The upcoming Stone & Surfaces Show, taking place at ExCeL London from 12–14 May, will broaden its programme with a series of talks, films and presentations examining how material choices shape architecture, construction and the wider built environment.

The cross-disciplinary line-up, spanning architects, manufacturers, designers and safety specialists, reflects the increasingly complex decisions facing specifiers working with natural stone, engineered materials and emerging surface technologies.

Architect and academic Piers Taylor opens the Main Stage programme with a keynote titled Learning from Local Materials. His address argues that surface materials should no longer be understood as decorative finishes but as fundamental architectural decisions carrying environmental, economic and cultural consequences.

OfficeS&M

The theme continues with a session dedicated to cork as a renewable construction material. Writer and editor Rob Fiehn leads a discussion bringing together Catrina Stewart of Office S&M, Osman Marfo-Gyasi of Scott Whitby Studio and Bárbara Pinto Ribeiro of Amorim Cork Solutions. The panel will explore cork’s cellular structure, examining how the material combines thermal and acoustic performance with low embodied carbon and growing relevance in contemporary flooring and wall systems.

Circularity remains a central concern across the show. Our own editor, Jim Biddulph, chairs What is the Future of Circularity?, bringing together Conor Taylor of Low Carbon Industrial, architect Jess Rostron from Orms and Tim Matthews of Reultilize. Discussion will focus on reuse platforms, standardised sizing and whether the industry must fundamentally rethink specification practices to reduce waste.

Foresso

Another panel, The Reputational Risk of the Race to the Bottom, addresses growing concern over declining material standards. Speakers including Ross Williamson of The Surface Collection by Thomas Group, Andy Phillips of the Worktop Fabricators Federation and kitchen designer Faye Newman will examine how low-cost sourcing and unregulated labour can undermine safety, quality and long-term performance.

In the Architects’ Theatre, technical specification takes centre stage. Jan Lukaszewski from QUALICOAT UK & Ireland presents Futureproofing Buildings – Failure is Not an Option, highlighting the consequences of incorrect powder coating specification.

Meanwhile, Mike Calcutt of the Health and Safety Executive delivers a session addressing the risks associated with engineered stone dust, reinforcing the industry’s ongoing focus on health and safety in fabrication environments.

Adam Nathaniel Furman

Beyond technical discussion, the Surfaces Cinema explores the cultural and visual dimension of materiality. Designer Adam Nathaniel Furman presents Chromatic Delight and Productive Exuberance, celebrating colour and ceramic craftsmanship, while digital material library ARCHITEXTURES screens Materials in Motion, a series examining regional material production in Scotland.

Photography and film also feature prominently, with presentations from architectural photographers Ivan Jones and Andy Stagg, alongside films curated by award-winning filmmaker Edward Bishop exploring sustainable schools, pavilion construction and model-making craft.

Andy Stagg

Divisional director Sam Patel, underlines how the expanded programme aims to reflect the full lifecycle of materials, “From forward-looking panel discussions on the Main Stage to immersive films, photography and expert-led talks at the Surfaces Cinema and accredited CPDs in the Architects’ Theatre, the programme highlights the range and versatility of surface materials and examines how they can have an impact all the way down the supply chain.”

Co-located with UK Construction Week London and FutureBuild, the exhibition forms part of what organisers describe as a built environment “Super Event”, bringing together sustainability, construction and surface specification under one roof.

To register for The Stone & Surfaces Show for free, visit https://forms.reg.buzz/ukcw-london-and-stone-show-2026/pr