Inspire Future Generations Awards 2025 - Best of University

Work on temporary urban interventions with young people has earned the School of Architecture, Art and Design at the University of Portsmouth the “Best of University” award at the Inspire Future Generations Awards. Organised by the Thornton Education Trust.

The award recognises a body of work — including the projects #IHeartPompey, The SoundGarden and ViaLibera! — developed collaboratively with colleagues at the University of Portsmouth.

The projects engaged three different communities, reaching approximately 160 children and young people, involving around 100 students from Architecture and creative disciplines, and working with a wide range of local organisations, institutions and governmental bodies as community partners.

These projects operate as live research environments, generating empirical insight into how children understand space, negotiate risk and collaborate when positioned as legitimate co-designers in urban decision-making processes. Together, they form part of a longer, iterative series of Temporary Urban Interventions exploring the social implications of the temporary use of public space and integrating interdisciplinary research, teaching and civic engagement.