Mayor of London and George Clarke challenge young people to Design Future London!

The Mayor of London and renowned architect and TV presenter George Clarke are today launching a design challenge for young people to create homes and places of the future – Design Future London. 

The Mayor and the presenter of Channel 4 programmes Restoration Man, George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and Old House, New Home, are launching a London-wide challenge for young people aged between 11 and 25.  The challenge, created by George’s education charity MOBIE – Ministry of Building Innovation and Education – and the Mayor, is asking young people to let their imaginations run free by designing an innovative and inspirational green home and urban neighbourhood in the Royal Docks, East London close to where City Hall will be moving in 2022. 

The home and neighbourhood designs should address four key priorities central to London’s recovery from COVID-19: making places, sustainable transport, building housing, addressing climate change and providing green energy for London.  They should meet the changing needs of future generations of Londoners, including promoting wellbeing, quality of life and healthy living.

The Mayor of London Sadiq Kahn said, “I hope this challenge will help young Londoners to develop new skills and inspire more of them to join our world-leading built environment sector”.

Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe said “The Mayor and I are committed to making sure that the people who plan and design our city are representative of London’s diversity. Unfortunately, that’s not currently the case, with too many communities underrepresented in the built environment industries. With this design challenge we hope to inspire more young Londoners to pursue the amazing career opportunities that there are in the built environment sector and play an important role in shaping our city’s future.

George Clarke, MOBIE founder, said: “Home is the most important piece of architecture in our lives. It crafts the way we live, and how we grow as families and communities. A well-designed home and neighbourhood can enhance the way we live and promote good health and wellbeing”.

Clarke added: “The homes and neighbourhoods of the future will be lived in and created by today’s young people. That is why I am so excited to be launching the Design Future London young persons’ challenge with the Mayor.  We are asking young people, aged between 11 and 25, to design a home and community of the future in the Royal Docks - sustainable, adaptable, green homes and places that promote wellbeing, quality of life and healthy living.  I know from past experience the amazing design talent and imagination that young people have. I cannot wait to see the incredible and inspirational, future thinking designs and plans that young Londoners come up with and I really hope the challenge will inspire them to pursue careers in the built environment that will help shape the future of London.”

The free to enter challenge will inspire a new generation of Londoners to learn about the built environment and help bring learning in subjects like geography, history and design and technology to life. The challenge will introduce young people to the built environment sector and the variety of jobs – from planning and architecture to engineering and construction – that exist and employ nearly 10% of the UK workforce.

The challenge is open to young people aged 11 to 25, including those in Further and Higher Education, and runs until Friday 6 May 2022.  There are three age categories: 11-15, 16-18 and 19- 24. Students can enter as individuals or as part of a group.

The challenge brief, launch video, resource library and more information about the design challenge can be found at https://consult.london.gov.uk/hub-page/design-future-london and http://www.mobie.org.uk