Searching for the Holy Grail

05 Feb 2026
Main Stage

Do we pay sufficient attention to maximising existing materials rather than being focused on new, arguably more exciting and ‘sustainable’ options? The Sustainable Design Collective will discuss whether the design community can sometimes be distracted by the appeal of many new materials without assessing the opportunities for existing ones. The 'greenest' materials are usually the ones that already exist! Time pressures, tendering practices, combined with rapid mobilisation expectations, often prevent greater circularity but designers do have the skill sets to demonstrate the process, value and benefits of integrating reuse within the overall design approach.

Moderator
Harsha Kotak
Harsha Kotak, Founder & Co-Founder - Women in Office Design & The Sustainable Design Collective
Panelist
Anja Schellenbauer
Anja Schellenbauer, Company Director - John Robertson Associates
Dave Bell
Dave Bell, Head of EcoClear - EcoClear
Joanna Knight
Joanna Knight, Co-Founder - The Sustainable Design Collective
Manasi Menon
Manasi Menon, Senior Sustainability Designer - TP Bennett
Phil Towle
Phil Towle, Sustainability Lead - The Furniture Practice & Future Works