In a Masterclass with ARUP, Art&Design Club members from the Art Classes Group and Cranford Community College were invited to design buildings that would be innovative, sustainable and resilient to future change.
The day began with a welcome from the ARUP team, who introduced themselves and explained the plan for the day. They emphasised that engineering isn’t just about maths but also about creativity and curiosity. Following these introductions, everyone settled in with a sketching exercise before the main activity began.
Club members were divided into small focus groups and given a tile that made up an area of an urban masterplan. The tiles represented different parts of a town including schools, railway stations and office buildings. Each tile had its own building or landscape design task where Club members were asked to design with sustainability in mind and to consider how they could reuse reclaimed materials most effectively. To construct their models, they used items like tissue paper, sticks and cardboard.
Once the groups completed their projects, they presented their creations and engaged in a discussion about how recycling and repurposing materials can lead to more sustainable architecture. The conversation also branched into exploring various career paths within architecture, offering insights into the diverse opportunities available.