Architects inspire L4 artists

Under the guidance of Ms Ward, a group of L4 Art and Design students have embarked upon an exciting architecture project in collaboration with Open-City, a charity  which seeks to “inspire pupils and teachers alike through direct experience of exemplary architecture and to provide creative opportunities to learn from and about architecture.”  Open-City is supported by a group of eminent architects, who visit schools to talk to and inspire pupils. Bancroft’s  pupils are fortunate to have been paired with Alsops and, as part of the project, L4 pupils visited the Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Queen Mary College for a building study with the architects. This landmark laboratory building houses key research groups in a unique open plan, vibrant and colourful research environment and was completed by Alsops in 2005. After the visit, Fiona MacDonald of Open-City commented that she “was very impressed by your student’s engagement, perceptiveness and drawing skills!”  The Bancroft’s group have been using this visit as inspiration for their own designs for a competition to design urban eco flats. Following a workshop in school by Alsops, pupils Amelia Little and Sanah Arshad, who are working as a team said, “The architects were extremely helpful and inspiring. They explained everything and made it less daunting”. Alsops were impressed with the progress that pupils have made: everything from a “City in the Sky” to “a building designed for people who love scuba diving!”  Having completed their designs, pupils have now put them forward for the Architecture in Schools Awards Competition organised by Open-City. Watch this space!