News
Grounds for Optimism launches
2nd May 2008
The Solent Centre for Architecture and Design, Kent Architecture Centre, Learning through Landscapes and the Hampshire County Council Schools Landscape Programme in partnership with the Landscape Institute have launched Grounds for Optimism – a competition open to secondary schools across the South East and the Yorkshire and Humberside regions with the potential for the winning designs to become reality.
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has pledged its support by funding £50,000 to the scheme and the organisers are now on the hunt for additional funding to ensure the project gets off to a successful start. Other supporters include MP, Margaret Hodge, Wayne Hemingway, designer and chair of The South Coast Design Forum and the Architecture Centre Network.
Mark Drury at The Solent Centre for Architecture and Design, said: “Grounds for Optimism is a terrific cause for businesses to align themselves with something which will have a huge impact on schools. Well designed outdoor areas within schools can offer children fantastic learning opportunities, but they’re often poorly resourced and most likely to suffer from budget cuts. This award scheme aims to raise awareness of the need for exciting and versatile school landscapes.”
The Grounds for Optimism scheme will be taking place in the South East and Yorkshire and Humberside (with other regions joining later in the year) with the winning school from each region awarded professional support to enable them to realise their designs. However it’s not just the winners who benefit - all those taking part will be equipped with the skills and ideas to place them in a stronger position to promote and secure resources for positive changes.
SEEDA’s South East Excellence Urban Renaissance Manager, Miranda Pearce, said: “The quality of the region's built environment is an important contributory factor to its economic success. The Grounds for Optimism project will raise both teachers’ and pupil’s awareness of how the places around them are created. At a time of growing demand for more people to join the construction and built environment sector, the Grounds for Optimism project offers employers taking part a real opportunity to enthuse young people about the work they do and the variety of career opportunities they offer.”
For further information on sponsorship opportunities with Grounds for Optimism please contact Mark Drury at The Solent Centre for Architecture and Design on 023 8028 3053 or email mark@solentcentre.org.uk.
