School Pupils Design a Greener London

16 June - 14 July, Florence Hall, Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)

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.