What’s happening this October?

A month-long programme at the Building Centre in London, exploring what regenerative design means in practice.

THURSDAY 1 October | 6.30PM

Regenerative Design 2026 launch party

To celebrate this year’s RAI cohort, Architecture Today and Architects Declare invite all RAI member organisations to join us for the official RAI 2026 Launch Party and the opening night of Regenerative Design 2026. The evening will bring together architects, clients, consultants, contractors, policymakers and sustainability leaders from across the built environment to celebrate the organisations helping to drive regenerative practice forward. During the event, we will reveal the RAI 2026 front runners and formally launch Regenerative Design 2026 – a month-long exhibition and events programme hosted at The Building Centre throughout October.

Invitation only

Partner: Schüco UK & Ireland

Week 1

The regenerative benchmark and systemic change

A ‘scene-setting’ week exploring the broad principles of regenerative design, with events focused on meaningful definitions, workable benchmarks, systemic obstacles and overarching ambitions.

Monday 5 October | 8.30–11.30am

Paradigm shift: a new mindset for a regenerative world

Panel discussion
Seminar space

The journey towards regenerative design requires us to shed old habits and embrace new ways of thinking. As designers, we have agency to challenge current systems through goals, mindsets and policy. But the transition to regenerative design asked us to move from being solely designers to being stewards of materials, buildings, communities and ecosystems. What are the systemic changes required to ensure that our interventions strengthen, rather than deplete, the world in which we operate?

Elora Hardy, TED Talk speaker and founder of radical design studio IBUKU, will deliver the keynote opening talk, being joined by leading names from across the industry, including:

  • Ivan Jovanovic, Director Sustainability and Environmental Design at Atelier Ten
  • Duncan Baker Brown, Founder and Director of BakerBrown Studio
  • Marian Garfield, Director of Sustainability at Heidelberg Materials UK
  • Amin Taha, Founder and Director of Groupwork Kelly
  • Alvarez Doran, Co-Founder of Ha/f Climate Design

Partner: Heidelberg Materials UK

Free to attend

Tuesday 6 October | 9.30–11.30am

Regenerative practice in the frame

Photography talk by Timothy Soar
Glass room

Photographer Timothy Soar discusses his ongoing mission to challenge the fetishisation of the building as a standalone sculptural object devoid of habitation or social and cultural context, and to nurture a more nuanced understanding of the way we communicate, celebrate and value architecture. Key questions include: What does it mean to photograph something that is designed to evolve? How do you convey systems rather than surfaces, relationships rather than objects, duration rather than a single moment?

Partner: IKO

Free to attend

Wednesday 7 October | 8.30–11.30am

Towards a regenerative supply chain

Breakfast roundtable discussion
Boardroom

How can we ensure that the supply chains we use integrate ethical and environmentally responsible practices? What are the most effective models for early collaboration across the supply chain to deliver the best possible results?

Partner: In Opera
Invitation only

Wednesday 7 October | 14.00–17.00

RIBA London Ethical Practice Special Interest Group
FORUM 03: “How Should We Innovate?”

Workshop
Glass room

Organised by the RIBA London Ethical Practice Special Interest Group and chaired by the group’s Chair, Doug Hodgson of New-Works and Alasdair Ben Dixon of Collective Works, this workshop brings together varied perspectives to explore innovative approaches and ideas that support the creation of an ethical built environment for professionals and communities. Speakers include incoming RIBA president Jay Morton of Bell Phillips Architects, Jo McCafferty of Levitt Bernstein, Jonathan Smales of Human Nature and Dinah Bornat of ZCD Architects.

In collaboration with RIBA London

Tickets £15
Free for RIBA London Members

How should we innovate?

