Saying goodbye to 2025

Following the 2024 launch of the Elements Series with Earth, the second and third chapters of Water and Fire were unveiled with Florim and Stiff + Trevillion. Each event explored materiality through a compositional element of ceramic and the associated social and environmental issues of each. Anchored around a stunning Stiff + Trevillion kinetic sculpture that mimicked the processes of the water cycle, the trilogy prompted profound discussion around our use of the fundamental elements.

Staples brought together SMITHS and Casalgrande Padana in a sharp, considered installation that examined worth, mutuality and equilibrium. The framing question was “What are the staples of everyday life?”. SMITHS interpreted this as a table, ingeniously constructed from interlocking and self-supporting slabs of Casalgrande porcelain. The table became the centre point of Clerkenwell Design Week with guests gathering around it for an array of activations.

Clerkenwell Design Week remained a focal point for experimentation and conversation. Across installations, talks and collaborations, it offered a forum to present ideas publicly and to engage directly with the design community. Presentations from Le Labo, E Pellici, Howells, PLP, and performances from A La Fu, Rewyld and Gilles Peterson (to name but a few!) made this year's Clerkenwell Design Week one to remember.

Automatica transformed a vending machine into an architectural proposition. Designed by Simon Astridge, realised with Italgraniti and Arcitile, the installation blurred boundaries between automation, play and precision manufacturing. It became one of the most talked-about pieces of Clerkenwell Design Week, both for its ingenuity and its logistical complexity.

Building Minds returned to Clerkenwell before travelling north to Manchester, expanding both its audience and its ambition. In London, Dame Kelly Holmes led a powerful discussion alongside industry panellists. In Manchester, Nicola Adams OBE brought the same clarity and generosity to a new room. Across both cities, the focus remained on equity, leadership and lived experience in the built environment.

Throughout the year, we hosted a wide range of events, from Gone Rogue and Patrick Church’s vibrant takeover to wreath-making workshops held across the country. These moments reinforced the value of physical spaces as places to meet, make and talk.

Support for the Build the Way Traineeship continued, reflecting a long-term commitment to widening access to the construction and design industries. It remains one of the most direct ways the business can contribute to future talent and a more representative profession.

This year marked the start of a partnership with the Canal & River Trust, supporting its work caring for over 2,000 miles of canals and river navigations across England and Wales. The collaboration aligns with a shared belief in stewardship, heritage and long-term thinking.

Solus achieved BES 6001 certification and launched Solus Plus, a clear, outward-facing sourcing mark grounded in governance, transparency and accountability. Together, they represent a significant step in formalising how responsibility is understood, measured and communicated.

The Digbeth Design Centre opened in collaboration with EH Smith and Howells, creating a new shared space for Birmingham’s design community. Part showroom, part meeting place, it reflects the city’s growing confidence as a centre for architectural culture.

A temporary closure marked the start of a renovation that looks outward as much as inward. The renewed Birmingham showroom is being shaped as a generous, optimistic space for the local design community, able to host events while offering clients and customers a warmer, more enjoyable place to meet, talk and explore materials.

Thirty years in business is less about longevity than continuity. This year marked three decades of Solus, shaped by people who have stayed, grown and evolved with the company. The anniversary became an opportunity to reflect on shared values and where we want to go next, with lots of celebrations to mark the milestone.

The year also brought external recognition. Spolia won a Sustainable Design Collective Award. Solus was shortlisted for the Solihull Sustainability Trailblazer Award. Moving Earth was shortlisted for the Green Transformation Award. Each acknowledged work that balances design ambition with environmental responsibility.

None of this happens in isolation. Thank you to the team, to clients, collaborators, designers, speakers, performers and partners, and to the communities that helped make 2025 one to remember.