Materials and their surfaces are integral to architectural expression. Architects use them to bring their designs to life and to give buildings their unique character. But which strategies do today’s leading offices employ to navigate the virtually inexhaustible variety of construction materials?

In our Discussion section, Christiane Sauer and ­Andreas Gabriel shed light on the varying approaches of two offices that are noted for their sensitive use of materials: OMA (Rotterdam) and ippolito fleitz group (Stuttgart).

Architects and consultants employ different techniques to bring out the best in the materials used in this issue’s buildings. In one example, the recently refurbished courtyard at a university in south London is dominated by a single building material: a reddish-brown brick that ties together the diverse surfaces. In other projects, various surfaces are juxtaposed to highlight their contrasting properties.