Howzat? Ripon Grammar School students design modern pavilion which preserves ancient tree in plot

Ripon Grammar School students have come up with a novel design for a modern cricket pavilion and changing block which preserves an ancient beech tree that sits in the middle of the plot.
Ripon Grammar School students with the design of the modern cricket pavilion, with the ancient beech tree taking pride of place.Ripon Grammar School students with the design of the modern cricket pavilion, with the ancient beech tree taking pride of place.
Ripon Grammar School students with the design of the modern cricket pavilion, with the ancient beech tree taking pride of place.

The MAIA team of second formers created an innovative figure of eight building, with the huge tree taking pride of place in a courtyard in the middle of the larger circle.

The inspirational design won them first place in this year’s Building for the Future project, in which ten groups of 12 students competed against each other to win over a panel of expert judges with their proposals.

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The challenge aims to give second formers a taste of running their own business while preparing them for a range of exciting careers, with pupils applying for specific jobs including project manager, architect, interior designer, IT consultant and marketing, business development and finance managers.

Their buildings had to include two classrooms, changing rooms, showers, toilets and a viewing platform.

Tasked with producing the most innovative, cost-effective and environmentally friendly designs, they were given just two days to negotiate, design and cost their project before building a 3D model and delivering a presentation to the panel of judges.

Head judge Anthony Henson, a director at SDA Architects, said: “It was close, but the MAIA team met the brief in every area and came up with a very impressive design.”

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MAIA’s project manager Eva Joussemet, 13, from Littlethorpe, said she and her team-mates had gained a lot from taking part in the challenge while architect Joe Hewitt, 13, came up with the novel figure-of-eight shape for their eco-friendly building.