothing go to waste
Oliver Wainwright
2025, The Guardian
Build Local!
Ellen Peirson
2025, The Architect's Newspaper
Material Cultures: the radical architects rethinking how – and what – we build
Mary Richardson
2025, Building Design
Material Cultures on transforming woodland waste into sustainable sheet materials
Derin Fadina
2025, The RIBA Journal
Material Cultures
Reuben J Brown
2024, The Architectural Review
Behind the scenes with a trio of architects pioneering sustainable materials
Malaika Byng
2024, House and Garden
Getting to the Root: Prototypes constructed using plant building materials
Lucia Gratz
2024, Werk, Bauen + Wohnen
Selected Books
Constructive Disobedience: An Experimental Methodology in Architecture
Ed. Matthias Ballestrem, Katharina Benjamin, Helga Blocksdorf
2025, Birkhauser
Manual of Biogenic House Sections
Ed. Paul Lewis, Marc Tsurumaki, David J. Lewis
2022, ORO Editions
Selected Talks
International Conference on Bioregional Architecture and Design Practice
Architecture on Stage: Material Cultures
Architecture Foundation with the Barbican
Material Cultures: Material Transformations
École D'architecture De La Ville & Des Territoires Paris-Est
2024, Paris
Symposium: On Tolerance and Transformation
HKU Department of Architecture
Selected Writing
2023, The Architectural Review
Material Cultures with Jess Gough
Material Cultures with Amica Dall
2022, Mack Books

We believe that the work of testing and practising the possibilities of socio-ecological justice within architecture begins internally. The harmful practices embedded in construction's supply chains repeat themselves inside the studio. Extractive land management and material streams find their echo in overwork culture, top-down management and opaque financial structures.
With support from peers and collaborators, we have been reviewing our internal processes to reflect the values we claim and to align better with our mission, as well as the demands of the Section of Architectural Workers (SAW).

We advocate for the reintegration of architecture and agriculture, understanding buildings as irrevocably linked to landscapes of extraction. Bio-based materials offer an alternative to the globally sourced, carbon-intensive, socially destructive materials commonly used in the construction industry. We challenge the systems, technologies, processes, supply chains, regulations and materials that make up the construction industry with the aim of transforming the way we build.
Our practice works across different scales developing materials and prototypical buildings to look strategically at the adaptation of the landscapes and supply chains from which they emerge. We design buildings working to integrate circular and bio-based materials and minimally processed minerals into efficient construction systems. Alongside this, we carry out strategic research into how these practices can be applied at scale and how they relate to a broader move towards regenerative land management practices. We run our own construction skills programme, MAKE, alongside research and teaching at the Architectural Association, Central Saint Martins in London and the ETH in Zurich.

Paloma Gormley
Director

Summer Islam (ARB)
Director

George Massoud (ARB)
Director

Daria Moatazed-Keivani (ARB)
Studio Lead

Sanjukta Jitendhar (ARB)
Studio Lead

Will Bradley
Studio Lead

Sara Pereira
Grants and Communications Lead

Chai Pandya
Finance Lead

Huma Mahmood (ARB)
Project Coordinator

Serena Faizal
Project Coordinator

Bo Yee Lau
Project Coordinator

Giacomo Oldfield
Project Steward
Argent
Arup
The Architectural Association
The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
Bauhaus Earth
Building Centre
Central Saint Martins, UAL
Charleston House
CIVIC SQUARE
Create London
The Design Museum
Evolving Forests
Fishtank
Forestry England
Grizedale Arts
HG Matthews
Hong Kong Design Institute
Human Nature
International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam
London Metropolitan University
The London School of Architecture
Naked House
Newham London Borough Council
re:arc Institute
Stiftung Sitterwerk
SOM Foundation
Timisoara Architecture Biennial
V&A Museum
York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership
Woods into Management Fund
Wolves Lane Consortium
Selected Press
‘Bark is the original dampproof membrane!’ Meet the radical designers who let nothing go to waste
Oliver Wainwright
2025, The Guardian
Build Local!
Ellen Peirson
2025, The Architect's Newspaper
Material Cultures: the radical architects rethinking how – and what – we build
Mary Richardson
2025, Building Design
Material Cultures on transforming woodland waste into sustainable sheet materials
Derin Fadina
2025, The RIBA Journal
Material Cultures
Reuben J Brown
2024, The Architectural Review
Behind the scenes with a trio of architects pioneering sustainable materials
Malaika Byng
2024, House and Garden
Getting to the Root: Prototypes constructed using plant building materials
Lucia Gratz
2024, Werk, Bauen + Wohnen
In Search of Sustainable Materials, Architects are Turning to an Unusual Source: Hemp
Francesca Perry
2023, BBC
Selected Talks
Insulating the Bioregion
International Conference on Bioregional Architecture and Design Practice
2024, Munich
Growing Place
Spirit of Paimio Conference
2024, Helsinki
Architecture on Stage: Material Cultures
Architecture Foundation with the Barbican
2024, London
Material Cultures: Material Transformations
École D'architecture De La Ville & Des Territoires Paris-Est
2024, Paris
Deans Talk: Material Reform
ETH Zurich
2023, Switzerland
Make Good Symposium
V&A Museum
2023, London
Symposium: On Tolerance and Transformation
HKU Department of Architecture
2022, Hong Kong

Selected Writing
Rebuilding the Bog
Summer Islam
2024, Faktur
Planting a Seed
Summer Islam
2023, The Architectural Review
On Regeneration
Material Cultures with Jess Gough
2023, Real Review, Issue 14
Material Reform
Material Cultures with Amica Dall
2022, Mack Books
Selected Books
The New Sustainable House
Penny Craswell
2025, Thames and Hudson
Constructive Disobedience: An Experimental Methodology in Architecture
Ed. Matthias Ballestrem, Katharina Benjamin, Helga Blocksdorf
2025, Birkhauser
Manual of Biogenic House Sections
Ed. Paul Lewis, Marc Tsurumaki, David J. Lewis
2022, ORO Editions
We believe that the work of testing and practising the possibilities of socio-ecological justice within architecture begins internally. The harmful practices embedded in construction's supply chains repeat themselves inside the studio. Extractive land management and material streams find their echo in overwork culture, top-down management and opaque financial structures.
With support from peers and collaborators, we have been reviewing our internal processes to reflect the values we claim and to align better with our mission, as well as the demands of the Section of Architectural Workers (SAW).
As policies become available, we will upload them here.
● Annual Leave Policy_Rev A_2024.pdf
● Attendance Policy_Rev A_2024.pdf
● Holding Accessible Learning Spaces Policy_Rev A_2025.pdf
● New Parents and Family Leave Policy_Rev A_2025.pdf
● Project Evaluation & Selection Policy_Rev A_2024.pdf
● Quality Management System Policy 2026_Rev A
● Reserves Policy_Rev A_2024.pdf
● Safeguarding Policy_Rev A_2025
● Salary Framework & Policy_Rev A_2026.pdf
● Sick Leave policy_Rev A_2025.pdf
● Staff Offboarding Policy Checklist_Rev A_2024.pdf
● Staff onboarding policy_Rev A_2025.pdf
● Staff Review Policy_Rev A_2024.pdf
● Talks Policy_Rev A_2024.pdf
● Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) and Overwork_Rev A_2024.pdf
● Training, Part 3 and CPD Policy_Rev a_2025.pdf
10 Charles Street, London, E16 2BY
E info@materialcultures.org
T 02030626832
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