"Flourish in the City"
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026
Addleshaw Goddard: Flourish in the city
Material Application: Oyster[Crete]® sand-casted tiles,
Designed by: Carey Garden Design Studio
Built by: The Outdoor Room
Sponsored by: Addleshaw Goddard
Matter Forms was commissioned to develop a series of hand-cast Oyster[Crete]® tiles for the boundary wall of Addleshaw Goddard: Flourish in the City at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, designed by Carey Garden Design Studio.
Celebrating the hidden gemstones of London, its gardens and pocket-sized urban oases, the garden reflects the city’s identity as the world’s first National Park City. Blending natural forms, water features and quintessential materials such as Portland stone and copper, the design explores themes of sanctuary, community and reconnecting with nature within the urban environment. The project also references the emerging #humanise movement, championed by London-based designer Thomas Heatherwick, promoting joy, generosity and imaginative design within cities.
Photographed by Mariia Savoskula
Our process is material-led and begins with understanding the qualities and potential of waste resources. Oyster shells, naturally rich in calcium carbonate, form the foundation of Oyster[Crete]®, a circular material developed as a bio-alternative to traditional stone and concrete. Through casting, finishing and hand-sealing, each piece expresses the raw beauty and mineral character of the reclaimed material.
Developed in close collaboration with Carey Garden Design Studio, the tiles were designed specifically for the spatial and material language of the garden. Inspired by natural erosion processes, layered geology and coastal oyster environments, the surface texture was created through an earth-cast process that captures the imprint of sediment, mineral grains and organic irregularities. The result is a tactile architectural surface that reflects both the origins of the material and the evolving qualities of the landscape.
The project developed over several months, beginning with early conversations in September and moving into fabrication in February. The extended process reflects the experimental and handmade nature of the material, where each tile is individually cast and finished in-house at the Matter Forms studio in London.
For Matter Forms, the project represents an important milestone in exploring how circular biomaterials can be integrated into landscape and architectural environments. RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 also marks the first time the studio and team will present work at Chelsea, making it a particularly significant moment within the ongoing development of Oyster[Crete]®.
Female-Led Makers
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Līva Sakārne
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Mooka Srisurayotin
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Kae Katz