Assemble with Material Matters
Conversations that matter
19 November 2026 | Pentland Brands HQ, Johnson Building, 77 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8JS
What do the designer of the 2012 Olympic torch, the director of Michael Jackson’s groundbreaking Billie Jean video, and the winner of the 2022 Earthshot Prize have in common? They’ll all be on stage at this year’s Assemble with Material Matters.
Following a standout inaugural edition in 2025, Assemble returns for 2026: a full day to step back from business as usual and think about where materials are heading.
This year’s conference is centred on material intelligence and innovation. While our fairs show the current state of the field, the conference is where we look forward: to the ideas, questions and innovations shaping what comes next.
This event is supported by Berghaus, our Thought Leadership Partner.
11.30 - Morning coffee
12.00 - Introduction from Material Matters co-founder Grant Gibson
12.15 - Keynote
Glenn Adamson on Material Intelligence for Dummies. We’re used to referring to technologies as ’smart,’ which may inadvertently imply that objects are dumb: both stupid and mute. In this talk, Adamson - a curator, writer and historian based in New York and London - will contest this unspoken assumption, exploring the inherent intelligence of materials through a series of case studies. Expect a wide-ranging discussion across design, art, music, and other forms of making, with craft front and center.
13.00 - Lunch
13.30 - The quick-fire showcase
To help delegates digest their lunch, a new generation of designers and innovators present their work in a series of short, sharp presentations. Expect to hear about new developments in pine resin, coffee cup waste, and bio char.
Jacob Marks, designer
Paola Garnousset, co-founder and creative director, Blast Studio
Elizabeth Lee, CEO and co-founder, Carbon Cell
Micaella Pedros, designer
14.30 - Keynote
Natsai Audrey Chieza on how biotechnology is unlocking new materials. Natsai is a designer working at the intersection of biotechnology, design, and systems change. She is the founder and CEO of Faber Futures, an R&D-led design practice developing new approaches to materials, production systems, and infrastructure through collaboration across science, industry, and culture, as well as being a co-founder of Normal Phenomena of Life (NPOL), a consumer brand translating biotechnology into material products and value chains that explore more regenerative models of production. This is your chance to hear about her career on the cutting edge of design.
15.20 - Growing the future
How can we use materials such as hemp, grassroots, mycelium and seaweed to create a better future across fields as diverse as architecture, fashion and packaging? How do we bridge the gap between scientific innovation and industrial application? Can these materials genuinely be used at scale? And how important are designers to these processes? These are just a few of the questions we will investigate during this panel discussion.
Steve Barron, filmmaker and owner, Margent Farm
Zena Holloway, founder, Rootfull
Professor Carole Collett, professor in design for sustainable futures, Central Saint Martins UAL
Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, co-founder and co-CEO, Notpla
16.10 - Coffee
16.30 - Live Material Matters podcast with Jay Osgerby. Ever wanted to watch an episode of Material Matters being recorded? In this special show, host Grant Gibson talks to British design legend Jay Osgerby. Expect to hear about his 30 years in practice with Barber Osgerby – including designing the 2012 Olympic torch and products for the likes of Vitra, Flos, B&B Italia and Emeco – and the foundation of his brand new studio Jay Osgerby Ltd.
17.30 - Micro to macro
How to take your material idea off the kitchen table and into industry. This session asks leaders from the manufacturing and financial sectors that perennial question – how to scale up a material innovation. Expect a mix of personal stories and financial insight.
Simon Whitmarsh-Knight, global marketing and sustainability director, Hyosung TNC
Jodie Padgett, head of innovation, Camira
Rosalie McMillan, co-founder, Smile Materials
John Stewart, relationship manager - consumer, HSBC Innovation Banking
18.15 - Closing remarks
18.30 - Drinks reception
LOCATION
Assemble with Material Matters will take place at the London Headquarters of Pentland Brands, our Thought Leadership Partner for the event.
Who is it for?
Assemble with Material Matters is for people who work with materials — creatively, strategically, and critically.
We welcome designers, architects, academics and policy-makers, as well as those in large consultancies, innovation teams, and corporate design departments: people tackling sustainability at scale and rethinking how materials shape products, systems, and lives.
Whether you’re advising global clients on climate strategy or experimenting with circular design in a studio, this conference is a space to share knowledge, make connections, and explore the bigger picture.
If you’re interested in how materials can help us build more intelligent, resilient, and responsible futures — this is for you.
Key Information
Date 19 November 2026Time 12pm – 6pm
Venue Pentland Brands HQ, Johnson Building, 77 Hatton Garden, London, EC1N 8JS
Nearest stations Farringdon, Chancery Lane
Entry Conference passes are available to buy here. Early bird passes are £114 (£95 ex VAT) and available until 19 October. Thereafter, standard tickets will be £150 (£125 ex VAT). A limited number of student tickets is available for £72 incl VAT. Tickets are non-transferable. A group discount of 10% is available on standard tickets of 4 or more people, please contact hello@materialmatters.design for details.
Included All conference sessions and refreshments.
Age Assemble is an 18+ event.
Accessibility The venue is fully accessible.
View our Terms and Conditions and Code of Conduct.
Pioneering brands that make life better. Pentland Brands is behind some of the world’s best sports, outdoor and lifestyle brands. Its brands are bold and brave, always in pursuit of better, award-winning results. It owns Speedo, Berghaus, Canterbury of New Zealand, Endura, ellesse, Red or Dead, and Mitre, and also owns Kickers in the UK and Ireland. Its products are available in over 190 countries, sold either directly or by licensees and distributors.
berghaus.com
pentlandbrands.com
Dezeen is the world's most influential architecture, interiors and design magazine, with over three million monthly readers and more than seven million social media followers.
Its mission is simple: to set the agenda for the global architecture and design community by bringing it a carefully edited selection of the best architecture, interiors and design projects and news from around the world.
dezeen.com