Crafting Comfort : Hands-on making with Waste, Knots and Shade

How can low-tech craft and parametric thinking help us stay cool in a warming world? In this fast-paced, tactile workshop led by architect Arthur Mamou-Mani, participants work in small teams using real factory offcuts to design and assemble lightweight, shade-giving modules—all with knots and lashings, no glue or screws required.

Participants then cluster their modules into a larger canopy fragment, testing it for airflow, shade, and adaptability. The session demonstrates how circular thinking, embodied making, and parametric rules can come together to create simple, repairable systems that deliver both comfort and beauty in heat-stressed urban environments.