Rachel Armstrong

Rachel Armstrong is a revered professor of Experimental Architecture for Newcastle University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. An advocate for ‘Black Sky Thinking’, Rachel is leading the way in how modern buildings are designed to limit the damage to our planet caused by industrial processes. Rachel has a wealth of knowledge on architecture, biology, sustainability, women in STEM and technology which she is able to articulate excellently when hired as a speaker.

Having a background in the sciences, Rachel originally started her career as a medical doctor but then made the drastic switch to designing environmentally friendly buildings after an epiphany whilst on a sabbatical in India. Between 2009-2014 she completed her PhD at the University of Southern Denmark. Before this, Rachel held a Teaching Fellowship from the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London whilst being a Science Advisor for SCI-FI London. It was in 2009 when Rachel made her first revolutionary TEDGlobal talk ‘Architecture that repairs itself?’ which has gained over 1.4 million views online.

Now dedicating her career to finding new and innovative solutions in a bid to help save the planet, Rachel is leading the Metabolism research in developing artificial biology systems which have the qualities of ‘near-living’ systems. These systems which will be used in buildings of the future will be able to ‘safe-heal’. Rachael’s main inspiration is from what is found all round us – nature. She innovates and designs sustainable solutions for architecture using new technologies such as Synthetic Biology and Smart Chemistry. These metabolic interactions are what she calls ‘living architecture’, she tests these prototypes to examine how they can eventually be incorporated into buildings of the future. One example of her projects includes developing and growing an artificial reef below Venice to prevent it from sinking. In recognition of her one-of-a-kind research, Rachel has been described as one of ten people in the UK who can shape the UK’s recovery by Director Magazine and has featured in the BBC's Focus Magazine in ‘Ideas that can Change the World’.

A highly sought-after speaker, Rachel gave her second TEDxCERN talk on ‘Third Millennium Questions for a Suitable World’ and has also spoken for Deezeen Day alongside other distinguished architectures discussing how cities of the future can be built and designed using more sustainable materials. A pioneer in her field, if you are in need of an experienced and established speaker on sustainability, architecture, and the future of buildings, look no further than Rachel Armstrong to provide an eye-opening and life-changing talk.