The theme of 2027
Beyond materials.
How we build, use and transform them.
In recent years we have continually discovered, researched and presented new materials. But the next question may be more important: what do we do with them? And above all: how do we do that?
Many solutions for tomorrow already exist today. The challenge is no longer material development alone, but acceptance, application, scaling and collaboration.
The most sustainable building can be the building we do not build
Not every problem calls for a new material. Sometimes the better solution is to make better use of an existing building, use less material, transform, dismantle or reuse. And when we do build, we must look more sharply at what is truly needed where.
The right material in the right place
Biobased is not automatically good. Reuse is not automatically the best choice.
Traditional materials too can be logical in a different context. The quality of a material choice arises from function, origin, performance, health, lifespan, disassembly, reuse and impact across the whole life cycle.
The real accelerator is how we build
Innovation does not only come from laboratories. It also sits in prefabrication, robotisation, digital design techniques, logistics, new production methods, material passports, disassembly and better collaboration in the chain. A material only becomes relevant once it becomes part of a making process, a chain and an application.
- Where does the material come from?
- What does it do during use?
- What does it do to our health and ecosystems?
- What happens at the end of its life?
- Can it be dismantled, taken back or reapplied?
- Can a material, process or design even contribute to restoration?
The future is not only about what we make. But above all about how we make it.
Matter of How.