Cityscape 2025 – Inspiring the next generation of designers

Cityscape 2025 brought together creativity, collaboration, and community at the Corn Exchange in Exeter, offering students a unique experience of the world of architecture and design.

On 21st November local students from Years 9–12 joined professional mentors and judges for an intensive day of design, responding to this year’s brief: create a homeless hub and community kitchen for St Petrocks charity in the heart of Exeter. The brief was challenging for the single day time frame yet the results were ambitious and creative.

Judges were impressed by the maturity, sensitivity, and originality displayed in the students’ work. From thoughtful layouts to innovative ideas addressing real-world needs, the event showcased how young people can flourish when they’re in the right environment.

What makes Cityscape unique?

• It mimics a university architecture studio, giving students hands-on experience of what studying architecture or design might feel like.

• Students work in collaborative teams, guided by professional mentors - architects, landscape architects, interior designers, and city planners - who offer advice, insight, and career guidance throughout the day.

• The competition fosters creativity and problem solving while highlighting architecture as an inherently creative pursuit.

Cityscape was founded by Sophie Atkinson in 2023 with the support of the Exeter RIBA Committee and sponsors like Kendall Kingscott. Sophie explains:

''Cityscape is a unique chance for school students to experience a studio environment as an architect and work with their peers and professional mentors to creatively solve problems and opportunities which we face in city spaces. It's brilliant to see the enthusiasm, skill and new ideas which the students bring and so rewarding to know they have genuinely benefitted from the day. Whilst only in its second year of running, we have expanded and the event is designed to allow any school to participate. Feedback from teachers has been great with several schools having Cityscape as a highlight on their calendar of extra-curricular enrichment.''

Now in its second year, Cityscape has grown significantly, with ambitions to expand into other RIBA regions such as Bath and Bristol. 

Thank you to everyone who made Cityscape 2025 possible, the students, teachers, mentors, judges, and sponsors. Your support ensures this event continues to inspire the next generation of architects and designers.

We’ll be announcing the winning teams soon!