In conversation with Benni Allan, Founding Director of EBBA Architects

“ Blending genres is core to our approach. As a young practice, our team shares strong interests in music, fashion and art, which naturally influences our work.”

 - Benni Allan

Benni Allan

Benni Allan is the Founding Director of EBBA Architects, a London-based studio recognised for its ambitious, cross-disciplinary approach that bridges architecture, culture, fashion and design. Benni founded EBBA to unite his passion for architecture, making and collaborative practice. Today, the studio is a multidisciplinary team of designers who place people at the heart of their work, delivering projects that are both environmentally responsive and emotionally engaging. In this interview, Benni discusses EBBA’s ethos and Pulse, a new installation commissioned for Houghton Festival at Houghton Hall.

You are the founder of architecture and design studio EBBA. How did your journey into this field begin?

I have had a fairly traditional background in architecture but have always been interested in the work that happens on the edges. For example my journey in private practice started with fashion shows and installation based work, which opened doors to exciting collaborations and projects and helped to establish a body of work. These early experiences shaped EBBA’s approach and interest in working at the juncture of art and architecture. Today, we’re a team of seven designers working across architecture, fashion and cultural spaces, always driven by curiosity and a commitment to thoughtful design.

EBBA is unveiling a new installation, Pulse, which converts energy signals of trees into shifting light and sound. What was the inspiration behind this new Project?

We wanted to create a unique way for people to experience nature and sound together, making people aware of their environment. Given Houghton’s incredible setting and the connection with forests, it only felt right to explore a way to bring everyone closer to nature. Inspired by a growing interest in connecting with nature differently, Pulse offers an immersive, site-specific experience which is purposeful and resonant with the need for us to be more aware of the impact we have on the environment. As big supporters of the festival, it’s been a special collaboration for our studio.

Pulse at Houghton, Houghton Festival 2025. Image credit Sienna Lorraine Gray, Khroma Collective. 

To what extent did the existing sculpture park at Houghton Hall influence your creative process?

The sculpture park at Houghton Hall definitely inspired us, with such a selection of great talents held in one space and many of them related to the context around them. For us, it was about creating something truly site-specific that could bring something different, bringing an architectural and experiential element to the festival and the grounds. I have been fortunate to have experienced the festival and also Houghton Hall’s installations over the years, all of which encouraged us to respond to the site’s character and the vision of the commissioning body in a meaningful way.

Pulse’s elevated structure invites visitors to sit underneath it. How do you anticipate visitors will experience and interact with the work?

We imagine visitors will experience Pulse in different ways, depending on how they come across it. During the day, the fabric of the lightbox has a soft, reflective quality, while at night it transforms - its lighting shifting in sync with the energy recorded from the surrounding trees. Up close, visitors can feel the vibrations through the plinth in which people lie on, communicating this rhythm of the surrounding environment; the actual Pulse of the forest. The delicate kite-like form for the light is a glowing beacon in the landscape and sitting beneath it you will be able to understand where the energy of the movement is coming from.  

EBBA is known for designs that are both environmentally responsive and emotionally engaging. How did those principles shape this project?

With Pulse, we wanted to create a structure that responds sensitively to its natural surroundings while offering an emotional, immersive experience. By using light, sound, and vibration synced with the trees, the installation encourages a deeper connection to nature, inviting visitors to slow down and engage with the environment in a meaningful way.

Houghton Festival 2025. Image credit Khali Ackford Khroma Collective. 

Your architectural practice often blends the boundaries between architecture and art, while Houghton Festival sits at the intersection of art and music. How important is this kind of genre-bending in your work, and why?

Blending genres is core to our approach. As a young practice, our team shares strong interests in music, fashion and art, which naturally influences our work. This cross-disciplinary mindset not only makes the creative process more engaging and collaborative but often leads to richer, more meaningful outcomes - something we believe aligns with the spirit of Houghton Festival.

Pulse will become a permanent installation on the Houghton site. How do you expect it to evolve over time?

We’re excited to see how visitors connect with Pulse beyond the festival. Its location, nestled within the treescape, offers a peaceful setting that invites quiet reflection. Over time, we hope the structure becomes a place where people pause, sit and simply enjoy the meditative quality of the site, allowing Pulse to grow as part of the landscape. Like any installation you only really truly understand how it works once people have engaged with it, and we look forward to learning from this experience and hopefully keep improving and growing it into something special. 

Website: eb-ba.co

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