Heliotope, founded by Jane Caught, a former co-founding director of Sibling Architecture, is an architectural practice rooted in hyper-local regenerative principles. The firm aims to shift from traditional consumption-based models to one that actively restores and replenishes the environment, benefiting both human and non-human inhabitants. Heliotope operates on the belief that architecture should minimize harm, acknowledging the profession’s historical role in resource consumption, ecological destruction, and upholding systems of power.

The practice adopts a long-term perspective in its designs, carefully considering the origin and lifecycle of materials—from stone that has formed over millennia to linoleum that takes thousands of years to decompose in landfills. Heliotope focuses on designing adaptable structures that can evolve with future climates, technologies, and the reuse of materials. The firm emphasizes the importance of empowering clients and communities, involving them in the design process to make informed decisions about their built environment.

Heliotope’s work spans architecture, design, and research, delivering and adapting buildings, including houses and public spaces, while conducting research into local ecologies and resource systems. The firm approaches its projects with an ethic of speculative care, using this framework to envision more considerate, equitable, and sustainable futures. Through this approach, Heliotope seeks to redefine architectural practice by prioritizing ecological and social justice, ensuring that their designs contribute positively to the environment and society.

Photography by Charlie Kinross