On Monday 22 March 2010 over 220 Year 10 pupils from across the region descended on BT Convention Centre, part of ACC Liverpool, to join leading architects, landscape architects, urban designers, planners and other professionals for a day of talks, hands-on activities and careers advice focussing on architecture and the built environment. The day was the result of months of planning and collaboration with AimHigher Greater Merseyside and the dedication and commitment of design professionals and university students.

Chaired by Matt Brook, Director of Broadway Malyan’s Liverpool office, the day began with talks from Rachel Haugh, Director, Ian Simpson Architects, and Sam Wright, Principal, WilkinsonEyre.Architects. Rachel illustrated what architecture meant to her, from small scale projects to the iconic Hilton Tower in Manchester. Sam told pupils the story of ACC Liverpool, from initial concepts and sketches through to its grand opening and Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008.

In the morning and afternoon pupils chose from 17 options to participate in a variety of hands-on workshops led by design professionals assisted by university student volunteers. Architects Matt Lewis and Amanda Wanner, and urban designer Graham Marshall, took pupils on a journey through the creative process of making a human shelter, constructing two life-sized hemispherical habitats out of rubbish. Planner Deanna Walker helped pupils illustrate how they would improve their own local areas using plasticine to model on base plans. Pupil’s explored Liverpool’s iconic waterfront with urban designer Erin Walsh, working through a series of clues to uncover Liverpool’s buildings and spaces.

The aim of the conference was to inspire young people to be more aware of the environment in which they live and help them to find their voice in wider society, giving them an insight into working in design and the built environment. By giving pupils the opportunity to work alongside successful design professionals and students we hope we have helped breakdown preconceptions about the type of people that are able to have successful careers in the sector. Through the conference we have also engaged with school teachers, introducing them to the potential of the built environment as a teaching tool and providing them with up to date information about the educational routes into the sector.

Feedback from the conference has been overwhelmingly positive, with workshop leaders gaining as much from the experience as pupils. An initial analysis of feedback from the event has revealed some encouraging results: 90% of pupils said that they had a better understanding of the built environment as a result of the day, and over 40% said that they were now more likely to consider a career in the sector. One pupil commented: ‘the conference gave me a fantastic understanding of the careers in architecture – listening to people who have been successful architects and how they became successful.’

90% of teachers said that as a result of the conference they had a greater appreciation of the built environment as a tool to support the curriculum, with one teacher praising ‘the passion of the people who spoke and led the activities.’ There are also a number of follow on activities with teachers, including an expansion of the Places Matter! Education teacher training programme for Construction and Built Environment Diploma teachers to those teaching the core curriculum, and a publication which will see the 17 workshops delivered on the day turned into lesson plans, demonstrating the clear links between the activities and the curriculum. These activities will help to ensure the legacy of the day and the ongoing development of the education programme.

Pupils who attended the conference now have the opportunity to enter a competition to win one of 30 places at a two day architecture introductory course at Liverpool John Moores University’s School of Art and Design. Building on the success of the conference, we hope that this will be the first of many similar activities across the region. The conference would not have been possible without the enthusiasm, commitment and time of the design professionals who have supported the project, and the passion and dedication they have shown has been an inspiration to all involved.