Year in review: Your most-read interviews of 2024.
Over the last 12-months we've spoken to people from many different practices, disciplines, and places around the world.
Across all that we do at Material Source, our aim is to deliver content that resonates with the challenges and opportunities you're facing to provide both inspiration, and useful insight.
With 2025 now imminent, here we share the top-read interviews of 2024 according to our stats. We have more fabulous people pencilled in for a chat over the coming months, and, in the meantime, take a look at some of the conversations you've enjoyed reading this year...
John Badman, practice area leader, Gensler, on multi-purpose districts, office to residential conversion & next generation BTR.
John Badman, Gensler's residential practice area leader Europe, doesn't just design bricks and mortar houses. He seeks to facilitate lifestyles.
During our recent catch-up, John commented, "Your home is the anchor of your everyday, but your home and the surrounding neighbourhood is purposeful in different ways. It is your place of work, your place of socialisation, your local shop that all influence your day to day."
The breadth of Gensler's experience across many different areas of design, John believes, is well suited to crafting the experiential homes - and neighbourhoods - needed to support the cultural shift we've experienced over the last five-years. One which embraces the encompassment of all of the above.
Click here to read John's interview in full
Rameshwari Jonnalagadda presents TerraMound: A clay 3D printed solution for the efficient cooling of buildings.
Emerging from the Bartlett School of Architecture’s esteemed Design for Manufacture course, Rameshwari Jonnalagadda is the pioneer behind TerraMound - an ecologically driven, natural cooling system for the built environment.
With climate-stimulated temperature increases now at critical cause for concern within the built environment, it’s reassuring to spot graduates tackling these topics within their thesis projects.
Using earthenware terracotta and 3D printing technology, Terramound consolidates Rameshwari’s understanding of mathematical geometries known as ‘minimal surfaces’ to create a system of porous networks - envisioned as a planter - that produces a cool breeze and ventilates the surrounding space.
With the visual appeal of a work of art, whilst also offering a host of potential beneficial features, such as bio-receptivity and acoustic control, TerraMound quickly captured our attention at the Bartlett Fifteen Show.
Read our interview with Rameshwari here
Credit: Pip Rustage
Simon Millington, founder, Incognito, on overcoming burnout, avoiding the spotlight, and breaking the rules for good.
When the interior design industry ‘zigged’, Simon Millington ‘zagged’. Once his share of midnight oil had burnt, drastic change was in order. Incognito is the studio embodiment of that change.
It’s no accident that Simon’s studio is named Incognito. When you visit its website, you will find a cryptic series of messages. And that’s no accident either. Its inception wasn’t accompanied by fanfare. It served a purpose, and a way, for Simon – now entering his 25th year in the industry – to take charge of his future.
With an esteemed, consistent client base of global organisations, a stellar, senior-weighted team of 14, and a new historical home in Manchester’s city centre, though Simon didn’t set out for growth with Incognito, thanks to a wealth of projects for the likes of AstraZeneca, Heinz, Nestle, PZ Cussons, and Xero, rich in both stunning form and optimum function, word has spread, and expansion - perhaps inevitably – has followed. Though it’s on Simon, and fellow director, Howard Powsney’s terms. It’s steady, it’s calm, it’s considered.
Click here to read our chat with Simon in full
Shannon Conway, co-founder, Picture This, on the importance of place, property trends, and which region has the best local authority.
“When we start looking for our next home, we choose the place first. We choose a location which is convenient to our day-to-day needs. We want to feel safe and secure." Continuing our Property Outlook editorial and event focus with a dedicated interview, Shannon Conway, co-founder, Picture This reminds us that property is only as good as the place it resides.
Shannon's career is one we've followed intently. From eight-years as national director - residential advisory (North) at JLL, to four-plus-years as residential director at Glenbrook and now co-founder at Picture This - a new venture which sees Shannon and co-founder Mike Nicholson collaborate with a "handful of trusted developers and contractors, all of whom have integrity and a strong track record of delivery" to respond to development opportunities, with a twist. As well as aiming to design, deliver and manage ten Picture This communities over the next 10 years, the Picture This team will remain involved in every project for a 10 further years following completion.
A clear common theme runs throughout all of Shannon's professional endeavours, and that's a focus on people.
Read Shannon's interview in full here
Credit: Noah Da Costa
Ellie Philcox, Director, Euan Kellie, on being aspirational, building affordable & overcoming planning predicaments.
Ellie Philcox is a director at boutique planning consultancy, Euan Kellie.
A guest at our recent roundtable on Manchester’s Residential Mix, we were struck by Ellie’s refreshing views on the property sector, stemming from almost two decades in practice.
Though Ellie acknowledges that the development sector currently faces many challenges – from rising interest rates to material affordability and increased costs for planning applications – not to mention the current local authority resource challenges – she believes a governmental refresh, on top of the strong, unwavering confidence and vision held by Manchester and Salford’s City Councils, is providing much-needed clarity to spur the regions’ even further forward.
Picking up the conversation where we left off last month, we sat down with Ellie to discuss some of the consultancy’s upcoming projects with clients including Salboy, Domis, and Kellen Homes, while considering what makes Manchester City Centre thrive; how a region’s balanced property mix requires both affordable and aspirational options to be successful; and the viability of there being spaces for everyone. Here’s how our conversation went…
Dr Catalina Ionita, architect at Chapman Taylor, PhD candidate, and design tutor, on grassroots placemaking, urban activation & environmental resilience.
Dr Catalina Ionita has creativity in her blood. She was brought up on it. From the combined artistic and entrepreneurial-spirited household in which she grew up, to the art school she attended from the age of 10. And when Catalina creates something, others take notice.
This common trajectory has underpinned her educational and professional career to date. In 2020, Catalina was honoured as part of RIBA’s Rising Stars shortlist for her project work and research into ethics and sustainability in architecture. She teaches the Masters of Architecture and Urbanism course one day a week at Manchester School of Architecture. She's a committee member and Inclusion Champion at Women in Property North West. Is undertaking a PhD in art-centred placemaking at Sheffield Hallam University. And this is all on top of her role as architect at Chapman Taylor.
On speaking to Catalina, one trait that’s immediately evident is her fervent drive to delve further in her practice to unearth new ways of doing things.
