On Saturday 10 October, HTA Design Partner Rory Bergin delivered the ‘Fit for the Future’ talk at the Royal College of Art’s Battersea Campus as part of Beyond The Box’s Festival of the Future 2026.
Drawing on landmark HTA projects including the Sutton Estate, Hanham Hall and the Aylesbury Estate, Rory explored how the built environment can play a pivotal role in tackling the climate emergency. Through these real-world examples, he explained how innovative design, retrofit, regeneration and long-term planning can reduce carbon emissions while creating healthier, more resilient communities. The talk underscored the importance of balancing environmental performance with social value, showing how well-designed homes can not only support sustainability goals but also enhance quality of life for the people who live in them.
The presentation also highlighted the role of retrofit, regeneration and new-build development in delivering a lower-carbon future, demonstrating how each approach can contribute to reducing emissions and creating more sustainable communities. In addition, Rory discussed the opportunities presented by modular housing and modern methods of construction, highlighting how innovation can support more efficient and sustainable building practices.
The session was extremely well received, attracting more than 30 students aged 16 and over from a range of educational backgrounds, including college, undergraduate and master’s programmes. It was particularly encouraging to see such strong interest from young people considering careers in architecture and sustainability, demonstrating a growing enthusiasm for creating places that respond positively to environmental challenges.
“It's great to have an opportunity to engage with students at the early stages of their careers. There were a lot of good questions, which shows how engaged this generation is in the future of the profession.” - Partner, Sustainable Futures, Rory Bergin.