Wednesday 7 October | 6.30–8.30pm

Regenerative Design Primer launch

Evening event
Seminar space

UK Architects Declare are launching the second iteration of the Regenerative Design Primer, a practical roadmap to help architects and other designers lead the transition towards regenerative design. Structured around the RIBA Workstages, the Primer is founded on three key principles: Being a good ancestor; Co-evolving with nature; and Creating a just space for people. Using examples from existing built environment design to illustrate ‘regenerative traits’, it outlines practical steps, fosters a common language and instils confidence in embracing regenerative principles. In a world inundated with greenwashing and superficial sustainability claims, the Primer emphasises the importance of metrics and targets, steering us towards net-positive outcomes across energy, water, biodiversity and community wellbeing.

Tickets £15
Free for students and RAI members

Week 2

Being a good ancestor

How can we ensure that the decisions we make today deliver adaptability and flexibility for generations to come, and implement a shift in mindset towards truly long-term thinking?

Wednesday 14 October | 8.30–11.30am

Circularity and intelligent specification

Breakfast roundtable
Boardroom

How can we employ the principles of circular design to extend the lifespan of our existing building stock? And how can we make new buildings easier to adapt, disassemble and reuse? Circularity offers the potential to extend the lifespan of buildings and their materials, and reduce the construction sector’s impact on the environment. But its wholesale adoption calls for new models of design, procurement, occupation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. This panel discussion explores the ways manufacturers, design teams, clients and the public and private sectors can work together to accelerate the transition to circular design.

Partner: Interface
Invitation only

Wednesday 14 October | 6.30–8.30pm

Michael Pawlyn: Pathways for a regenerative future

Keynote talk
Seminar space

The regenerative design debate has been gathering significant momentum over the last few years, helped in no small part by the Regenerative Architecture Index. At the same time, there’s a strong sense in which much of the business world has been moving backwards on the environment and many practices are trying to implement regenerative ideas against almost insuperable odds. In this lecture, Michael Pawlyn will make the case that, to meaningfully address the planetary emergency, we need an epochal shift. He will present ideas for what this means for built environment professionals and why it is important that we develop a common sense of where regenerative design ultimately needs to be aiming.

Partner: Interface
Tickets £15. Free for students

Thursday 15 October | 8.30–11.30am

Whole life carbon and adaptive reuse

Presentations and panel discussion 
Seminar space

Reusing and retrofitting existing buildings offers a clear and sustainable alternative to demolishing and rebuilding, yet the UK demolishes 500,000 buildings every year. This session reviews current policies and barriers to change and looks at strategies for quantifying and communicating the whole-life carbon benefits of adaptive reuse and encouraging developers and clients to understand, improve and capitalise on the latent environmental, heritage, economic and social value of their existing assets.

Speakers include: 

  • Kiru Balson, Max Fordham
  • Esther Robinson Wild, Robinson Wild: historic environment consultants
  • Ian Poole, Elliott Wood Engineers
  • Luke Richardson-Brown, Partner, Studio PDP
  • Alexander Grigull, associate principal at Grimshaw
  • Juliana Renn, Head of Sustainability, HLM Architects

Partners: Max Fordham and HLM Architects

Free to attend

Thursday 15 October | 5.30–7.30pm

Future Build by Will Arnold

Industry Book Launch Party
Ground floor gallery

Join us to celebrate the launch of Will Arnold’s new book, Future Build: How Construction Can Heal Our Planet. The first time that regenerative design has been discussed in a public-facing non-fiction book, this marks a turning point in convincing the public regenerative architecture is not just possible, it’s the only possibility. Join industry-leading speakers for an evening of networking around the theme of activating our collective voice in engaging the public on this vital topic.

Speakers include:

  • Will Arnold, engineer, environmentalist and head of sustainable materials at Useful Simple Trust
  • Katie Clemence Jackson, CEO of the UK NZCBS
  • Chris Wise, founder of Useful Simple Trust and Expedition Engineering
  • Michael Pawlyn, founder of Exploration Architecture and co-founder of UK Architects Declare
  • Pippa Horton, co-founder of ReClinker, the world’s first cement recycling technology

Partner: Useful Simple Trust
Limited free places for RAI members

Week 3

Co-evolving with nature

What are the implications of recognising that we are part of, rather than separate from, the natural world? How can we actively regenerate ecosystems by learning from and working with natural systems?

