Material selection is where architectural concept meets physical reality. The materials we choose determine not just how a building looks today, but how it will look, feel, and perform for decades to come.
Starting With Context
Every material palette begins with the site. What stone is quarried locally? What construction traditions exist in the region? What environmental conditions will the building face? These questions ground our selections in place and purpose.
We visit quarries, mills, and workshops to understand materials at their source. Seeing a stone block extracted from the earth or timber being milled gives us an intimate understanding of the material's qualities and limitations.
The Sample Board
Our design process involves creating extensive physical sample boards. Digital renders can only approximate material qualities — the weight, texture, warmth, and smell of a material can only be experienced in person.
We test material combinations in different lighting conditions, at different times of day, and in different weather. A marble that looks pristine under studio lights might appear cold and clinical in a north-facing room.
Ageing Gracefully
We prefer materials that develop patina — copper that oxidises to verdigris, timber that silvers in the sun, stone that softens with weathering. These materials tell the story of a building's life and connect it to its environment over time.
