CALLING STUDENTS TO TAKE PART IN A FABULOUS DESIGN COMPETITION – The JOHN CARR CHALLENGE

Students from Year 7 to Year 13 are invited to take part in a fabulous design challenge to create an alternative design for the iconic Richmond Grandstand building.  The competition is a celebration of the 300^th anniversary of the birth of John Carr, the famous architect, who had a significant impact on many well-known historic buildings across the North of England and beyond.

This is an exciting opportunity for students who like drawing and design to show off their creative skills.  We are located close to the old Grandstand building on Richmond Racecourse and the challenge is for our students to work with the existing John Carr elevation which has a section removed and to create an alternative structure and design in the blank area. The Old Grandstand was built around 1775 and the racecourse was closed in the late 19^th Century. It has since become derelict.

The project is a collaboration between the consortium of John Carr and Donald Insall Associates, an award-winning architectural practice specialising in historic buildings. It is hoped that the challenge will encourage young people to view architecture both as an interest and potentially as a future career. The elevations of the Grandstand can be downloaded here with the second page to be used to create the new design. Students can create their designs in black/white or colour and in any method/style they choose.

The plan is for the designs to be displayed at the various John Carr sites, with the potential for a larger on-line exhibition bringing all of the submissions together with prizes awarded by each site.

The closing date for entries is 30th June. Students should include their name, age and school and email their drawings to either Molly Humphries  on mollyhumphries@wentworthwoodhouse.org.uk  or Colin Grant on skippercolin@aol.com by 30^th June who will pass them to judges Donald Insall Associates to choose their top three designs.

Further background about John Carr’s career can be found here.

As well as designing Richmond Grandstand, John Carr also designed other local buildings such as Constable Burton Hall and, a little further afield, Harewood House and Fairfax House.