Aspiring architects from Summit Learning Trust learn from cutting-edge companies
Birmingham Housing Week looks “beyond the bricks” to a future of sustainable homes
Learners from across Summit Learning Trust secondary schools – Lyndon School, Cockshut Hill School and Ninestiles, an Academy – in the West Midlands are taking part in a new initiative to help design and build for Birmingham’s future.
During the council-run Birmingham Housing Week, which urges young people to “look beyond the bricks and hard hats”, learners are competing to create designs to help shape the city’s homes and communities of the future.
According to the council, Birmingham will need 65,000 new homes by 2031 – and a new challenge, devised by tv presenter George Clarke and his charity MOBIE for the special week, is calling on young people to make these sustainable and fit for the future.
Now, teams of learners from across Summit’s schools are considering aspects such as design, construction materials and landscape, to conceive homes which will have the least environmental impact as possible.
They are also making the most of the opportunity to visit and meet with top architectural, construction and design companies in the city, and find out more about how Birmingham is being reshaped and renewed, as well as the 56 different careers that are needed to build houses.
This has included a visit to Howells, which is behind some of the city’s most innovative projects, including the award-winning Paradise scheme at Chamberlain Square; and a workshop at Birmingham City University Steamhouse, where learners were able to test their modelling skills and took part in a challenge to build a structure they would like to see within the housing project.
Vince Green, Summit Learning Trust, said: “We are passionate about improving our environmental impact, and to raising our learners’ awareness of the need to be as sustainable as possible in everything we do. Therefore, it’s fantastic that environmental interests are at the heart of Birmingham Housing Week and that young people are being given the opportunity to shape their city of the future. This opportunity will see children and young people learning more about the many rewarding roles on offer in the housing sector, as well as the exciting regeneration which is happening across Birmingham.”
