Naturally Synthetic is an educational space that teaches the fundamentals of fashion and textile design through the upcycling of discarded garments. The school aims to reclaim intimacy between our bodies and textiles, a relationship that has been lost in the current fashion culture and the automation within which it widely operates. Set on Fish Island, East London, the school offers an opportunity to students, ages 16-18, wanting to pursue a career in fashion design, as well as the local community looking to learn the craft, or repair and create new garments. The building acts as a dress for the inhabitants, creating intimate adaptable spaces through fabric, and it changes according to the academic seasons. The external façade, specifically the circulation staircase, is a main indicator of season as the draped fabric staircase, seen along the canal walk, is stained by the natural dyes harvested and dumped by the students.