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MATA Architects

Based in London, MATA Architects designs residential and mixed-use spaces defined by expressive roof profiles, reflective overhead planes, and sharp material transitions between solid masonry bases and lightweight cladding. A strong reference when detailing continuous skylight strips within sloped ceilings, pairing dark hearth accents against pale timber paneling, or resolving crisp horizontal shadow breaks across multi-material facades in loft and workspace projects.

Exterior facade of The Pleated Building by MATA Architects featuring corrugated metal upper floors and a red brick ground floor.

The Pleated Building

An exterior facade precedent showing a material juxtaposition between a solid red-brick ground level and a textured, corrugated metal upper cladding system.

What we like about this project
The crisp horizontal shadow break between the heavy red brick base and the lightweight corrugated upper volume.

Materials

  • corrugated-metal
  • red-brick
  • glass
  • steel

Visual identifiers

  • corrugated-metal-cladding
  • red-brick-base
  • punched-windows
  • vertical-fluting

Style tags

  • contemporary
  • industrial-vernacular
  • rationalist

Visual tags

  • façade-study
  • material-contrast
  • urban-context
  • contemporary
  • commercial-or-residential
Geometry
A multi-story facade composed of a heavy masonry base supporting vertically fluted upper volumes with evenly spaced square windows.
Facade system
Corrugated metal panel rainscreen over upper levels above a load-bearing or veneer red brick masonry base.
Structural guess
Masonry ground floor supporting a steel or timber frame superstructure.
Spatial scale
Pedestrian-scale ground floor with double-height brick piers, topped by multi-story upper volumes.
Lighting
Direct, low-angle sunlight casting sharp shadows from the window reveals and tree branches across the facade and sidewalk.
Atmosphere
Crisp and orderly, animated by strong morning or afternoon sunlight casting dynamic shadow patterns.
Environmental context
Urban sidewalk context with a bare deciduous tree and bike hoops in the foreground.
Spatial experience
The street-level approach presents a grounded brick base with large glazed entryways, transitioning vertically into a lighter, rhythmic metallic upper facade.
Composition rhythm
Strict vertical rhythm established by the corrugated cladding flutes aligning with structural bay divisions and window modules.
Style reading
Contemporary industrial-informed rationalism
Program
Mixed-use residential or commercial workspace
Perspective
Exterior Facade
Discipline
architecture
Materials
corrugated-metal, red-brick, glass, steel
Visual identifiers
corrugated-metal-cladding, red-brick-base, punched-windows, vertical-fluting
Style tags
contemporary, industrial-vernacular, rationalist
Visual tags
façade-study, material-contrast, urban-context, contemporary, commercial-or-residential
Geometry
A multi-story facade composed of a heavy masonry base supporting vertically fluted upper volumes with evenly spaced square windows.
Facade system
Corrugated metal panel rainscreen over upper levels above a load-bearing or veneer red brick masonry base.
Structural guess
Masonry ground floor supporting a steel or timber frame superstructure.
Spatial scale
Pedestrian-scale ground floor with double-height brick piers, topped by multi-story upper volumes.
Lighting
Direct, low-angle sunlight casting sharp shadows from the window reveals and tree branches across the facade and sidewalk.
Atmosphere
Crisp and orderly, animated by strong morning or afternoon sunlight casting dynamic shadow patterns.
Environmental context
Urban sidewalk context with a bare deciduous tree and bike hoops in the foreground.
Spatial experience
The street-level approach presents a grounded brick base with large glazed entryways, transitioning vertically into a lighter, rhythmic metallic upper facade.
Composition rhythm
Strict vertical rhythm established by the corrugated cladding flutes aligning with structural bay divisions and window modules.
Style reading
Contemporary industrial-informed rationalism
Program
Mixed-use residential or commercial workspace
Perspective
Exterior Facade
Discipline
architecture

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  • Firms
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AI Native Apps

  • AI Mode Search
  • SoftMarket
  • 2nd Brain

About HappyCluster

  • About
  • How it works
  • Contact

Connect

  • Waitlist
  • X
  • GitHub

Legal

  • Privacy
  • Terms

HappyCluster

© 2026

Exterior facade of The Pleated Building by MATA Architects featuring corrugated metal upper floors and a red brick ground floor.

The Pleated Building

An exterior facade precedent showing a material juxtaposition between a solid red-brick ground level and a textured, corrugated metal upper cladding system.

What we like about this project
The crisp horizontal shadow break between the heavy red brick base and the lightweight corrugated upper volume.

Materials

  • corrugated-metal
  • red-brick
  • glass
  • steel

Visual identifiers

  • corrugated-metal-cladding
  • red-brick-base
  • punched-windows
  • vertical-fluting

Style tags

  • contemporary
  • industrial-vernacular
  • rationalist

Visual tags

  • façade-study
  • material-contrast
  • urban-context
  • contemporary
  • commercial-or-residential
Geometry
A multi-story facade composed of a heavy masonry base supporting vertically fluted upper volumes with evenly spaced square windows.
Facade system
Corrugated metal panel rainscreen over upper levels above a load-bearing or veneer red brick masonry base.
Structural guess
Masonry ground floor supporting a steel or timber frame superstructure.
Spatial scale
Pedestrian-scale ground floor with double-height brick piers, topped by multi-story upper volumes.
Lighting
Direct, low-angle sunlight casting sharp shadows from the window reveals and tree branches across the facade and sidewalk.
Atmosphere
Crisp and orderly, animated by strong morning or afternoon sunlight casting dynamic shadow patterns.
Environmental context
Urban sidewalk context with a bare deciduous tree and bike hoops in the foreground.
Spatial experience
The street-level approach presents a grounded brick base with large glazed entryways, transitioning vertically into a lighter, rhythmic metallic upper facade.
Composition rhythm
Strict vertical rhythm established by the corrugated cladding flutes aligning with structural bay divisions and window modules.
Style reading
Contemporary industrial-informed rationalism
Program
Mixed-use residential or commercial workspace
Perspective
Exterior Facade
Discipline
architecture
Materials
corrugated-metal, red-brick, glass, steel
Visual identifiers
corrugated-metal-cladding, red-brick-base, punched-windows, vertical-fluting
Style tags
contemporary, industrial-vernacular, rationalist
Visual tags
façade-study, material-contrast, urban-context, contemporary, commercial-or-residential
Geometry
A multi-story facade composed of a heavy masonry base supporting vertically fluted upper volumes with evenly spaced square windows.
Facade system
Corrugated metal panel rainscreen over upper levels above a load-bearing or veneer red brick masonry base.
Structural guess
Masonry ground floor supporting a steel or timber frame superstructure.
Spatial scale
Pedestrian-scale ground floor with double-height brick piers, topped by multi-story upper volumes.
Lighting
Direct, low-angle sunlight casting sharp shadows from the window reveals and tree branches across the facade and sidewalk.
Atmosphere
Crisp and orderly, animated by strong morning or afternoon sunlight casting dynamic shadow patterns.
Environmental context
Urban sidewalk context with a bare deciduous tree and bike hoops in the foreground.
Spatial experience
The street-level approach presents a grounded brick base with large glazed entryways, transitioning vertically into a lighter, rhythmic metallic upper facade.
Composition rhythm
Strict vertical rhythm established by the corrugated cladding flutes aligning with structural bay divisions and window modules.
Style reading
Contemporary industrial-informed rationalism
Program
Mixed-use residential or commercial workspace
Perspective
Exterior Facade
Discipline
architecture

Related in this portfolio