As part of London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s vision for London, he is collaborating with architect and TV personality George Clarke to work with schools on urban design projects - Design Future London. This year the project centres around Croydon and how to improve the experience as a resident, visitor, driver, pedestrian or trader. 

In a collaboration between the Geography and DT departments we have entered the competition and attended a workshop looking at the existing fabric of the area. With a team of burgeoning Year 9 designers and a couple of expert Year 11s we had a guided tour and worked with local artists to really get a feel on what worked well and what didn’t. Croydon carries a sometimes negative reputation, but we witnessed some dynamic buildings and spaces that were struggling to work together. Next steps are to carry out an analysis of what we saw and brainstorm some (possibly radical) proposals that could change people’s perceptions and draw them to the town. This may consist of a grand masterplan, some smaller architectural proposals, or ideas on a more human scale. 

The competition itself continues apace with dozens of London schools working on designs that must think about many things with environmental impact at its forefront. Watch this space for some exciting proposals that will be presented and judged in the summer in a high-profile design event. 

Written by Mrs Stevens, Head of Geography & Mr Masters, Head of Design Technology