Impure & Natural

Do natural coatings always require a purist approach to succeed in the built environment? What happens when we loosen the rules?

Scanlan & Makers transform their Abbotsford studio into an immersive landscape of layered, experimental and handmade paints and plasters. Lime plasters, washes, distempers, mineral paints and natural stains are applied across walls, panels and objects.

From fully foraged and waste-derived materials to modified, hybrid and deliberately corrupted systems, Scanlan & Makers both honour historic breathable traditions and depart from them in pursuit of new material languages and discoveries.

A purist approach suggests a rigid ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ way of working, while the phrase ‘pure and natural’ borrows from wellness culture: language now common in coatings marketing, even when materials are modified or used outside fully breathable systems. As construction becomes increasingly standardised, the practical trade knowledge required to use these materials well is fading. Finishes are often labelled delicate, unpredictable or expensive when, in reality, longevity through breathability or beauty has not been realised due to a lack of custodianship from specification through to installation.

Impure and Natural asks whether two positions can coexist:
Purity preserves tradition and buildings.
Impurity drives evolution.

Impurity here is not a flaw but a stance – an embrace of variation, experimentation and visible human authorship in an increasingly standardised world. In choosing ‘impure’ methods, and embracing imperfection, skills remain active and ready for the projects that truly require them.

An opening-night presentation on Thursday 21 May will explore how architects, designers and builders can work more confidently with natural and experimental finishes – understanding when to honour tradition, when experimentation is appropriate, and how early engagement enables better outcomes.

The exhibition continues Friday and Saturday, with Scanlan & Makers director Clare Scanlan available for further discussion.