The architecture profession has a reputation for not accurately representing the communities it serves. This isn’t an issue that exists just within our industry but transpires across other disciplines within the wider built environment.
Young people, specifically those from ethnic minority groups or low socio-economic backgrounds, don’t always have the industry contacts to access the wonderful opportunities on offer. Access is the key term here. We massively underestimate how invaluable offering guidance and practical experience can be for those looking to expand their network. We’re also missing out on young talent with rich lived experiences who bring creative thinking to emerging challenges. As someone who attended a state school and was on free school meals, I knew all too well that opportunities didn’t naturally present themselves to me in a place like Newham, a London borough with a vibrant and diverse population but also one of the poorest. Had I been introduced to the range of careers available in the built environment then, perhaps I would have networked my way in a lot earlier.
As a member of Make Architects’ outreach team, Aspire, we’re addressing this head on by working directly with schools and educational institutions to deliver creative workshops across the UK. Make is fortunate to have a long-standing partnership with RIBA through their Architecture Ambassadors programme since 2021. Here’s a recap of the social mobility initiatives we’ve collaborated on together.
Woodlands Centre for Autism, Netley Primary School, Camden (2021)
Aspire worked with pupils aged 7 to 11 – each with varying degrees of autism – to help build a house for their favourite toy. Over three, hour-long weekly workshops, the children explored different materials and completed a Mad Libs-style story that determined the design of their toys’ homes. Each child presented a range of abilities and needs, with some for instance requiring Makaton signing and visual cards, while others had greater verbal facility. The story was presented using Communicate in Print, a desktop publishing programme that creates visual symbols to accompany text. The final session was dedicated to feedback from the pupils, teacher, and classroom assistants, discussing what worked well and what could be improved for future workshops.
The St Marylebone CE School for Girls, Westminster (2022)
Aspire organised a three-part workshop series to inform Year 9 students about the world of architecture.
We first invited a group to tour Make’s London studio where they got to explore different breakout areas, the library, meeting rooms and, most excitingly, the modelshop. Students were then challenged to reimagine the workplace and consider the future of office design post-COVID. They had to assess key workplace features, including breakout spaces, as well as personal and shared workspaces for their industry of choice.
The second workshop saw our RIBA Ambassadors head out to the school, where they shared a glossary of terms and conducted an architectural drawing class. The participants learned how to make plans, sections, perspective views and isometric drawings using a de-constructable model. The final workshop saw three groups return to the London studio to present their work to a group of architects. A pre-university crit! Their projects varied from an athletics team coordination office through to a classical recording studio and music producer’s space. The creative designs were beautifully drawn, and some renders were made by recreating the buildings in the virtual environment of the video game The Sims!
Indian architecture with William Patten Primary School, Hackney (2024)
As part of William Patten’s Design & Technology curriculum, Aspire tasked the budding Year 6 creatives to design a family home in the context of India’s varied climate, topography, and cultures. In this one-day workshop, the pupils first designed collage mood boards based on their assigned factors. For example, the arid desert climate of Rajasthan in northwestern India would vary vastly compared to the cold mountainous region of Darjeeling at the Himalayan foothills. The students had to consider what type of architecture and materials would work best in these climates. Prompts to get them thinking included what the family would need to feel comfortable as well as what would make them happy. It was a riot of coloured pencils, paper, and glue to get their creative ideas flowing.
The students then started to sketch their designs on paper by making house plans. This gave them the space to visualise if their planned home functioned layout wise, it was an exercise in clearly defining which room worked where and how the family members would feel about this. Following sketching was the most fun activity of the day – modelmaking! We ran through simple modelmaking techniques using cardboard pieces from cereal boxes. Each student was also asked to bring in one household item they could use for their model. Moments of individual personality came through in the final presentation to the class with one using cellophane as coloured windows while another fashioned dining tables out of plastic bottle tops.
Preparing for Practice with RIBA West Midlands x Birmingham City University (2025)
Make’s founder Ken Shuttleworth and architect Greg Willis recently joined industry leaders and some of RIBA Journal’s Rising Stars for a one-day event, organised by RIBA West Midlands and Birmingham City University’s School of Architecture & Design. It was a day full of inspiring talks, career insights, and hands-on portfolio workshops designed to help Part 1 students transition from architecture school to practice. Ken shared his career journey and offered tips for success while Greg provided tailored CV and portfolio feedback to help students stand out in interviews. It was a way to support the next generation of architects as they progressed in their field.
At Make, we always get excited by the level of interest and enthusiasm from students who get involved with our workshops and studio tours. A few even go on to intern or complete work experience placements with us. The day job becomes much more fulfilling when young minds are genuinely curious in understanding how a building stands up. Many are thoughtful about how their designs would impact the environment, with sustainable material selection becoming a key part of their creative process. It’s also impressive to see them constantly improve their drawing skills and presentation techniques through our work experience programme. Spotlighted by RIBA, our programme toolkit pairs students with a dedicated mentor who provides guidance on site research, critical thinking, designing, model making, presentation skills, and CV coaching.
As we continue to reflect on our engagement with various educational institutions, our hope is that it not only provides students with ample learning opportunities but also allows us to gain a young person’s perspective on this ever-evolving industry. Outreach is now an engrained part of everyday life at Make, and we actively encourage new volunteers to sign up.
Roshan Dsouza is a communications lead at Make Architects and member of its outreach team, Aspire.
