The Rice School of Architecture is proud to announce that Material Cultures has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Spotlight Award. This prestigious honor recognizes the design excellence and innovative spirit demonstrated by emerging professionals in architecture and design.
Material Cultures, a London-based design and research organization led by Summer Islam, Paloma Gormley, and George Massoud, works at the intersection of natural materials, low embodied carbon construction, and construction technology. The team champions the reintegration of architecture and agriculture, viewing buildings as inherently linked to landscapes of extraction. By focusing on bio-based materials—those that are low in embodied carbon—Material Cultures offers an alternative to the carbon-intensive, socially destructive materials commonly used in the industry. Through their work—which includes building projects, design research, and learning platforms on traditional materials and crafts, such as clay and straw—they challenge the systems, processes, and technologies that shape the construction industry, aiming to transform the way we think, make, and build.
“The work of Material Cultures reminds us that architecture is not just about buildings but about the broader systems that sustain life. Their commitment to rethinking materials and methods aligns deeply with our school’s mission to elevate planetary awareness and advance architectural discourse,” said Igor Marjanović, William Ward Watkin Dean of the Rice School of Architecture.
The Spotlight Award was established in 2009 under the leadership of Lonnie Hoogeboom, with John J. Casbarian, Carlos Jiménez, and Rafael Longoria, to honor architects within the first fifteen years of their practice who have demonstrated extraordinary design curiosity and excellence. The 2025 Spotlight Award nomination and jury process was led by a distinguished panel: Shantel Blakely, assistant professor at Rice School of Architecture; Dalia Munenzon, assistant professor of urban design, sustainable communities, and infrastructure at the University of Houston; Brett Schneider, associate professor at Rice School of Architecture; and Jesús Vassallo, associate professor at Rice School of Architecture.
“Material Cultures exemplifies a profound commitment to rethinking the processes and materials of architecture today,” says Vassallo. “Their work offers a critical lens on the environmental and social impacts of the construction industry while presenting innovative, tangible alternatives that challenge the status quo. This type of research-driven practice not only redefines architecture itself but also reimagines its role in shaping a sustainable and equitable future for all.”
The 2025 Spotlight Award will be presented at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Brown Auditorium, on February 17, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. We invite you to join us in celebrating the achievements of Material Cultures and their transformative approach to architecture and the built environment.
About the Spotlight Award
The Spotlight Award is an annual recognition for architects who have demonstrated outstanding design potential early in their careers. The award is by invitation only and is determined by a committee composed of architects, academics, and design practitioners from around the world.