BY COLLEEN KERN
Lindsey Wikstrom doesn’t start with checklists or certifications when she thinks about sustainability. A more important question is the first to be addressed by the founding architects and principal of Mattaforma in New York.
She says,” I stopped enquiring about whether a material is” sustainable” and instead began to inquire about” Who, exactly, is being sustained by this design?”
This shift from label to responsibility is what defines Wikstrom’s style of architecture, which was developed over the course of her years of practice in New York. Sustainability is not a marketing term or an add-on, according to Wikstrom. It provides a framework for making decisions that take into account real people, true places, and true consequences.
A HIERARHY OF INTENTION
Wikstrom and her team adhere to a distinct organizational structure throughout their day-to-day operations. Second, they make use of what is already present on the site. Therefore they give inorganic materials, which are those made from living things, the best fit for the project’s typology and budget. Second, recycled materials are in order. Just when these options are exhausted do they turn to high-performing mineral and metal materials where their strength-to-weight ratio truly merits its place.
This is not a predetermined formula. It calls for thorough analysis of building codes, fabricators, and supply chains, which Wikstrom views as a component of the design service itself, no as an afterthought. She honestly communicates this research to clients and works with them on it in-house.
REVISIGNING THE RULES
When someone tells her something is difficult, Wikstrom’s commitment to green design grows stronger. She explains that “anytime someone says” that’s difficult,” it inspires us to redesign the rules, not only the building.
Her work on economically balanced multifamily housing, where the stakes are both serious and honest, illustrates this philosophy beautifully. Geometry itself is used as a sustainability tool in this example. Wikstrom’s company operates at two scales together: part to total, more than the monotony of similar units repeated floor to floor. They build kits of reproducible elements, most frequently mass wood, and arrange them in a way that feels both episodic and unexpected.
The outcome? Instead of being private boxes, homes that residents can identify with were all made with minimal resources. It was influenced by French architect Jean Renaudie’s book A Right to Difference, which advocated the concept that housing could provide diversity and dignity rather than homogenity.
INTEGRATION DAY ONE-
According to Wikstrom, one of the biggest misconceptions about green architecture is that the project can be called green when it is completed by flipping a switch later in the design process to switch in a more effective mechanical system or use another material.
She claims,” It’s not that easy.”
From geographical experiences to span capabilities to assembly logic, structural materials are used to shape everything. When quiet atmospheric responses can also affect building massing, orientation, and program, energy systems must be baked in first. Responsible architecture employs a holistic approach to all dimensions, from the smallest fastener to the largest landscape element. When the strategy is integrated quick enough for the building to become clear rather than pieced together, it only succeeds.
Wikstrom’s team aligns first on what defines the project’s soul to manage the unavoidable tensions between sustainability goals and real-world constraints like budgets and timelines. When cost estimates change with tariffs, when value engineering approaches, or when unexpected surprises appear in the field, everyone can stay pliable with this shared compass.
She notes that” all of us stay flexible and adaptable” and that clarity.
THE WOOD CASE
One material, according to Wikstrom, offers the greatest opportunity for ecological impact for architects as the horizon for the upcoming ten years. ” Wood, wood, wood”, she says. During the production of steel, aluminum, and concrete,” Twenty-three percent of the world’s greenhouse gases are emitted.”
Actually replacing a solitary concrete column in a tower with a sturdy one makes a significant difference. Wikstrom offers a contradictory perspective for those worried about deforestation: British forests are growing steadily and in fact need stronger wood markets to stay healthy. Without a viable economy, forests run the risk of being cleared for urban sprawl or agriculture, which is real deforestation. Solid wood markets promote regeneration and promote wholesome, multi-generational forests.
These forests produce more than just wood. They are properly managed habitats that prevent megafires, stop pest and disease spread, and combat drought, which have benefits far beyond a single building.
Green architecture isn’t about perfection or purity, according to Wikstrom. It’s on asking better questions, making wiser choices, and acknowledging that each design choice helps or hurts someone or something. Being purposeful about who and what sustains is where the responsibility lies.