Tuesday 20 October | 8.30–11.30am

Specifying natural and sustainable construction materials

Presentations and panel discussion
Seminar space

Sourcing natural and sustainable construction materials can present various challenges, but addressing these hurdles is crucial for promoting environmentally responsible and socially conscious building practices. This session explores the issues around availability, cost considerations, certification and standards, quality and performance, education and awareness, regulatory compliance, supply-chain transparency and local sourcing. Architects, engineers, materials specialists and policy experts share case studies and applied research.

Speakers include:

  • Siri Zanelli, Founding Partner, Collective Works
  • Lee Fox, Project Architect, BakerBrown Studio
  • Rowland Keable, Director, Rammed Earth Consulting
  • Anna Hollyman, CoDirector – Policy & Industry Intelligence, UKGBC
  • Eleonora Regni, Webb Yates Engineers
  • Jordan Panayi, GROUPWORK

Partner: H.G. Matthews
Free to attend

Wednesday 21 October | 8.30–11.30am

Circularity, biodiversity and closed loop design

Breakfast roundtable discussion
Boardroom

Biodiversity is vital for healthy ecosystems and wellbeing. This roundtable discussion asks how a circular economy and closed-loop design can reduce the impacts of unsustainable production and consumption systems on biodiversity and help repair ecological damage while creating places that enable human and non-human life to flourish together.

Partner: Heidelberg Materials UK
Invitation only

Wednesday 21 October | 2.00–5.00pm

Why bamboo? A UK Bamboo Summit Spotlight Event

Afternoon workshop
Glass room

Hosted by Atelier One, the Bamboo in the UK Group and University of Westminster will explain the benefits of bamboo and explore the potential role bamboo can play as a mainstream low-carbon material for construction and design in the UK. We will showcase examples of bamboo already being used in the UK, and the ongoing research and prototyping that is beginning to unlock this under-utilised material. The event is targeted at all those looking to explore sustainable regenerative materials in their research and practice, particularly emerging practitioners, in the lead-up to the UK Bamboo Summit 2026 on Friday 30 October in Birmingham.

Chaired by Chris Matthews of Atelier One, presentations will include:

  • Ananya Singhal of Studio Saar Architects and Neil Thomas of Atelier One presenting the Pangolin Pavilion, a collaborative installation exploring the structural and aesthetic possibilities of bamboo
  • Orit Azaz of Imagine Bamboo and the Bamboo in the UK Group on the UK Bamboo Summit and artist-led action research and rapid prototyping
  • Ken Downing of UK Bamboo Supplies on current uses of bamboo across the UK
  • James Marr of the Bamboo Bicycle Club on accessible, replicable bamboo design in prisons and education environments
  • A panel discussion chaired by Kate Cheyne, Head of the University of Westminster School of Architecture and Cities

Tickets £15. Free for students

Wednesday 21 October | 6.30–8.30pm

Tree stories (and some grass)

Keynote talk
Seminar space

Neil Thomas, founder of Atelier One, known as one of the most innovative engineering practices in the world and a proud member of the RAI, will explore what nature can teach us about structure and unveil an engineering approach inspired by tree modality, which could potentially be a major breakthrough in the way tall buildings are designed.

Partner: Atelier One

Tickets £15. Free for students

Week 4

Creating a just space for people

How can we design processes to foster social connection, economic opportunity, wellbeing and the shared sense of stewardship that allows communities to self-organise and build resilience?

Tuesday 27 October | 8.30–11.30am

The ambitious client: beyond business as usual

Presentations and panel discussion
Seminar space

Leading architects and clients ask how architects can help clients to realise their regenerative ambitions and tackle the systemic issues that hinder collaborative design at a free-to-attend RD26 event delivered in partnership with HDR.

