Programme
How does a material find its place in a project?
In the MaterialDistrict 2027 programme, designers, clients, producers and others involved share their experiences. What was needed to apply a material? Which choices did they make and what would they do differently next time?
The programme ties in with Matter of How: smarter use of materials and of what is already there. The outline is below. Speakers, sessions and times will be added once they are confirmed.
The day themes
Less
What can we leave out?
How do you design with less material without losing sight of function or quality? We explore the choices this requires, from design and detailing to execution.
What’s already here
What can we reuse?
Existing buildings, components and raw materials offer possibilities for new applications. What does it take to work with them and which agreements make reuse workable?
Life
How does design contribute to a healthy living environment?
We look at the relationship between materials, health and ecosystems. Which questions do designers and makers ask and how are their ambitions translated into an application?
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Create an accountWhat the programme looked like in 2026
At the previous edition, topics included timber construction, biobased materials, reuse and new making processes. See a selection of the talks and speakers to get an impression of the programme.
- Cutting-Edge Ceramics — The shifting boundaries of ceramic materials, from recycled ceramics to distinctive design approaches.
- Biobased Materials — The emerging landscape of biobased materials from design, research and concrete application. Moderator: Sigrid Lussenburg.
- Tomorrow’s Timber Talks — A full-day programme on timber construction and biobased materials in architecture, with PEFC Netherlands. In 2026 registered with the Dutch Architects Register as continuing professional development.
- BOOT, Insert & Oboros — How circular design works in practice: reused materials in renovation, procurement via the Insert Marketplace, and interiors with more than 80% reuse.
- BNI workshops — Two sessions by the Dutch Association of Interior Architects on materials and design that already make a difference today.
Lecture series of MaterialDistrict 2026.
A selection of the 2026 speakers
| 10:45 | Niels Monsieurs, Palet | Palet: Making unique tiles at scale |
| 11:00 | Aniela Hoitink, MYCOTEX | From material innovation to system innovation |
| 12:10 | Ward Massa (FRONT), Camilo Restrepo (Biomason), Alasdair Bremner (Alusid) | Rethinking how materials are made |
| 12:45 | Tom van Soest, Blended Materials | Crafted to look great. Made to matter |
| 13:20 | Michiel Dekkers, i-did | Five keys to a successful circular business model |
| 14:00 | Gijs Bruggink, ORGA | Wood & Wellbeing: the power of timber in our living environment |
| 15:45 | Rik Maarsen, Rik Makes | How to compare sustainable materials |
| 16:20 | Marjanne Cuypers, SeaWood Materials | From Ocean to Object |
From the programme of Thursday 5 March 2026. Lectures are in English unless otherwise indicated.
Want to share a practical experience?
Are you working on a project in which material choices were made differently? Tell us which application is central, who is involved and what others can learn from the experience. The editorial team will consider whether your proposal fits the programme.