Blackpool students win international sustainable design prize. 

Pupils from a school in Blackpool have been awarded an international design prize.The US based School of the Future Design Competition aims to get students to creatively plan tomorrow’s sustainable schools to conserve wildlife and resources and promote health and learning while engaging their local communities.The competiton forms a part of the US Council of Educational Facility Planners International School Building Week.

Following a semi-final in Manchester, students from Highfield Humanities College were chosen to represent the UK in Washington with five other teams, all from across the US. Each team had 15 minutes to present their design to a judging panel of 22.

Highfields Humanities College received an Award of Distinction as well as $1,500 for their project, an ‘Ocean Observatory’. Coming from Blackpool, the pupils chose to design a community learning spce embedded in sand dunes with the aim of attracting tourists to Blackpool’s hard-hit economy.

The design features a facade of glass that can withstand wave pressure, allowing people to observe underwater life as the tide covers the building. Renewables including wave ad wind power the building which can sleep 42 students, allowing observation of nocturnal sea life.

“The students continue to raise the bar each year in the rigorous competition. this year’s submissions epitomised project-based learning and demonstrated a deep understanding of the planning process and creating a sustainable future.”

Schools from Arizons and Alaska won Awards of Excellence and $2,000 each while three schools from Connecticut, Michigan and Texas were presented with Awards of Merit and $1,000.

Students from Highfield were introduced to the competiton by educational design, engineering and construction programme provider Class of Your Own.