Architextures turns 5

Architextures turns 5 celebration

Having identified the limitations of existing online materials libraries, Architextures founder Ryan Canning decided to build his own. Architextures launched modestly; a simple Reddit post announcing the platform was ready to use. Five years later to the day, Architextures celebrated a journey that has seen the site grow to become one of the world’s largest digital materials libraries, with a community of over 500,000 architects and designers using the platform to find, create, download and edit materials.

Ryan Canning, founder of Architextures, opening the event

Stories, Architextures digital materials magazine launched as part of the site in 2024 and boasts a collection of articles that take a deep dive into the material world. Turning five seemed like an opportune moment for Architextures to bring these stories to life and share a love of materials with an event featuring an all-star line-up. The evening took as its starting point the material traditionally given as a 5th wedding anniversary gift, wood. Wood symbolises strength and durability, acknowledging the deep roots it takes to grow a healthy, long-lasting relationship. Architects and designers are turning to timber not only as a symbol of resilience and strength but as a way of building a low carbon future.

Vanessa Norwood, Editor-at-large, chairing the event

As the sun streamed through the windows of Civic House in Glasgow, an engaged audience settled in to hear from guest speakers who are pioneers in placing materials at the forefront of their practice. The evening set out to celebrate the material world and consider how we can move towards a more sustainable materials palette.

Jennifer O'Donnell, co-founder of O'DonnellBrown, presenting

First up was Jennifer O’Donnell, co-founder of award-winning Glasgow based practice O’DonnellBrown. The practice makes environmentally and socially responsible architecture that has a positive impact on people and the planet. They work on retrofitting residential and community-led projects across the UK with the belief that reusing existing buildings and materials is the most sustainable approach. Materials choice and use is central to their thinking and Jennifer shared a range of projects from the studio.

The Crichton Project is a competition winning cultural project with White Arkitekter located within the Crichton Estate in Dumfries and Galloway. Currently at feasibility stage, the ambition for the scheme is to set out low carbon, natural and locally available materials combined with the re-use of the existing structure and foundations to ensure the lowest carbon solution. The first task O’DonnellBrown undertook was a material mapping project with Material Index who visited the site to measure key components and ‘asset capture’ in order to work out carbon data informing intended future use, ensuring all materials are effectively reused where possible. The practice plans to use walls of rammed earth and fibre to create beautiful and healthy interiors.

Natasha Huq, Conservation Architect at GRAS, presenting

The evening’s second speaker was Natasha Huq, an educator, mentor and broadcaster and Senior Associate and conservation architect at GRAS, based in Edinburgh. The practice focuses on progressive, sustainable and ambitious design solutions. Natasha is co-founder of the design talk series ‘Talks at the Lane’ held in the practice’s Edinburgh space. Season 3 of the series focuses on process, not as a linear progression, but as ‘an interconnected web of ideas, collaborations and interactions’. The inaugural talk of the season featured Spanish Architect and member of the Balearic Social Housing Institute (IBAVI) Carles Oliver Barceló who led a hands-on workshop with Hutton Stone’s Marcus Paine that saw participants creating an impressive Darney Sandstone structure.

Amin Taha, Chairman of GROUPWORK, joining the celebration online

Joining online from his London studio, Amin Taha is an architect and chairman of GROUPWORK, known for their innovative and sustainable approach to architecture. The practice is recognised for its innovative use of low-carbon materials, including stone as seen in the practice’s incredible 15 Clerkenwell Close in London which has become an exemplar for the use of structural stone. The work of the practice reflects a commitment to durability, local sourcing, and integrating architecture with its cultural and environmental context. Amin is an eloquent advocate for the use of structural stone and shared a table setting out the carbon cost of materials leaving the audience in no doubt that timber and stone are low carbon alternatives to traditionally used materials including concrete and steel. Groupwork’s new development at Finchley Road uses Norwegian larvikite from Lundhs and is a project that will elegantly push the boundaries of stone as a structural material.

Panel discussion featuring Vanessa, Ellen, Jennifer and Natasha

Ellen Pierson, architect at Mike Tuck Studio, writer for architectural publications and guest contributor for Architextures Stories, joined event Chair Vanessa Norwood, Jennifer and Natasha for a discussion that noted the role of architects has moved beyond form making to acknowledge the multiplicity of responsibilities needed to fulfil the role; research, community building, innovation and pushing forwards legislation on materials reuse.

The evening was a celebration of making and materials, of the expansive role that architects play and the joy of coming together to celebrate an incredible five years of growth for Architextures.

Event crowd

And no party is complete without party food, which came courtesy of Paveen’s Pakistani inspired vegan canteen and was so delicious, it disappeared with speed, leaving the Architextures audience nourished in body and mind through good food and thought.

Vanessa Norwood is a curator and consultant for the built environment advocating for low-carbon architecture and materials.