Material Cultures looks to the past to build the future
1 min read
Summary
An architecture practice in London is innovating with natural materials to create bio-based buildings that reduce the carbon footprint of construction.
Material Cultures explores how local, traditionally sourced materials and methodologies can be used to create new buildings with a minimal carbon footprint.
Director Paloma Gormley, along with Summer Islam and George Massoud, founded the firm to explore ways to use local, natural resources in innovative ways in an attempt to move away from plastic-based and carbon-intensive contemporary construction.
The firm works with craftspeople to explore techniques such as thatching and clay work.
One technique explored by the firm is hemp grown on a nearby farm to create pressed panels for construction.
The buildings also seek to provide future custodians with the skills to maintain and evolve the buildings, providing a degree of self-determination.