Event Details

Lancaster School of Architecture in collaboration with Lancaster and Westmorland Society of Architects present an Autumn Lecture Series

Our first lecture is from Manchester’s Editional Studio, titled 'The Value of Nothing'.

They will discuss the realities of maintaining a strong ethical position in small practice, how they suggest we ascribe value to our skills and time as architects and how, if the construction industry doesn't move decisively away from it's reliance on extraction, we will literally be left with nothing.

Editional Studio is an architecture practice committed to working within planetary boundaries. The studio is run by architects Jo Sharples and Jack Richards.

They design homes and public spaces, specialising in Passive House and retrofit; adapting existing buildings to reduce their energy use. Through their research they advocate for a low-carbon built environment and explore how resourceful, creative design and sustainable materials can help to restore and regenerate natural systems.

The studio is featured in the Architect’s Journal’s ‘40 under 40’ - ‘a who’s who of the nation’s next generation of boundary-pushing designers and innovators’ and the Architecture Foundation’s book - ‘New Architects 4’ showcasing ‘the best British architecture practices of the last 10 years.’

Their guide for homeowners: 'Decarbonise Your House Now!’ was awarded the Royal Institute of British Architect’s Research Grant in 2022 and they recently published ‘Retrofit Social Housing: A Practical Guide for Local Authorities’ co-authored with Karakusevic Carson Architects and environmental engineers XCO2.

Their work has been exhibited as part of ‘Retrofit 23: Towards Deep Retrofit of Homes at Scale’ at The Building Centre, London, ‘UrbanistasNW Exhibition’ at Manchester School of Architecture, ‘Retrofit Reimagined’ in Birmingham, and ‘Towards the Mean’ at the Barbican Centre, London.

We look forward to welcoming Jo, Jack, and those who choose to join us, to the University and promise a stimulating talk followed by a short Q&A.