Master eco-friendly design principles to create regenerative spaces that protect natural landscapes, empower local communities, and redefine the future of global travel.
Sustainable tourism is reshaping how we design destinations, shifting architecture from isolated buildings to integrated systems that balance environment, culture, and economy. This session explores how architects can reduce environmental impact through passive design, renewable energy systems, and low-impact construction, while also strengthening local identity through vernacular design, adaptive reuse, and community engagement. It goes beyond “green buildings” to examine how tourism infrastructure can actively support ecosystems, empower local communities, and improve both visitor experience and long-term resilience. Participants will gain a practical understanding of how sustainable tourism architecture operates at the intersection of environmental performance, cultural preservation, and responsible place-making.
Director and Founder at MA A R C H I T E C T U R E
Neil has been registered as architect with the ARB since 1987 and a corporate member of the RIBA since 1989. Having undertaken his first two degrees at Cardiff University, he studied for an additional MSc at the Bartlett School of Architecture in Space Syntax. His passion is architecture - he strives to apply the same rigour and design ethos to every project undertaken, for the individual house to large masterplans. The application of critical analysis of brief and place, together with inclusive collaboration with clients and communities alike, facilitate a process and product which is hopefully engaging and joyful. He has had the privilege to teach all years at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University. He has worked and continues to work internationally - from New Zealand (Aotearoa) to New York. Like many, he has always wanted to leave this place better than how it was found - and strives to do so through his practice, craft and design excellence.
