Rethinking the Role of Design: Highlights from modulyss Talks at Clerkenwell Design Week

At Clerkenwell Design Week 2026, modulyss Talks explored the evolving role of architecture and design. Across four sessions, experts shared fresh perspectives on creating spaces that connect people, reflect individual needs and respond to today’s challenges. Here's a recap of the key insights.

Transparency Starts with Better Questions

Samantha Allen from M Moser Associates explores why the future of sustainable design depends on measurable accountability, not marketing claims.

Here are our key takeaways:

Sustainability is moving from storytelling to reporting
Stakeholders want more than ambitions. They want proof of progress.
Data only matters if you can trust it
EPDs, certifications and material data are essential, but comparing products remains complex when reporting methods differ.
Carbon is only part of the picture
Alongside embodied carbon, designers consider toxicity, indoor environmental quality, recyclability and wellbeing.
Focus on the biggest opportunities first
Walls, floors and ceilings often represent the largest material volumes within a project. Small improvements across these categories can deliver significant reductions in environmental impact.
Transparency should follow a product throughout its lifecycle
From sourcing to end of life, visibility across every stage is becoming the new standard.
Design with the next life in mind
Circularity begins by considering how products can be reused, recovered or recycled before they are even specified.
Sustainability is everyone's responsibility
Real progress depends on collaboration between manufacturers, architects, contractors and clients. Accountability cannot sit with one stakeholder alone.
Better data leads to better decisions
Keep asking questions. Transparency is not about proving you've made the right choice. It's about enabling everyone after you to make better ones too.

Designing for Difference

Savannah Willits from PLP Architecture explores how buildings become more meaningful when they respond to the people, cultures and communities around them.

Here are our key takeaways:

Great design starts with context
Buildings do not exist in isolation. The most successful environments reflect the people, activities and culture that already shape a place.
Specificity creates universal appeal
The more relevant a space feels, the easier it becomes for people to connect with it.
Innovation thrives on unexpected encounters
Some of the best ideas emerge when people cross paths with different disciplines, perspectives and expertise.
Choice creates better experiences
People work, collaborate and recharge in different ways. Offering a variety of settings allows individuals to shape their own experience throughout the day.
Flexibility extends a building's lifespan
Teams evolve. Households grow and shrink. Spaces that can adapt over time remain relevant for longer.
Technology should support people, not the other way around
Digital tools can help personalise comfort, improve wellbeing and simplify daily routines.

Architecture Beyond Function

Subharthi Guha from Zaha Hadid Architects explores how architecture shapes identity, culture and the way people connect with one another.

Here are our key takeaways:

Great architecture does more than solve problems
Function is essential. But the spaces we remember, revisit and celebrate often offer something more. They inspire, provoke and create lasting emotional connections.
Places help shape collective identity
Buildings and public spaces become part of a community's story. Over time, architecture helps define how people experience and remember a place.
Design can bring people together
Whether it's a workplace, transport hub, stadium or public square, thoughtful design creates opportunities for interaction, exchange and shared experiences.
Public spaces matter more than ever
As cities grow and evolve, the quality of the spaces between buildings becomes increasingly important. These are the places where communities connect and urban life unfolds.
Culture is something we create
Architecture does not simply reflect culture. It actively contributes to it. Today's design decisions help shape the environments future generations will inherit.
Aspiration drives innovation
Progress rarely comes from repeating what already exists. The most influential projects challenge conventions and encourage new ways of thinking, working and living.
Cities thrive when people come together
From neighbourhoods to global cities, human connection remains one of the most powerful drivers of creativity, opportunity and social progress.

AI in Architecture: Augmentation, Not Replacement

Bringing together perspectives from architecture, digital innovation and computational design, the panel explored how AI is reshaping the profession and what that means for the future of design.

Here are our key takeaways:

Technology should support creativity
Used thoughtfully, AI can accelerate workflows, generate ideas and free up more time for design exploration and innovation.
Human judgement remains essential
The value of AI depends on how it is used. Critical thinking, experience and design expertise remain irreplaceable in evaluating ideas and making decisions.
AI is levelling the playing field
Advanced visualisation is becoming more accessible, allowing smaller practices to communicate ideas with the same clarity and impact as larger firms. Great design can increasingly be judged on its merits, not on the quality of the rendering budget.
Beautiful images don't always mean better design
While AI can create compelling visuals in seconds, there is a risk that clients focus on the image rather than the thinking behind it. A striking render should support a strong concept, not disguise a weak one.
The future is collaborative
The most powerful outcomes will come from combining human creativity with technological capability, allowing designers to work smarter without losing the human perspective that gives architecture meaning.