PRESS RELEASE
12 December 2017
Green plans meet Grand Designs as Barnet students build future
An innovative schools programme, ‘Stephen George + You’, designed to engage a new generation in planning the greener homes and towns of their own future has been declared a resounding success in the North London school where it was piloted.
In a major first for UK schools, St Mary’s and St John’s Church of England school in Barnet (SMSJ) has just completed ‘Architecture and Sustainability – looking to the future’. The programme, brainchild of award-winning architects Stephen George + Partners, was inspired by the firm’s commitment to sustainability, social values, and community engagement.
Individual students and their teams will be awarded certificates and prizes for their sustainability work.
The course was uniquely tailored for schools by the architectural practice and its collaborator, the Heaven Company, based on the ‘Brief Cases’ education initiative. This brings education and the world of work closer together. While that model is already used in universities, ‘Stephen George + You’ marks the first time it has been used in a school setting, reaching out early to engage children.
Mark Smith, Director at Stephen George + Partners, played a leading role in delivering lessons and giving the SMSJ students direct feedback. About sixty Year Sevens, aged 11 and 12, participated on the course, presenting ideas, making group pitches, and designing mock-ups of planet-friendly homes including solar and hydroelectric power, heat pumps, and waste-management.
The course, which started in September and ran for 10 weeks, revealed talents among the pre-teen students, including trailblazing engineering ideas, ingenious designs and new concepts on how waste materials could be used to power homes of the future.
Following the success of the Barnet pilot, Stephen George + Partners now aims to offer schoolchildren in Leeds, Leicester and London, where it also has offices, access to the pioneering programme.
“At Stephen George + Partners we recognise that we’ve got a role to play in shaping ideas. We want to interest young people in how architecture affects the environment and also how they can be part of it, caring for the planet through design decisions. We’re highlighting the breadth of opportunity in the sector. Architecture isn’t only for people who can draw. There’s everything from mechanical engineering and project management to roles in marketing and human resources. This programme helps students to see that.”
The school’s Head of Design and Technology, PhilippaWimberley : “From the very beginning of our discussions, we were clear that SMSJ wanted to be involved with Stephen George + Partners, and Brief Cases. The lesson plans they’ve come up with are extremely well structured and spot-on for how we work, and help our students to excel. We believe that everything is possible and want to nurture and inspire our students, so as a school and with the support of our senior leadership team, we were comfortable to give the full cohort of Year Seven students’ exposure to the project. And, the students have absolutely loved making and designing their model homes, particularly as they’ve seen television programmes such as Grand Designs; and here they are, as students, designing and building their very own model version.”
Stephen George + You, schools programmes forms part of Stephen George + Partners’ national corporate social responsibility agenda.
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All Enquiries to:
Claire Lalaguna @Satellite MPR + 44 (0)1394 384 040/ 07973 314
Notes to the editor:
Images:
Courtesy of Stephen George + Partners. For High-res images please contact Satellite MPR
Stephen George + Partners:
Founded in 1970, Stephen George + Partners is one of the UK’s leading architectural practices, employing over 80 staff across offices in London, Leicester, Leeds, Birmingham and Solihull. Success in the UK has led to opportunities overseas, resulting in the establishment of Stephen George International in 2009 and the International Logistics Design Group in 2014. In 2016 Stephen George + Partners turned over £6 million.
With its strategic geographical locations and talented architectural design teams, the practice specialises in masterplanning and the residential, industrial, logistics, office, education and retail sectors. Committed to the highest standards of service quality, professionalism and architecture, Stephen George + Partners has designed and delivered a portfolio that is rich in both complexity and scale. Working in partnership, its strong client base is evidence of its ability to respond rapidly to stakeholder requirements, resolve complex site issues and produce innovative designs.