The competition is to imagine and design the Outdoor Learning Centre of the Future with the winning entries to be turned into fully rendered architectural designs.
The key stage 2, 3 and 4 competition is being offered as a free activity for UK students during the coronavirus lockdown – and it can now be used during any summer holiday learning provision too.
It has been launched by TG Escapes – providers of bespoke eco-buildings for education and experts in the field of building design – in partnership with SecEd and Headteacher Update.
Students are being encouraged to consider a range of issues in their designs, such as technological innovation, effective learning spaces, environmental factors, good use of outdoor space, and issues relating to climate change, such as light and energy-saving and sustainable living. Each design must include an eco-building and an outdoor space.
Entrants are encouraged to imagine themselves at any point in the future, and include in their designs new technologies or materials that they think might be available.
Design should also consider how buildings will help to protect the environment in the future, and how young people might stay connected with nature.
The competition has three categories – key stage 2, key stage 3, and key stage 4 – and schools are invited to hold their own internal competitions before submitting one entry per category for the final judging.
The winning design from each age group will be turned into a fully rendered architectural design by TG Escapes’ architects, Metropolis.
The winner and two runners-up will receive a Tree Planting Pack with trees from the EcoMatcher global tree-planting initiative. This will include lesson plans, posters, badges, acorns to plant and 10 trees planted in Uganda for your school to adopt and track.
The judging panel for the competition includes teachers and school leaders, architects and designers and the deadline for entries is August 7. The winners are due to be revealed in September.