2025 RIBA Annual Lecture

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios Rachel Sayers presented the impactful work of the Feilden Foundation.

Their projects in developing countries embrace a circular economy, using local materials like compressed mud bricks within timber frames to create modular, climate-responsive buildings. Large overhanging eaves ensured shading, while passive ventilation and strategic massing kept interiors comfortably cooler than the surrounding environment—an essential factor in creating safe and healthy spaces.

One project that particularly struck me was a school in Dhaka, where vernacular architecture intertwined with a neo-brutalist aesthetic. The massing was bold and dense, with ventilation chimneys rising up the façade. Landscaped courtyards doubled as biodiverse ponds, managing floodwaters while integrating nature into the site. The overall masterplan referenced historical courtyard typologies, grounding the design in local heritage. However, the rigid grid of the periphery contrasted with the organic nature of the surrounding streets, creating an intriguing convergence of urban forms.

The discussion that followed was lively, with students asking insightful questions. It was also a great opportunity to reconnect with local practitioners—though conversations often veered toward the UK industry's current struggles.

I left the lecture inspired by the power of architecture to enact positive change.