Make Good Symposium 2023 - Live Stream

For the second Make Good symposium the V&A brings together international speakers from a wide range of disciplines, spanning science, design, architecture and forestry to look at the opportunities and challenges of sourcing and making with natural, renewable and local materials, in particular wood. As such it takes a cue from the Field Notes Summer School, which was a collaboration between the environmental charity Sylva Foundation and the V&A. This day of talks and conversations, presenting ongoing projects and research, forms a collection of field notes to inform and inspire future initiatives in sustainable design and manufacture.

Confirmed speakers for the 2023 Make Good Symposium include:

• Alex de Rijke and Kat Scott, dRMM Architects (London)
• Christien Meindertsma, Artist (Utrech)
• Georgina Bowman, Founder of Common Practice (Bridport)
• Hella Jongerius, Industrial Designer (Berlin)
• Henry Tadros, Chairman of Ercol Furniture (Princes Risborough)
• Ian Tubby, Head of Policy and Advice, Forestry Commission (London)
• Indy Johar, Founder of Dark Matter and Tree AI (London)
• Joseph Bray, Head of Wood School at Sylva Foundation (Long Wittenham)
• Sean Sutcliffe, Co-founder and Managing Director of Benchmark Furniture (Hungerford Newtown)
• Sixto-Juan Zavala, Queer Botany (London)
• Stephen Burks and Malika Leiper, Stephen Burks Man Made (New York)
• Summer Islam, Material Cultures (London)
• William Baker, Senior Research Leader at Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew)

Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures is supported by the designer and furniture maker John Makepeace OBE. The ten-year project launched in 2022 and encompasses an annual display in the Dr Susan Weber Gallery of Furniture, an annual symposium and a programme of acquisitions dedicated to exploring the use of renewable, natural materials and the future of sustainable forestry in design and architecture at a time of climate emergency.

Ticket holders will receive a link to the live stream on the morning of the symposium.

Supported by John Makepeace OBE