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The display forms the fifth iteration of the V&A’s Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures programme. The ten-year cycle, supported by designer and furniture maker John Makepeace OBE, investigates the use of natural, renewable materials in design and architecture.
dRMM: Building from Forests showcases the outcomes of our research into the potential of British-grown hardwoods. Open until 30 October 2026, the display sits in the furniture gallery of the V&A Museum in South Kensington.
The UK’s forests contain an abundance of hardwood species that are currently underused in construction. Since 2022, dRMM has been working with Edinburgh Napier University, NMITE, BE-ST and Ecosystems Technologies on a research programme commissioned by Forestry Commission England. Our investigations into seven key hardwood species – birch, beech, ash, sycamore, oak, alder and sweet chestnut – reveal their diverse structural properties and how they can be engineered into high-performance building systems.
At the V&A, the installation brings this research to life through material samples, data visualisations, prototype components and architectural models. These include new recipes for engineered timber such as CLT and glulam made from British hardwoods, demonstrating renewable alternatives to carbon-intensive materials like steel and concrete.
We want to thank everyone involved in the research itself, and the fabrication and installation of this piece. A symposium in March 2026 will continue the conversation.