Rekha Barry-Houston is an architect and designer based in Liverpool, whose practice explores the boundaries of material, scale and surface. With a background in casting, she creates striking furniture and objects using jesmonite and fibreglass — materials that echo stone and marble while offering greater accessibility and design flexibility.
With QEST support, Rekha will train in scagliola — an historic, marble-like plaster made with pigments, polished to a high shine. Though now rare in the UK, she sees great potential in translating the craft into contemporary furniture and interiors, using natural pigments and sustainable processes. Her three-part training includes pigment-making with Chalk Plaster, inlay techniques with Scagliola Workshop, and large-scale application with Hayles and Howe. These skills will allow Rekha to elevate her designs and contribute to the craft’s revival.
Exhibited by the V&A Dundee, Design Museum and National Portrait Gallery, Rekha was nominated for Young Scottish Architect of the Year in 2022. Her vision is to marry traditional techniques with bold, modern design — creating sculptural works that are rooted in heritage and made to last.
