Making materials matter in a circular world?

Hosted by Oliver Heath

Talk 3: Making materials matter in a circular world? 

Saturday 25th September - 15.30 to 16.30

Materials play a key role in the form and function of our built environment, whilst also contributing to both embedded and in use carbon footprints. As we shift from linear to circular approaches in all aspects of our lives, what role do materials have in reshaping our relationship with buildings, wellbeing, and nature.

As designers it is becoming increasingly clear that material choices play a fundamental role in how we asses a product’s design or building’s fitness for purpose and impact on the environment, making us reassess its entire design lifecycle from extraction, supply, production, use and eventual reuse. It’s a complex set of considerations which our experienced panel will help us understand and shine a light on how to reconsider why materials matter. Key topics include:

·       Are natural materials always better? 

·       How can we better manage nature to supply the materials that we need?

·       What role do synthetic materials have in reducing carbon footprints - are all plastics bad? 

·       How do materials impact our wellbeing?

·       How can we better measure & communicate the carbon footprints of materials?

·       Design tips for designing with the circular economy in mind

·       Is the beauty of imperfection now finding new value?

Panellists: Sean Sutcliffe (Benchmark), Mark Tremlett (Naturalmat), Dr Claudia Pasquero (ecoLogicStudio) and Emily Skinner (Smile Plastics)