Aluminium Design and Technology Challenge winners announced

The Aluminium Design and Technology (D&T) Challenge, targeted at 11-14 year old pupils, took place at Birmingham’s science museum recently.

There were four winners in all, with one individual chosen from each of three subject categories plus one overall winner. The subject categories included Transport, Building and Packaging Recycling. The four category winners were awarded with a Cube 2nd Generation 3D printer for their school and a £200 cash prize. Two other individuals were highly commended, and received £100 and £250 vouchers for their D&T departments.

The challenge aims to get young people thinking creatively about aluminium and its material properties. The challenge provides a free and flexible D&T online teaching resource, developed by Alupro in partnership with the Aluminium Federation (ALFED) and aluminium recycler, Novelis UK. In addition, the Design and Technology Association (DATA) endorse the challenge.

Speaking about the quality of entrants and the winning submissions at the prize-giving ceremony in Birmingham, Alu D&T Challenge judge, Prof. Michael Stacey, says: “This year’s entries convey the passion, creativity and innovation that we were seeking from the Challenge. The quality of submissions has been extremely high and the level of detail and thinking that has gone into their designs shines through. Key Stage Three pupils (11- 14 years) are not inhibited by exposure to conventional designs and for that reason we have seen some truly imaginative and clever entries, focusing on the many benefits of using aluminium to make architecture. Excellent drawings of garden buildings inspired by nature.”

The four winners and schools were:
Jack Armstrong Williams of Blundell’s School – winner of Transport Challenge
Hannah Beckett of Belmont School – winner of Built Environment Challenge
Ambre Bexter of Notting Hill & Ealing High School – winner of Packaging Recycling Challenge
Team (Blair Fraser, Ruairidh Gardner & Ben Munro) of Alva Academy – team winners of Built Environment Challenge

And the two highly commended were:
Team (Hope Hutchison, Rachel Glinsman, Anna Morris & Katie Bearcroft) of The Stephen Perse Foundation) – Built Environment Challenge
Patrick Chorley of Charterhouse School – Built Environment Challenge