In this episode, architect George Massoud of Material Cultures joins Petri Burtsoff at Paimio Sanatorium to discuss how architecture can reconnect with ecology and community. Massoud shares insights from Growing Place in London, where working with natural materials, knowledge exchange, and community empowerment come together as tools for resilience. Reflecting on Paimio, he draws parallels between the sanatorium’s legacy of healing and the restorative potential of materials and design today.

George Massoud is an architect, educator and cultural worker. He is director at Material Cultures, a design and research practice based in London. 

This conversation was recorded at the 2024 Spirit of Paimio Conference, hosted in the iconic Paimio Sanatorium — Alvar and Aino Aalto’s modernist masterpiece from the 1930s. Discover more at www.paimiosanatorium.com.