Speakers:

  • Neuroscientist Beau Lotto of the Hummingbird Learning Lab will deliver in introduction setting out the issues that hinder or help collaboration between different players with different perspectives, agendas and professional backgrounds.
  • Julia Barfield of Marks Barfield Architects will discuss creative solutions to the challenge of helping clients get ambitious and often unconventional projects off the ground drawing on her own projects including the London Eye, Cambridge Central Mosque and the West Somerset Tidal Lagoon.
  • Colin Rohfling, vice president and director of sustainable development at global architecture practice HDR, will draw on case studies to illustrate the practice’s approach to collaborate with commercial clients to deliver regenerative outcomes on large-scale projects both internationally and in the UK.
  • Daniel Bianchi of Cullinan Studio will share the practice’s experience of Integrated Project Insurance (IPI), a form of insurance that encourages collaboration by calling for all parties involved in a project (client, architect, engineers, contractors and consultants) to sign up to a single contract, with conditions that incentivise shared responsibility.
  • Hayley Chivers, Associate Design Manager at Plan A will discuss collaborative methods for building holistic project teams, drawing on the intuitive tools, good project infrastructure, and working practices currently being applied on the British Library, Bank of England and British Museum projects.
  • Roger Madelin, Joint Head of the 53-acre Canada Water Development at British Land developer and one of the most influential clients in British architecture, will talk about the ways architects can help commercial developers deliver regenerative projects at scale.

Partner: HDR
Free to attend

Wednesday 28 October | 8.30–11.30am

Sociophilic design: the social dimension of regenerative architecture

Breakfast roundtable
Boardroom

Regenerative design goes beyond doing less harm. It aims to leave places, and the people and ecosystems connected to them, better than it found them. Biophilic design helped us reconnect people with nature. Sociophilic design asks a parallel question: how can we design places that better connect people with one another?

The question is urgent. Loneliness and social isolation are now widely recognised as a public health concern, and many people have found connection harder since the pandemic. We measure buildings by their carbon, cost and comfort. This roundtable explores how social connection can become a measure of architectural performance too.

At its heart, sociophilic design does not force interaction. It creates the conditions for connection and gives people choice over how they take part in the life of a building, place or community. Can a building truly be regenerative if it leaves people lonelier than it found them?

A small group of architects, developers, operators, placemakers and researchers will come together for a candid conversation, co-chaired by Nathmya Saffarini and Daphne Yuanidis of HKS.

Partner: HKS
Invitation only

Wednesday 28 October | 5.30–8.30pm

The People’s Emergency Briefing

Film screening and panel discussion
Seminar space

Screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing, a 50-minute public information film hosted by naturalist Chris Packham that presents evidence on the UK’s climate and nature crisis, drawing from a live Westminster briefing held for politicians in November 2025. The screening will be followed by a Q&A and panel discussion with experts from across the industry.

Partner: UK Architects Declare
Tickets £15. Free for students

Thursday 29 October | 2.00pm–5.00pm

New Ground / Future Ancestors

Panel discussion
Glass room

“The status quo is unsustainable. As the next generation, we cannot afford to stand by and wait for permission to make transformative change.”

To conclude Regenerative Design 2026, Architects Declare’s Next Gen Ambassadors welcome a young panel of guest speakers to discuss how collective action and alternative contemporary practices have the power to alter the way we approach architecture, carving out a new future for the discipline.

Chaired by Eimear Kernan and Architecture Today’s Nelly Greig, the event will include talks from those at the forefront of architectures next generation; from Tipping Point East, to the organisers of this years European Architecture Students’ Assembly in Seanchai.

The event will finish with the launch of AD’s Next Gen Ambassadors’ “Future Ancestors”: an exciting new resource compiling best practice examples and key information to assist students in applying regenerative design principles in university projects and in practice.

Partner: UK Architects Declare
Free to attend