Voices of the Next Generation: Building a sustainable future through connection and collaboration
Launched in January 2025, the NextGen series has become a vibrant platform for emerging professionals across architecture, engineering, planning, and construction to come together, exchange knowledge, and shape the future of the built environment.
Since its inception, the initiative has hosted a series of engaging events, from the launch in March to the June discussion on The Built Environment as a Catalyst for Social Change, each exploring how young professionals can redefine global design practice through collaboration and innovation.
The October 2025 gathering marked the third instalment in this series, Sustainability: Progress vs. Preservation, organised in collaboration with Hoare Lea.
The evening brought together a diverse audience of architects, engineers and designers to reflect on the delicate balance between progress, the pursuit of innovation, decarbonisation and adaptation, and preservation, the safeguarding of heritage, identity, and collective memory.
The event featured presentations and a panel discussion with industry leaders including Ashley Bateson, Head of Sustainability at Hoare Lea; Alexander Buck, Head of Sustainability at Buckley Gray Yeoman; and Lorraine Chan, Project Architect at Fletcher Priest Architects. Their insights challenged attendees to rethink what sustainable design truly means, urging us to consider not just how we build, but why and for whom.
As part of Article 25’s More Than a Building network, architect Stephanie White (AIA, SOM) reflected on the significance of the discussion:
“Lorraine Chan and Alexander Buck presented large-scale retrofit projects that truly dissolved the preconceived notion of the typical ‘retrofit aesthetic.’ It’s encouraging to see the UK repurposing existing fabric and implementing solutions to reduce demolition.
Connecting with the NextGen network highlighted the push we are all making towards a more sustainable future, through innovative tools, guides, and shared knowledge.”
Panellist Alexander Buck echoed this momentum, sharing a provocative thought that resonated deeply across the room:
“After showcasing retrofit work at different scales, and knowing that 80% of the buildings needed in 2050 already exist, I posed the question — why don’t we outlaw all new ground-up construction and focus solely on adapting and extending our existing building stock?”
His challenge sparked meaningful dialogue about the cultural shift underway in architecture, where adaptive reuse is no longer a niche practice but an ethical imperative.
Deima (Studio Pringle) reflected on the evening, saying,
“The event was a reminder that sustainability isn’t one conversation, it’s many voices tackling shared challenges. From retrofit to reuse to rural development, we’re all designing a fairer, more resilient future.”
She added that what made the night so special was how the planned debate evolved into a thoughtful exchange of ideas, from Ashley Bateson’s call for accountability in emissions, to insights on community-driven design in Rwanda, the National Retrofit Hub’s mission, and the Material Reuse Guide’s approach to circularity.
“It captured what I value most about Article 25 and NextGen — collaboration, optimism, and a shared belief that design can shape a fairer world.”
The discussion illuminated how sustainability is no longer defined by technology alone but by a shift in mindset, one that values adaptation over expansion, and collaboration over competition.
The projects presented reminded everyone that progress in the built environment is as much about social and cultural resilience as it is about material efficiency. This spirit of collective learning and curiosity lies at the heart of NextGen, where young professionals are encouraged to question conventions and imagine a future built on reuse, inclusivity and empathy.
Reflecting on the event, Sohana Khan (Article 25) described the evening as both intellectually stimulating and profoundly resonant.
“NextGen represents far more than a forum for emerging professionals, it is a collective voice for those shaping a more equitable and sustainable future.
Coming from Bangladesh and working within a humanitarian framework, I see sustainability as inseparable from social justice; it is not only about how we build, but for whom we build. Engaging in a truly cross-cultural dialogue, with participants from Bangladesh, Mexico, Italy, and the UK, reaffirmed my belief that innovation flourishes where diverse perspectives converge.
When design becomes a language of empathy and inclusion, it has the power to give voice to the voiceless and to transform communities, not just skylines.”
The atmosphere throughout the evening reflected the very ethos of Article 25: collaboration, inclusion, and shared learning. Conversations extended well beyond the formal sessions, with participants debating the role of government regulation, the viability of adaptive reuse, and the future of material reuse in practice. The discussion revealed that progress and preservation need not be in opposition; rather, their integration demands humility, imagination and pluralistic thinking.
Progress drives us toward resilience, new technologies, and forward momentum, while preservation anchors us in continuity, cultural identity, and memory. True sustainability lies in finding harmony between the two, in reimagining what already exists instead of constantly building anew.
As the NextGen journey continues, its vision remains clear: to amplify the voice of the next generation and nurture a multi-professional community that influences policy, practice and pedagogy in the global built environment.
From the first event in March through to this October’s reflection on sustainability, NextGen has built more than a network, it has cultivated a movement of young professionals committed to transforming ideas into lasting impact.
The dialogue will continue to grow, bridging the ambitions of emerging practitioners with the needs of communities worldwide, proof that the next generation is not waiting for change, but actively building it.
🔹
Written by Article 25’s Part 2 Architectural Assistant, Sohana Khan, this piece is part of our ‘Voices from NextGen’ series, sharing insights from the next generation of built environment professionals.
Interested in attending our NextGen event series?
Find out more about the event series open to all members of More Than a Building. Get in touch: next-gen@article-25.org.
