CDW talks - Perkins&Will and BDG architecture + design explore material palettes for today's workspaces
6 Jun 2024
Which materials are defining contemporary workspace design and what might we see next? As part of our Clerkenwell Design Week activities for 2024, and the wider Design Meets talks programme, Lydia Randall of BDG architecture + design and Mollie Atkins of Perkins&Will sat down with moderator Eva Woode to share their thoughts.
Regenerative Design
Both designers shared a selection of materials and approaches that they have already used in projects or are keen to explore in the future. There was plenty of sustainable material inspiration for the audience in the examples, from re-using existing materials and making use of recycled content, through to regenerative materials.
The audience heard about materials that have been on the market for some time (such as timber and recycled plastics) as well as recent innovations that are beginning to gain momentum (ultra-low carbon bricks and mycelium for example).
Looking Ahead
The session ended with a question about the future: will design expectations need to shift if we're going to (quite rightly) re-use more materials? By using a diverse material palette, the finished look might not be as corporate or ‘on brand’. This means, that it will be even more important to bring clients along on the design journey. Encouragingly, this also poses an opportunity: by telling the story of the existing materials, we can add to the character of the workspace.
The discussion covered seven innovative materials:
- Kvadrat Really’s Textile Tabletop
A durable circular material designed for all horizontal applications.100% recyclable, it is crafted from end-of-life cotton and wool.
- The materials that are already there
Lydia shared an example of how the practice audits the existing materials including finishes, fixed furniture and joinery.
- Cross-Laminated Timber
An engineered wood product made by glueing layers of wood at right angles to one another. CLT delivers excellent structural rigidity in both directions and can replace concrete and steel in modern construction.
- Mycelium
The vegetative part of a fungus, mycelium consists of a network of thin fungal strands called hyphae. This network can bind loose matter into a solid, non-flammable material with good acoustic properties.
- Smile Plastics
100% recycled and recyclable plastic sheets, designed and made in the UK from would-be waste, such as discarded chopping boards, cosmetics bottles and yoghurt pots.
- K-BRIQ by KENOTEQ
Ultra low-carbon bricks made from near 100% recycled construction and demolition waste. Can be used as an architectural façade or interior surface material.
- Magna® by Havwoods
A magnetic raised-access solution, offering all the benefits of traditional tongue and groove wooden flooring.
Thank you to Kvadrat, Stora Enso, Myceen via the Home of Sustainable Things, Smile Plastics and KENOTEQ for providing samples and images, and of course to Lydia and Mollie for their time and thoughtful insights.
Lydia Randall is a Director of BDG architecture + design, an international practice with studios in London, New York and Sao Paulo. As a global account lead, she works with international clients including WPP and LEGO, fostering strong relationships and developing adaptable and responsive workspace strategies. With over 20 years’ experience in commercial architecture, her understanding of dynamic organisations, cultural influences and environmental pressures is essential in developing innovative and resilient building designs.
Mollie is a passionate and conceptual interior designer who joined Perkins&Will in 2018, having previously worked in Australia at Hassell Studio. Her experience is across the media, tech, and professional services sectors in London. As Mollie’s career has progressed in the workplace sector, her focus has been in planning and designing co-working spaces that facilitate a harmonious balance of working, dining, collaborating, and meeting post pandemic. The significance of materiality in these environments is featured in her most recent project, which breaks conventional norms through the use of recycled, reused, reclaimed, and second-life materials.
