A Dundee design competition for schoolchildren is set for its biggest year yet with entrants coming from as far afield as Shetland to take part in next month’s contest.
Creative Spaces challenges teams of S2 pupils to design buildings and make scale models of their creations.
The competition, which was founded by architect Doug Binnie, is now in its 16th year and has become so successful that Anderson High School from Lerwick has asked to take part.
Normally, only schools from Perth and Kinross, Angus, Dundee and Fife enter teams for the day-long competition, which takes place at The Space at Dundee and Angus College’s Kingsway Campus.
As well as teams from Shetland, this year’s competition will see a group from Clackmannanshire enter for the first time.
Mr Binnie said: “Creative Spaces has got progressively bigger since 2002.
“There are 31 teams that are coming and we were asked if the team from Anderson High could come too.
“It takes them 14 hours on the ferry to get to Aberdeen.”
Mr Binnie said a number of businesses and charitable trusts had pitched in to help the Shetland pupils get to Dundee, where they will stay at Sleeperz Hotel.
The competition will take place on May 22 and the winning school will receive £600. Prizes will also be on offer for the pupils themselves.
Mr Binnie said the competition had been so successful because it offers pupils the chance to learn skills they are not taught in the classroom.
And he hopes education bosses will take on board some of the lessons learned over the course of the competition’s 15 years.
He said: “It has a totally transformative effect on a lot of the pupils.
“It’s become a massive thing. It gives children something they don’t get at school.”
As well as designing buildings, two pupils from each team have to give a presentation about their inspiration, which Mr Binnie said helps boost confidence.
He added: “It’s definitely unique in Scotland and possibly even the UK.”
Mr Binnie founded the competition while working at Nicol Russell Studios in Dundee. Although now retired, he still runs Creative Spaces with assistance from the firm.
