The education workshops explored how vital fusion skills—creativity, collaboration and communication, as highlighted by the City of London Education Strategy Unit – can be developed through creative learning.

Primary and sixth form students took part in a series of hands-on workshops focused on reimagining features of everyday urban spaces to be more playful. Taking on the role of “play detectives” students embraced the idea that play for different ages can happen anywhere with a little imagination and opportunity. Primary pupils explored and analysed familiar local spaces before sharing their findings with sixth form students, exchanging ideas and collaborating to develop design proposals through model making. Students presented their ideas which ranged from playful shadow-makers to reimagined pedestrian crossings.

Students and teachers highlighted the value of working across different age groups, noting how this approach fostered new skills and perspectives rarely encountered in a typical classroom setting.

Students’ models were exhibited in the Think Tank at 8 Bishopsgate, part of a celebratory event for participating pupils and families. The programme culminated in a multi-generational panel discussion as part of the London Festival of Architecture, where our incredible panellists shared insights on the changes they would like to see to ensure young people’s voices help shape their local built environment. Students’ recorded questions helped shape an open, heartfelt and intergenerational conversation.

This education programme and event series ultimately celebrated the importance of exchange: the value of learning from different ages, perspectives and experiences.