Young City Makers partners professional practices with primary schools across London. Together, the teams deliver two in-school workshops to explore future careers in the built environment sector and develop spatial understanding and model-making skills. The teams also explore a part of the city together and enjoy a shared community celebration at the end of the project.
Young City Makers
8 - 11
It’s My City Too!
8 - 14
It’s My City Too is a workshop programme, designed for students in SEN schools. It empowers them to engage with their city and works collaboratively with them to explore spaces and places from which they may feel shut out. Open City builds creative teams to work with each school in a six week programme.
Accelerate Studios
12 - 16
Accelerate Studios are workshops and tours offering advice and insight into careers in the sector for those aged 14-16.
Accelerate
16 - 18
Accelerate is Open City’s programme for sixth-formers from under-represented groups who are interested in exploring careers in the built environment sector. 100 young Londoners are accepted onto the programme each year.
Accelerate Alumni is designed to support our students through the long road to qualification and through the early years of professional life. It offers a range of opportunities to build awareness of the opportunities in the sector and on-going mentoring.
Accelerate Alumni
18+
18+
Youth Engagement Training (YET)
XXXX
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SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS
If you would like to make a donation or support the programme, please email sarah@open-city.org.uk
Young City Makers is a creative learning programme for KS2 primary school pupils.
This programme inspires the next generation of city-shapers by partnering them with design professionals who work with them to discuss and design a better city. The programme also offers teacher training on how architecture can be used inventively to teach a variety of subjects including Art, Design, Numeracy, Literacy, Geography and Science whilst improving children’s drawing, model-making, communication and problem-solving skills.
Each year participants take part in building explorations, looking for clues to understand how buildings are designed and built, learn design skills and consider the ways in which people use space.
Building visits inspire children to design their own places and spaces in response to a set design brief. This direct experience leads on to creative workshops in the classroom.
“We absolutely loved the project this year. We have gained invaluable team-working skills as a class and have had a wonderful time being able to channel our creativity, artistic skill and imagination into a wonderful project. Thank you!”
— Christopher Marley, Teacher at Reay Primary School (2021)
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Responding to the design brief
In working on their designs pupils are asked to consider the following:
The function of their chosen place, who will use their place, the location of their place, how their place can be accessed, how their place can look appealing to users and how their place can be sustainable and well looked after.
Presenting ideas
Every year children present their ideas by creating a project portfolio complete with photographs, sketches and notes documenting their design process and final designs and creating a three-dimensional architectural model showcasing their ideas.
Celebration ceremony
Each year participating classes enter the Young City Makers Awards. Students and their partner design professionals submit a digital portfolio of work showcasing their 2D and 3D responses to the brief.
Watching young Londoners proudly take the microphone on stage is a moving testimony to the power of this programme.
“I found the experience in College Park to be one of the most transformative experiences of my life - finding new ways to explore buildings, the built environment and architecture. The children taught us how to be present and creative, which is something they have to offer us.”
