School pupils design a greener London
Architects are working with over 400 pupils from 14 primary and secondary schools in London to develop their own plans for a greener London. The most innovative schemes and projects will be showcased in an exhibition, Architects in Residence: Designing a Greener London at the RIBA, Portland Place, London, W1, from 16 June -14 July as part of Architecture Week (15-24 June). The 14 primary and secondary schools taking part in the curriculum-based projects are from the boroughs of Camden, Greenwich, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Westminster. The students involved were following a variety of courses, including design technology, science and geography.
The design proposals include a ‘green pod’ for a school roof, a design for a playground based on ‘eco-games’ and a science project in which the students have been calculating the carbon footprint of their school.
Awards will be given for the best projects in a number of categories at a special ceremony on the morning of Friday 15 June at the RIBA.
This project is organised by RIBA Trust and Arts Inform, in partnership with RIBA London and supported by CABE. The Architects in Residence initiative aims to build closer links between the architecture profession and schools. The architects and teachers who formed the professional partnerships, working together in each participating school, were supported at the start by a joint Continuing Professional Development training session to help plan the project together. The training manual that was piloted through these sessions will become part of a web-based resource to support architects working in schools.
The participating schools and practices are:
1. Charlton School Special School, Greenwich and Charlick & Nicholson Architects
2. Crown Woods SchoolSecondary, Greenwich and Brady Mallalieu Architects
3. Curwen Primary School, Newham and Erect Architects
4. Fossdene Primary School, Charlton and Tughela Gino Architecture
5. Herensgate Primary School, Greenwich and Burd Haward Architects
6. James Wolfe Primary School, Greenwich and Buschow Henley Architects
7. Kidbrooke Park School Primary, Greenwich and avanti architects
8. Linton Mead School Primary, Greenwich and Panter Hudspith Architects
9. Malmsbury Infant School, Tower Hamlets, and AOC Architecture
10. Quintin Kynaston School, Westminster and Satellite Architects
11. Rockliffe Manor Primary, Greenwich and RCKa Ltd
12. St. Marylebone CE School, Westminster and BDP Architects
13. Torriano School Junior School, Camden and Charlotte McLean Architects
14. Westminster City School, Westminster and Wilkinson Eyre Architects
Speaking about the project, Jack Pringle, President RIBA said:
‘Architects in Residence: Designing a Greener London’ is an inspiring project giving the opportunity and the tools for young London students to look at and gain an understanding of the built environment around them - how its design has a major influence on the way people live and on the bigger picture of sustainability and climate change – and their own futures. This is also an important project in that it is piloting the joint CPD training of architects and teachers, which will prove a model of how the RIBA can support its members to work in schools in the future.’
Other events for children and students events happening in Architecture Week include:
Growing up Green
19 June 9.30am – 3.30pm
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) offices, Thames Wharf, London W6
This year, RSHP will offer a one-day workshop for pupils in their final year of junior school (Year 6). Architects, model makers and graphic designers from the practice, as well as members of the communications team, will help to guide pupils in the design and development of their vision for an ‘eco’ house, reflecting issues such as energy efficiency and sustainability. The workshop is designed to enable pupils to examine the way we currently live, as well as allowing them to visualise their ‘ideal’ environmentally friendly house of the future. The event is by invitation to the primary schools involved.
Beach Hut Design
19 June 2007 9am – 12pm, 2pm – 4.30pm
22 June 2007 4pm – 6.30pm Admission Free
Kesteven and Sleaford High School, Jermyn Street, Sleaford, NG34
A chance to re-design the beach hut to include today’s sustainable technology and promote the local area – the Lincolnshire coast line. It is to be linked with a "Bathing Beauties" workshop at the Hub in Sleaford with professional architects and hopefully the final outcomes (models and 2D drawings) will be displayed as a website.
Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud
19, 20 and 21 June 2007 10am – 12pm and 1pm – 3pm Admission Free
School of Architecture and Design, Plymouth
This family workshop is a hands-on event to give school children the opportunity to experience mud as a building material. It is an opportunity to explore the global use of earth in buildings by practicing many different techniques. The outcome will be decided by the children and could be a bread oven, a shelter or a sculpture.
Build a Castle at Dover Castle!
Tuesday 19 June 2007 10am – 12pm, 1pm -3pm Admission Free
Dover Castle Education Centre, Dover Castle, Dover, CT16
Dover Castle will host Design and Technology workshops on-site for local primary schools (Years 5 & 6). There will also be a teachers’ twilight workshop. Pupils will have the chance to build a castle, using large foam blocks and then plan and make a working portcullis or drawbridge.
Floating Cities, Hidden Architecture
19 and 24 June 2007 Admission Free
Coventry Canal Basin CV1
Working with young people from the ages of 12 – 18 to investigate and react creatively to the architecture of the canal systems between Coventry and Birmingham Basins. The project involves constructing paper models to be lit up and floated at Coventry basin at an evening event on the 24 June 2007.
