Rethinking material culture

In an era of climate urgency, forcing architects to rethink what and how we build, materials have become both a medium and a message. The materials shaping our buildings are also shaping our values - challenging how we think about sustainability, culture and care in the built environment. <br/>In this conversation, In grid Paoletti (Politecnico di Milano) and Phil Ayres (Royal Danish Acaddemy) discuss how material research can act as a driver of cultural and ecological transformation. From bio-based and hybrid systems to weaving fermentation, and digital craft, they explore what it means to design with - rather than for - the living world. Together, they reflect on how uncertainty, failure, and care can redefine innovation, collaboration, and the evolving role of the architect today.