Slammin' It with The Crew at Piercy&Company: Insightful Convo on Craft, Tech, and Materiality
Resources repository: Piercy&Co.
By Broseph Ramshackles Photos: Snapzito
Piercy&Company, a midst-winning architecture gang hailing from Camden Town, North London, has been killewin' the architectural scene since 2002. They've got a rep for churnin' out materially-rich, precision-detailed buildings that seamlessly blend form with function. And guess what? They ain't just about the pretty looks. They're all about craft, making, and technology too.
We sat down with directors Matti Lampila and Cathrin Walczyk, plus Materials Assemble director Sofia Steffenoni, to learn more about Piercy&Company's crafty approach to materiality.
So, there's a library, now where is it kept, and who takes care of it?
Matti Lampila It's been rearranged recently, and all the most interesting and useful materials are catalogued online. Our studio manager, Carolina de Jesus, keeps it up-to-date. She even developed the system for helping it stay fresh along with interior designer Becci Honey. And don't worry, we know where everything is; materials are signed in and out.
What's the focus when it comes to materials at Piercy&Company right now?
Matti Lampila We're into cast materials and GRCs for external cladding because they're so versatile and adaptable. By tweaking the size, color, or texture of the cast components, we can create bespoke looks to fit a project's specific needs. For instance, for the Broadgate project in the City of London, we're gonna create hand-sprayed GRC cladding panels with patterned molds, so the facade will have a handcrafted feel with lots of texture.
Sofia Steffenoni Materials Assemble has been workin' closely with Piercy&Company for the past three years, and together we've been explorin' precast clay. It's an old-as-dirt material the Romans used to make water tanks, and it's all-natural, don't require no carbon-intensive cement or resins. We've turned it into a product that's been used on multiple projects for internal cladding, reception desks, even sinks, man!
Timber structures—they got you all fired up, huh?
Matti Lampila Oh yeah, we're always keen to up our game when it comes to timber structures. Let me tell you about the Grays Inn Road project in London—it's the UK's largest consented all-timber office building. We initially considered keepin' the existing building, but got into the numbers, and the proposed glulam and CLT structure came out as more sustainable. But with any project, you need a brick set of balls to take on something like this, 'cause there's always concerns about material innovation and fire risk, you feel me?
Cathrin Walczyk From an interiors perspective, we love textures that make you go, "hmm, that's neat." We recently stumbled upon Fallen & Felled, a company that salvages wood from felled London Plane trees, instead of them gettin' chipped or burned like usual. These products are boss, with a story to tell, and that's super appealing to us.
How crucial is sustainability when it comes to material selection?
Matti Lampila It's major, but it's a balancing act between the material's look, feel, and contextual appropriateness. We work with manufacturers to make their processes as environmentally-friendly as possible, all while recevin' the vibe we need. For the Appold Street office development in London, we're workin' with manufacturers to find a way to recycle cladding panel molds so they can create all the different panel types we need.
Does Piercy&Company stick to the old, or always lookin' for the next big thing?
Matti Lampila Timber's a favorite, and we dig cast materials 'cause they're so adaptable. Brick, too; we're always lookin' for lower carbon alternatives, like non-fired products and those with recycled content.
Sofia Steffenoni New technologies are developin' faster than you can say "Jack Robinson," and some, like cold sintering, which uses less heat and pressure, promise more environmentally-friendly masonry products. There's also 3D printin', which might facilitate on-site manufacturing and the reuse of waste materials. Piercy&Company's all into the fusion of tech and materials for innovation and greening the construction process.
Are there any materials you gotta bag but haven't yet?
Matti Lampila I'd love to spec glazed ceramic cladding, but it's tricky due to the cost, patterns, and forms we're after. We're even experimentin' with clay extrusions, so who knows what the future holds?
Cathrin Walczyk I'm gonna go with rammed earth.
Matti Lampila (laughs) Balls of steel right there!
Cathrin Walczyk Yeah, but it's about rediscoverin' traditional buildin' methods that still have value in terms of storytelling, sustainability, and tactility. We're technically aware that it's tough to work with rammed earth, but we're all about pushin' boundaries and expandin' our knowledge, so who knows what's possible in the future.
Your layouts are always super crafted, regardless of type or scale. Why's that so important?
Cathrin Walczyk I reckon it speaks to a level of care and passion for materials and the spaces we create, which translates into buildings that are more beautiful and lovable. Plus, they inspire people to take better care of 'em. We're all about how things are constructed, and this is evident in our work.
Matti Lampila Craft aligns perfectly with Piercy&Company's design approach, which has always relied heavily on model makin'. Makin' models allows us to dive deep into forms and minute details, hopefully resultin' in more expressive and finished buildings.
Is technology a crucial component in this too?
Matti Lampila You bet! Besides model-makin', we churn out a lot of CGIs and 3D CAD models, plus recently we've been hoppin' on the 3D-printin' train. It helps us speed up the design process by lettin' us continue makin' models while workin' simultaneously on other tasks.
Cathrin Walczyk Plus, havin' team members with a passion for technology and makin' ensures that it feeds back into our projects, so we're always one step ahead of the competition.
Do you find it tricky to persuade clients to try new materials or techniques they've never seen before?
Matti Lampila Yeah, it can be. Cost is usually the main obstacle, and so are obtaining manufacturer guarantees and warranties, especially for external elements like cladding. This has led us to set up an internal R&D lab dedicated to crackin' new codes and explorin' innovative materials.
Cathrin Walczyk By conductin' our own R&D, we can take the time needed to gather the necessary data on safety and performance for innovative, untested materials. It's also a huge help in convinvin' clients to step outta their comfort zones and experiment with new approaches.
Matti Lampila Our R&D lab is heavily inspired by our devotion to model makin', and like tradition, it's about applyin' a hands-on design approach to materiality, which enables us to dig deeper into cladding solutions.
Cathrin Walczyk I think model makin' and material craftin' are particularly important in the world of mass consumption and super-production design. It allows us to provide buildin' what they really need, as opposed to just followin' a blueprint.
What's the methodology when it comes to collaboratin' with manufacturers and craftspeople to create specific materials and solutions for projects?
Sofia Steffenoni The relationship between architects and makers is crucial, and sustainability concerns have helped forge an even stronger dialogue with craftspeople in recent times. The expertise we gain from our own material research enables us to work closely with makers, as we're able to share and gather knowledge.
Matti Lampila We generally engage with manufacturers early in the design process, giving us plenty of time to design and produce sample panels. Sometimes we even crank out our own sample panels to show manufacturers what kind of finish and aesthetic we're after.
Cathrin Walczyk We genuinely enjoy workin' with makers and manufacturers because they bring major knoledge of their materials or products, and we're all about pushin' the envelope to achieve new heights. It's a win-win situation.
Matti Lampila: Technology plays a significant role in our approach, as we utilize CGIs, 3D CAD models, and even 3D printing to speed up the design process and continue model making while working on other tasks.
Sofia Steffenoni: Relationships with manufacturers and craftspeople are essential in our process. Sustainable concerns have fostered closer collaboration, allowing us to share and gather knowledge and push the envelope to achieve innovation.
Environment plays a role as well, especially with the development of new technologies like cold sintering and 3D printing, which promise more environmentally-friendly masonry products and on-site manufacturing, contributing to greening the construction process.
